Abstract
Pneumococci are described as alpha-haemolytic but under certain circumstances they produce zones of beta-haemolysis on blood-containing medium. This observation was investigated using wild type strains and a genetically-modified strain unable to produce the haemolytic toxin, pneumolysin. beta-haemolysis was produced by all pneumococci tested. It was not inhibited by anti-pneumolysin antibody but could be inactivated by cholesterol. These data confirm that pneumococci elaborate a second haemolysin, distinct from pneumolysin.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Antibodies, Bacterial / immunology
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Bacterial Proteins
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Cholesterol / pharmacology
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Escherichia coli / genetics
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Hemolysin Proteins / drug effects
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Hemolysin Proteins / immunology
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Hemolysin Proteins / metabolism*
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Hemolysis / drug effects
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Hemolysis / genetics
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Hemolysis / immunology
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Streptococcus / metabolism
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Streptococcus pneumoniae / genetics
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Streptococcus pneumoniae / metabolism*
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Streptolysins / genetics
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Streptolysins / immunology
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Streptolysins / metabolism
Substances
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Antibodies, Bacterial
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Bacterial Proteins
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Hemolysin Proteins
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Streptolysins
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plY protein, Streptococcus pneumoniae
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Cholesterol