MECHANISM OF ACTION OF STAPHYLOCCAL ALPHA-HEMOLYSIN. II. ANALYSIS OF THE KINETIC CURVE AND INHIBITION BY SPECIFIC ANTIBODY.

Marucci, Americo A. (Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse, N.Y.). Mechanism of action of staphylococcal alpha-hemolysin. II. Analysis of the kinetic curve and inhibition by specific antibody. J. Bacteriol. 86:1189-1195. 1963.-At least two steps are necessary before the rabbit erythrocyte is lysed by staphylococcal alpha-hemolysin. The first step involves the reaction of alpha-hemolysin with the red cell. The second step, leading to the release of hemoglobin, is an intrinsic reaction of the damaged red cell and takes place without further participation of hemolysin. The speed of this intrinsic reaction is temperature-dependent. Erythrocytes taken from the same rabbit do not vary in their susceptibility to the alpha-hemolysin. From the results of the experiments described herein, a preliminary hypothesis on the mechanism of action of staphylococcal alpha-hemolysin is given.