Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Biochemical Journal logoLink to Biochemical Journal
. 1966 May;99(2):479–492. doi: 10.1042/bj0990479

The interaction of leucocidin with the cell membrane of the polymorphonuclear leucocyte

A M Woodin 1, Antonnette A Wieneke 1
PMCID: PMC1265017  PMID: 5944247

Abstract

1. When leucocidin is incubated with leucocytes it is inactivated in solution and only a little adsorption takes place. This reaction has been used to purify the cell membrane. 2. The interaction of the membrane with leucocidin is very complex and at least three phenomena occur: (a) An inactivation of leucocidin in solution by large amounts of membrane which is synergistic between the two components of leucocidin, is thermolabile and is not inhibited by electrolyte. (b) An adsorption of leucocidin which is synergistic between the two components of leucocidin, does not proceed to the same extent as the inactivation in solution and is a function of the phospholipid components. Phospholipids isolated from the membrane adsorb leucocidin but the adsorption requires the presence of several molecular species. (c) Polymerization of leucocidin induced by tenfold smaller amounts of membrane than are required to bring about the first two interactions. The polymerization is reversed by adjustment of the ionic strength. It is due to the presence of the lipid components of the membrane. Different lipids are equally effective in inducing the polymerization. 3. Each component of leucocidin will polymerize in the absence of membranes and lose biological activity at low ionic strength. This is reversed by electrolyte and it does not proceed to the same extent as in the presence of membranes. 4. The nature of the interaction of leucocidin with cells, membranes and lipids and the spontaneous polymerization indicate that each component of leucocidin can adopt different isomeric forms. 5. The relationship of the interaction with the membrane to the cytotoxic effect of leucocidin is discussed.

Full text

PDF
479

Images in this article

484-1Plate 1.
on p.484-1

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. GREENWOOD F. C., HUNTER W. M., GLOVER J. S. THE PREPARATION OF I-131-LABELLED HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE OF HIGH SPECIFIC RADIOACTIVITY. Biochem J. 1963 Oct;89:114–123. doi: 10.1042/bj0890114. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. WOODIN A. M. Fractionation of a leucocidin from Staphylococcus aureus. Biochem J. 1959 Oct;73:225–237. doi: 10.1042/bj0730225. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. WOODIN A. M. Purification of the two components of leucocidin from Staphylococcus aureus. Biochem J. 1960 Apr;75:158–165. doi: 10.1042/bj0750158. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. WOODIN A. M. The effect of staphylococcal leucocidin on the leucocyte. Biochem J. 1961 Sep;80:562–572. doi: 10.1042/bj0800562. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. WOODIN A. M., WIENEKE A. A. The incorporation of radioactive phosphorus in the leucocyte during the extrusion of protein induced by staphylococcal leucocidin. Biochem J. 1963 Jun;87:480–487. doi: 10.1042/bj0870480. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Woodin A. M. Staphylococcal leukocidin. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1965 Jul 23;128(1):152–164. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1965.tb11636.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Woodin A. M., Wieneke A. A. Composition and properties of a cell-membrane fraction from the polymorphonuclear leucocyte. Biochem J. 1966 May;99(2):493–500. doi: 10.1042/bj0990493. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Biochemical Journal are provided here courtesy of The Biochemical Society

RESOURCES