A mutant hemolysin with lower biological activity produced by a mutant Vibrio parahaemolyticus

A mutant toxin (m-TDH) of thermostable direct hemolysin (Vp-TDH) of Vibrio parahaemolyticus was isolated from the culture of a strain of this organism mutagenized with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. Although the m-TDH had a molecular structure similar to the native Vp-TDH, the m-TDH retained only about 7% residual hemolytic activity of the native toxin. Furthermore, other biological activities of m-TDH, such as lethality in mice and enterotoxicity in rabbit ileal loops, were also weakened. The m-TDH was immunologically indistinguishable from the native Vp-TDH. These results suggest that the m-TDH is only slightly different in structure from the native Vp-TDH. Also, the mutagenized site in m-TDH, which is not immunogenic, seems to be involved in expressing not only hemolytic activity but also lethal and enterotoxic activity.