Association between the cell-wall peptidoglycan and the progenitor toxin of Clostridium botulinum type C

Clostridium botulinum type C progenitor toxin with a molecular weight of 500 k daltons (C1 L toxin), purified from the bacterial cells, bound at pH 2 to the cell-wall peptidoglycan derived from certain strains. The carbohydrate moiety of the peptidoglycan contained arabinose and galactose at a certain ratio, both of which may directly be associated with the binding. The binding, being dependent on the quality and quantity of the sugars, enhanced the oral toxicity of the toxin to the chicken as well as the mouse.