Topology of the functions in molecule of staphylococcal enterotoxin Type A

Four fragments (F1-F4) of SEA, obtained via papain proteolysis were separated and isolated as individual components by means of the SDS-electrophoresis in polyacrilamide gel. Molecular masses of the pairs F1 + F4 and F2 + F3 are equal to the mass of the intact toxin--a fact that supposes a cleavage of polypeptide chain in two regions of "disulphide loop" in a SEA molecule. Neither fragment possesses any enterpathogenic properties. It was established, that interferonogenic and mitogenic activity of SEA is connected only with the part of molecule corresponding to F1(17,500) and F3(15,000). Two kinds of antigenic determinants in the SEA molecule were found: one was attributed to F1 and F3 fragments, the other was localised in F2 and F4. Proteolysis by trypsin led to cleavage of a small peptide from the N-terminal end of toxin molecule. Trypsinized SEA displayed all kinds of biological activity characterizing the native toxin.