J Bacteriol Virol.  2002 Dec;32(4):355-366.

Effect of Salinity, Temperature, and Glucose on the Production of Vibrio vulnificus Hemolysin

• Kim HS
• Shin SH
• Park HR
• Lee SE
• Kim CM
• Kim SY
• Kim YR
• Lee HC
• Chung SS
• Rhee JH

Abstract

Among the exotoxins produced by V. vulnificus, hemolysin (HS) has been reported to be the most potent one. To investigate the factors up- or down-regulating HS production in the context of pathogenesis, we observed the effects of salinity or/and temperature shifting, glucose, and acidic pH on the production of HS by V. vulnificus C7184 strain in vitro. Significantly more HS was produced when V. vulnificus was cultured in 0.9% salinity and 37 degrees C than in 2.5% and 25 degrees C. When the culture condition reflecting natural habitat of V. vulnificus (2.5% salinity and 25degrees C) was changed into that reflecting human body (0.9% salinity and 37 degrees C), 2.5 fold or more HS was produced than in the V. vulnificus being cultured continuously in 0.9% NaCl at 37 degrees C. This result suggests that V. vulnificus somehow recognizes the shifting in salinity and temperature and stimulate HS production. Glucose addition in the culture medium resulted in a dose- dependent decrease in the HS production. Glucose itself and acidic pH resulting from its metabolism both appeared to inhibit the HS production. Glucose in itself had more dominant role in suppressing the HS production than the lowered pH accompanying the metabolism of glucose. This result suggests that HS production is down-regulated in the presence of glucose and under environmental acidic pH.

Keyword

Vibrio vulnificus; Virulence; Hemolysin; Salinity; Temperature; Glucose

MeSH Terms

Ecosystem
Exotoxins
Glucose*
Human Body
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Metabolism
Salinity*
Vibrio vulnificus*
Vibrio*
Virulence
Exotoxins
Glucose