Abstract
Summary
Highly purified Clostridium botulinum types A and E (progenitor and trypsin-activated) toxins of mol wt 150,000 were treated with dithiothreitol, a disulfide-reducing agent. These reduced toxins and respective control (untreated) toxins were converted into toxoids with formalin and homogenized with complete Freund adjuvant. Guinea pigs immunized with control toxoids developed high resistance to challenge of homologous type of toxin; those immunized with toxoids of reduced toxins developed markedly lower immunity. Type A and E botulinal toxins have at least one disulfide bond whose integrity is important for these proteins to be effective immunizing agents.
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