A heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) purified from chicken enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli is identical to porcine LT.

We have previously reported that the heat-labile enterotoxin (LTc) isolated from a chicken enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) was identical to LTh produced by human ETEC (Tsuji et al. (1988) FEMS Microbiol Lett. 52, 79-84). In this study, we purified an LTc-like toxin (LTc') from another strain isolated from a chicken that developed diarrhea at a different place and time to the previously reported chicken. Its molecular weight and antigenicity were compared with those of purified LTs from porcine and human ETEC (LTp and LTh). The A subunit of LTc' was identical to those of the purified LTs in mobility on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The Ouchterlony test demonstrated that LTc' was antigenically identical to LTp. The isoelectric point and amino acid composition of LTc' were also identical to those of LTp. These data suggest that chicken ETEC can be grouped with both the porcine and human types on the basis of the LTs produced.