[Isolation and characteristics of staphylococcal alpha-toxin].

A method for isolation of staphylococcal alpha-toxin preparations has been elaborated. Characteristics of the toxin isolated by the method are as follows: mol. mass = 35 Kd; HU = 0.1 microgram; DnD= 0.1 microgram; LD50 = 2 micrograms. It is for the first time that alpha-toxin was fragmented by papain and digested by alpha, gamma-chemotrypsin. The papain fragments (18.5 and 15 Kd) retained lethal activity but lost hemolytic and dermonecrotic activities. Alpha, gamma-chemotryptic digested fragments (18 and 15 Kd) retained hemolytic and lethal effects, but lost their dermonecrotic activity.