Mechanism of hemolysis by Renalin, a CAMP-like protein from Corynebacterium renale.

Synergistic hemolysis of sheep erythrocytes caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Corynebacterium renale resulted from the combined action of extracellular staphylococcal sphingomyelinase C and a newly described extracellular agent of C. renale (renalin). The affinity of renalin for ceramide was considered to play a key role in causing hemolysis in erythrocytes in which ceramide had been generated through the action of sphingomyelinase C.