Mechanism of action of hemolysin III from Bacillus cereus

摘要

Bacillus cereus hemolysin III activity was tested in crude extracts from Escherichia coli carrying the hly-III gene. It was concluded that hemolysin III is a pore-forming hemolysin with a functional pore diameter of about 3–3.5 nm. Hemolysis occurs in at least three steps: (i) the temperature-dependent binding of the Hly-III monomers to the erythrocyte membrane; (ii) the temperature-dependent formation of the transmembrane oligomeric pore; (iii) the temperature-independent erythrocyte lysis.