Complete nucleotide sequence and molecular characterization of hemolysin II gene from Bacillus cereus

Hemolysin II gene from Bacillus cereus VKM-B771 has been sequenced. The ded uced primary translation product consists of 412 amino acid residues which corresponds to the protein with an M-r of 45.6 kDa. The predicted mature Hl y-II protein (residues 32 to 412) is of 42.3 kDa, which is in close agreeme nt with the mini-cell electrophoresis analysis. Hly-II deletion variant lac king 96 C-terminal residues still has hemolytic activity. The protein prima ry structure analysis revealed no homology with any known Bacillus cytolysi ns. Significant general homology (31-28% identity) was found between the he molysin II and Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin, gamma-hemolysin (HlgB), a nd leukocidins (LukF, LukF-R, LukF-PV). The data suggest that hemolysin II belongs to the group of P-channel forming cytolysins. (C) 1999 Federation o f European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. Al l rights reserved.