Distribution of Extracellular Proteases from Various Vibrio Species

비브리오속 균주들에서외 세포의 효소의 분포

The members of the genus Vibrio include harmless aquatic strain as well as strains capable of causing infections in human and fish. Pathogenic mechanisms are only understood for Vibrio cholerae O1 and O139 and not for the majority of Vibrio species. Twelve clinical and nonclinical strains were examined by in vitro and in vivo experiments for the importance of extracellular enzymes as a virulence determinant of Vibrio species. In vivo cytotoxicity assay was performed by injecting approximately $10^{8}$ cells/mL into mice (BALB/c). V. harvyi and V. vulnificus showed 100% lethality within 3hr after bacterial injection. V. fluvialis and four strains of V. parahaemolyticus showed 50% lethality within 4hr. V. mimicus, V. alginolyticus and V. furnissii revealed 30% lethality within 9hr. Nonclinical strains, V. campbellii and V. ordalii, did not show any lethality. In vitro protease and hemolytic activities were also good indicators for clinical and nonclinical strains of Vibrio species. The clinical strains showed much higher activities than nonclinical strains. The activity of some clinical strains of re-isolates was evidently increased. Most clinical strains had $\beta$ hemolytic activity. The results demonstrate that the prevalent distribution of extracellular proteases in pathogenic Vibrio sp. implies their importance as a virulence determinant.