Botulinus toxin properties

The term microbial toxin is usually reserved by microbiologists for toxic substances produced by microorganisms that are of high molecular weight and have antigenic properties toxic compounds produced by bacteria that do not fit these criteria are referred to simply as poisons. Many of the former are proteins or mucoproteins and may have a variety of enzymatic properties. They include some of the most toxic substances known, such as tetanus toxin, botulinus toxin, and diphtheria toxin. Bacterial toxins may be extremely toxic to mammals and may affect a variety of organ systems, including the nervous system and the cardiovascular system. A detailed account of their chemical nature and mode of action is beyond the scope of this volume. 

Several species of Clostridia are able to produce botulinum toxins. These have been divided into groups with distinct physiological properties although a particular botulinum toxin type can be produced by more than one group. However, it has been found that botulinus toxin can be produced by C. botulinum strains which are clearly distinct from the hitherto defined species and are related to different species such as C. butyricum and C. baratii which have... 

Property Diphtheria toxin Tetanus toxin Botulinus toxin, type A Human serum albumin ... 

Some of the physical and chemical properties of tetanus, botulinus, and diphtheria toxins, together with comparable data for crystalline human serum albumin, are summarized in Table II. 

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