PMC

(A) SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis using anti-C. septicum alpha toxin. (B) Native-PAGE and western blot analysis using anti-C. septicum alpha toxin. (C) SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis using the C. septicum (Gas-Gangrene) antitoxin (NIBSC code: VI). kDa indicates migration of the protein markers. The arrows indicate alpha toxin. A total of 3 μg of total protein per lane were loaded.

Gel electrophoresis showing the amplification of a region of the VRC gene in 3 out of 3 strains of C. septicum. Lane 1) DNA ladder; Lane 2) C. septicum ATCC 11424 strain; Lanes 3 and 4) C. septicum clinical isolate strains from our collection.

Functional capillary density was assessed in cremaster muscles prior to, and after 60 min of superfusion with filtered supernatant from C. septicum (JIR6086, n = 7). * denotes p<0.001 versus basal data using paired t-test.

Supernatants were prepared from wild-type C. septicum (JIR6086/WT), or genetically-modified C. septicum strains either lacking the C. septicum α-toxin (JIR6111/csa, n = 7), or complemented with the α-toxin (JIR6146/csa(pcsa ⁺), n = 3). Supernatants were applied to the muscle as previously described. Functional capillary density measurements were made prior to, and after 60 min of supernatant superfusion. Data are displayed as the 60 min functional capillary density readings expressed as a percentage of the baseline reading for each individual animal. Data are also shown for TPG alone (first column). τ denotes p<0.05 versus TPG. * denotes p<0.05 for the comparisons shown.