Enhancement of Antibiotic Activity of Colicine K and Alteration of Serological Properties of Colicine K and Endotoxins

Abstract

Hemoglobin, its chains, and myoglobin enhance the antibiotic activity of colicine K. These proteins also interact with colicine K and other O antigens to alter their serological activity. The hemoglobin proteins did not alter the serological activities of three Pneumococcus polysaccharides or T4 bacteriophage DNA antigens but did alter the antigenic activity of fetuin. Interaction of hemoglobin and colicine K resulted in a retardation of colicine K antibiotic moiety as measured by gel filtration but did not affect the gel filtration properties of the lipopolysaccharide moiety.

Colicinogeny and related phenomena.

“…Colicin activity was detected in the serum of 30% of patients with urinary tract infections due to colicinogenic E. coli (202). In fact, serum appears to increase the bactericidal activity of colicins (7, 53,575). Colicin activity can also be demonstrated in the blood of mice and rats after subcutaneous injection (53,202).…”