Staphylococcus aureus beta toxin

{{Short description|Toxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus}}

Staphylococcus aureus beta toxin is a toxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus.{{cite journal |vauthors=Cifrian E, Guidry AJ, Bramley AJ, Norcross NL, Bastida-Corcuera FD, Marquardt WW |title=Effect of staphylococcal β toxin on the cytotoxicity, proliferation and adherence of Staphylococcus aureus to bovine mammary epithelial cells |journal=Veterinary Microbiology |volume=48 |issue=3–4 |pages=187–98 |date=February 1996 |pmid=9054116 |doi= 10.1016/0378-1135(95)00159-X|doi-access=free }} It is a form of sphingomyelinase{{cite journal |vauthors=Gaskin DK, Bohach GA, Schlievert PM, Hovde CJ |title=Purification of Staphylococcus aureus β-toxin: comparison of three isoelectric focusing methods |journal=Protein Expression and Purification |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=76–82 |date=February 1997 |pmid=9116505 |doi=10.1006/prep.1996.0664 }} called sphingomyelinase C. This enzyme is toxic to a variety of cells, including erythrocytes, fibroblasts, leukocytes, and macrophages. Susceptible cells are subject to lysis of exposed sphingomyelin on their membrane surfaces.{{cite book |author1=Patrick R. Murray |author2=Ken S. Rosenthal |author3=Michael A. Pfaller | title = Medical Microbiology | edition = 6th | publisher = Mosby | location = Philadelphia | year = 2009 | orig-year = 1990 | page = 213 | isbn = 978-0-323-05470-6 }}

The beta toxin exhibits maximum activity at 10 °C, at 37 °C (normal body temperature) seems to be inactive.{{fact|date=February 2024}}