Interaction of the hemolysin of Chironex fleckeri tentacle extracts with lipid monolayers

Abstract

An examination was made of the penetration of the hemolytic fraction of tentacle extracts of Chironex fleckeri into monolayers of lipid. The resulting increase in surface pressure was influenced by the chemical structure of the lipid; the increase occurring in the following order: cerebrosides > cephalin > sphingomyelin > gangliosides. Penetration of the hemolytic fraction into lipid monolayers became greater as the protein concentration in the subphase increased and became less as the initial pressure of the monolayer was increased. The hemolytic fraction produced an initial fall in surface pressure of ganglioside monolayers, and the total film pressure (Δп) was low, which was interpreted as being due to binding of the hemolysin to the monolayer. Hemolytic activity was shown to be inhibited by gangliosides in vitro. These findings suggested that lytic activity might be associated with an interaction between gangliosides and hemolytic protein.