Abstract
Investigation was made on the dermonecrotic activity of crude toxin of Aspergillus fumigatus and the hemorrhagic activity of a fraction isolated from the toxin by column chromatography. The dermonecrotic activity and heat stability of the toxic fraction were in parallel with the activity of protease, such as caseinase, gelatinase, and collagenase.
Neutralization of dermonecrotic activity with antitoxin serum resulted in the disappearance of proteolytic activity. Similar inactivation was seen in the toxic fraction by treatment with urea or monoiodoacetic acid.
When partial purification was done by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, a fraction of sugar-containing protein with a low lethality was fractionated from the crude toxin. It was found to possess an activity to induce dermonecrosis and especially hemorrhage, without causing hemolysis.
