Sporulation and C₂ Toxin Production by Clostridium botulinum Type C Strains Producing No C₁ Toxin

Abstract

All of the 8 strains that were previously assumed to be nontoxigenic Clostridium botulinum type C were re-examined for their toxigenicity and were demonstrated by trypsinization of the culture filtrates to produce C₂ toxin under improved cultural conditions. One per cent glucose added to trypticase peptone medium enhanced C₂ toxin production. The larger the spore population, the higher the C₂ toxicity and when spore population was smaller than a level of 10⁴/ml, no C₂ toxicity was demonstrated. The C₂ toxin was produced only during sporulation and not during vegetative growth.