THERMAL INACTIVATION OF THE KANAGAWA HEMOLYSIN OF VIBRIO-PARAHAEMOLYTICUS IN BUFFER AND SHRIMP

A semipurified thermostable direct hemolysin (Kanagawa hemolysin) was prepared from a clinical isolate of V. parahaemolyticus (strain 533-72). Preliminary experiments determined the hemolytic activity and mouse lethality of the hemolysin which were inactivated at the same rate that the rate was linear and that the pH range of optimum thermal stability was pH 5.5-6.5. When .apprx. 256 rat erythrocyte U/g of Kanagawa hemolysin were heated at 115.degree., 120.degree., 125.degree. and 130.degree. C, D values ranged from 46.5-13 min in Tris buffer and 48.1-10.4 min in shrimp homogenate, both at pH 7.0.