ABSTRACT
Hemolysins of Leptospira interragans have been shown to be the virulence factor in the pathogenesis of leptospirosis and 10 potential hemolysin genes were charecterized by genomic annotation of L.interrogans serovar.Lai strain 56601. In the present study, the LA0202 gene supposed to encode one of the new potential hemolysin was cloned and the protein encoded was purified. The purified protein was shown to have highly hemolytic activity as demonstrated on the sheep blood agar plate. It was also confirmed that the LA0202 protein-mediated hemolysis on sheep erythrocytes was osmotically protected by PEG6000. Meanwhile, this protein could induce pore formation on sheep erythrocytes and cause damages on the membrane of human L-02 liver cells. In addition, it could induce apoptosis of human L-02 liver cells after treatment of cells with this protein for 24 hours. It is evident that LA0202 protein acting as a pore-formong hemolysin can induce cytotoxic damage on mammalian cells.
