Characterization of a novel structural member, LukE‐LukD, of the bi‐component staphylococcal leucotoxins family

Abstract
A new member of the staphylococcal bi-component leucotoxins family, LukE (32 kDa) and LukD (34.3 kDa) has been characterized from Staphylococcus aureus strain Newman. LukE was 58–68% identical with the class S proteins, whereas LukD was 71–77% identical with the class F proteins of the family. A partial immunoreactivity with the various affinity-purified antibodies specific for the other proteins was observed. Immunoprecipitation assay and gene probing confirmed a 30% frequency among human clinical isolates, differing from the distribution of the other known leucotoxins (PStaphylococcus aureus.