Rabbit erythrocyte band 3: a receptor for staphylococcal alpha toxin

Abstract
Enzymes known to specifically cleave the band 3 component of the rabbit erythrocyte membrane reduced both the hemolytic sensitivity to and the binding of the .alpha. toxin of Staphylococcus aureus. Lectins which bind to band 3 also inhibited the toxin. Lectins which do not bind to band 3 have no effect. Purified band 3, isolated by affinity chromatography on a concanavalin A column, was homogeneous by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, had a MW of 100,000, and inhibited the hemolytic activity of .alpha. toxin. Antibodies to the toxin-toxoid receptor were serologically indistinguishable from antiband 3.