LACK OF BIOLOGICAL-ACTIVITIES IN THE EXTRACELLULAR PRODUCTS OF RENIBACTERIUM-SALMONINARUM

Evaluation in vivo and in vitro of the extracellular products (ECP) of a group of Renibacterium salmoninarum strains from different geographic origins revealed a low production of extracellular proteins in all strains and confirmed that most of the isolates were poor producers of proteolytic enzymes. The ECP displayed neither haemolytic activity nor capacity to alter the osmotic equilibrium of fish erythrocytes. In addition, none of the ECP samples displayed cytotoxic activities regardless of the origin of the cell line employed and did not contain substances lethal for fish, since no mortalities were recorded when doses ranging from 10 to 20-mu-g protein/g fish were administered. Although the present work failed to demonstrate toxicity in vivo of the ECP, it is possible that some extracellular enzymes contribute to the weakening of fish during the disease process and allow bacterial survival.