Obstructing Toxin Pathways by Targeted Pore Blockage

Obstructing toxin pathways by targeted pore blockage.

Potentiation Effect Of 5FU by Fragaceatoxin C Pore-Forming Toxin in MCF-7 Cell Line

Introduction: Chemotherapy has been restricted due to the high-dose side effects. In the present study, acceleration of the chemotherapeutic drug (5FU) entrance into MCF-7 cells has been explored by using a recombinant form of Fragaceatoxin C (FraC) pore-forming toxin. Methods: In this experimental study, the gene for FraC toxin was order from a commercial source and was sub-cloned into pET28a...

The pore-forming toxin proaerolysin is activated by furin.

Aerolysin is secreted as an inactive dimeric precursor by the bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila. Proteolytic cleavage within a mobile loop near the C terminus of the protoxin is required for oligomerization and channel formation. This loop contains the sequence KVRRAR432, which should be recognized by mammalian proprotein convertases such as furin, PACE4, and PC5/6A. Here we show that these three ...

Distinction between Pore Assembly by Staphylococcal α-Toxin versus Leukotoxins

The staphylococcal bipartite leukotoxins and the homoheptameric alpha-toxin belong to the same family of beta-barrel pore-forming toxins despite slight differences. In the alpha-toxin pore, the N-terminal extremity of each protomer interacts as a deployed latch with two consecutive protomers in the vicinity of the pore lumen. N-terminal extremities of leukotoxins as seen in their three-dimensio...

Structural Basis of Pore Formation by the Bacterial Toxin Pneumolysin

The bacterial toxin pneumolysin is released as a soluble monomer that kills target cells by assembling into large oligomeric rings and forming pores in cholesterol-containing membranes. Using cryo-EM and image processing, we have determined the structures of membrane-surface bound (prepore) and inserted-pore oligomer forms, providing a direct observation of the conformational transition into th...