The channel-forming toxin aerolysin was identified 25 years ago by Bernheimer and Avigad (1), who gave the protein its name. Aerolysin was purified by Buckley et al. (2), and its structural gene, named aerA, was cloned and sequenced almost simultaneously by two groups (6, 7). Since then more than 50 articles describing the expression, secretion, and properties of aerolysin have appeared, and ae...

Aerolysin is a pore-forming toxin that plays a key role in the pathogenesis of Aeromonas hydrophila infections. In this study, we have analyzed the effect of aerolysin on human granulocytes (HL-60 cells). Proaerolysin could bind to these cells, was processed into active aerolysin, and led to membrane depolarization, indicating that granulocytes are potential targets for this toxin. Fura-2 measu...

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is caused by phosphatidylinositol glycan-class A (PIG-A) mutations in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). PIG-A mutations have been found in granulocytes from most healthy individuals, suggesting that these spontaneous PIG-A mutations are important in the pathogenesis of PNH. It remains unclear if these PIG-A mutations have relevance to those found in PNH....

Aerolysin is a pore-forming toxin that plays a key role in the pathogenesis of Aeromonas hydrophila infections. In this study, we have analyzed the effect of aerolysin on human granulocytes (HL-60 cells). Proaerolysin could bind to these cells, was processed into active aerolysin, and led to membrane depolarization, indicating that granulocytes are potential targets for this toxin. Fura-2 measu...

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a clonal stem cell disorder caused by a somatic mutation of the PIGA gene. The product of this gene is required for the biosynthesis of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchors; therefore, the phenotypic hallmark of PNH cells is an absence or marked deficiency of all GPI-anchored proteins. Aerolysin is a toxin secreted by the bacterial pathogen Aer...

A number of bacterial virulence factors have been observed to adopt structures similar to that of aerolysin, the principal toxin of Aeromonas species. However, a comprehensive description of architecture and structure of the aerolysin-like superfamily has not been determined. In this study, we define a more compact aerolysin-like domain--or aerolysin fold--and show that this domain is far more ...

The past three years have shed light on how the pore-forming toxin aerolysin binds to its target cell and then hijacks cellular devices to promote its own polymerization and pore formation. This selective permeabilization of the plasma membrane has unexpected intracellular consequences that might explain the importance of aerolysin in Aeromonas pathogenicity.

Aeromonas veronii is an opportunistic human pathogen that causes diarrhoea and extraintestinal infections, such as wound infection and septicaemia. An A. veronii protease (AVP) from a biovar sobria strain, AeG1, was partially purified and characterized. Mature AVP hydrolysed casein but not elastin, and protease activity was inhibited by metalloprotease inhibitors. Nucleotide sequence analysis s...

Various aerolysin-like pore-forming proteins have been identified from bacteria to vertebrates. However, the mechanism of receptor recognition and/or pore formation of the eukaryotic members remains unknown. Here, we present the first crystal and electron microscopy structures of a vertebrate aerolysin-like protein from Danio rerio, termed Dln1, before and after pore formation. Each subunit of ...

The synthesis and export of aerolysin, an extracellular protein toxin released by the gram-negative bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila, was studied by pulse-labeling with [35S]methionine. The toxin was synthesized as a higher-molecular-weight precursor. This was processed cotranslationally, resulting in the appearance within the cell of the mature protein, which was then exported to the supernatant...