Pore-forming toxins contribute to bacterial pathogens survival.
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Pore-forming toxins induce multiple cellular responses promoting survival.
Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) are secreted proteins that contribute to the virulence of a great variety of bacterial pathogens. They inflict one of the more disastrous damages a target cell can be exposed to: disruption of plasma membrane integrity. Since this is an ancient form of attack, which bares similarities to mechanical membrane damage, cells have evolved response pathways to these perturbations. The group of Prof. Gisou Van der Goot (Van der Goot Lab VDG), shows that PFTs trigger very diverse yet specific response pathways.
Manuel R. Gonzalez et al., Cellular Microbiology, Volume 13, Issue 7, pages 1026–1043 (2011)