title: Some aspects of the history of membrane-damaging toxins.
abstract: In this review the following topics are considered: (a) the character of biomedical research and how it has changed during the last six decades; (b) the early history of membrane-damaging toxins; (c) comparative toxinology as illustrated by similarity of the toxins of the brown recluse spider and the bacterial agent of peudotuberculosis, and by similarity of a toxin of a sea anemone and the thiol-activated membrane-damaging agents of bacteria; (d) examples of the diversity of membrane-damaging toxins; (e) cooperative or synergistic lytic systems; and (f) the outlook for the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Bernheimer
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000633:toxicity; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms / Q000633:toxicity; D049673:History, 20th Century; D008566:Membranes / Q000187:drug effects; D012106:Research / Q000266:history; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000633:toxicity; D013301:Streptolysins / Q000633:toxicity; D014116:Toxicology / Q000266:history; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000633:toxicity*; D010738:Type C Phospholipases
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms; D013111:Spider Venoms; D013301:Streptolysins; D014118:Toxins, Biological; C025964:streptolysin O; D010738:Type C Phospholipases; C040649:alpha toxin, Clostridium perfringens