title: Bacterial protein toxins and cell vesicle trafficking.
abstract: A group of bacterial protein toxins interfere with vesicular trafficking inside cells. Clostridial neurotoxins affect mainly the highly regulated fusion of neurotransmitter- and hormone-containing vesicles with the plasma membrane. They cleave the three SNARE proteins: VAMP, SNAP-25 and syntaxin, and this selective proteolysis results in a blockade of exocytosis. The Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin is implicated in the pathogenesis of gastroduodenal ulcers. It causes a progressive and extensive vacuolation of cells followed by necrosis, after a cytotoxin-induced alteration of membrane trafficking by late endosomes. Vacuoles originate from this compartment in a rab7-dependent process and swell because they are acidic and accumulate membrane-permeant amines.
authors.affiliation: Centro CNR Biomembrane, Università di Padova, Italy. toxin@cribi1.bio.unipd.it
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Montecucco
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schiavo
mesh_terms: D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005089:Exocytosis / Q000502:physiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000737:chemistry; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000502:physiology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010437:Peptic Ulcer; D050765:Qa-SNARE Proteins; D050600:SNARE Proteins; D050825:Synaptosomal-Associated Protein 25; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D050765:Qa-SNARE Proteins; D050600:SNARE Proteins; D050825:Synaptosomal-Associated Protein 25; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins