Bacterial hemolysins and leukotoxins affect target cells by forming large exogenous pores into their plasma membrane: Escherichia coli hemolysin A as a case example.
Many bacteria include among their virulence factors exoproteins which exert leukocidal and cytolytic functions and have the ability to form pores in model membranes. We show that, at least in the case of the RTX hemolysin produced by Escherichia coli (HlyA), formation of pores in planar lipid membranes is parallelled by opening of strikingly similar channels in the plasma membrane of exposed macrophages. Formation of such lesions in leukocytes can give rise to a variety of effects leading altogether to a diminished immune response towards the invasive bacteria.
Menestrina
G
G
Centro CNR-ITC Fisica Stati Aggregati, Povo (Trento), Italy.
Dalla Serra
M
M
Pederzolli
C
C
Bregante
M
M
Gambale
F
F
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000633:toxicity*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000633:toxicity; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D014774:Virulence
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; C036507:Hlya protein, E coli; D007473:Ion Channels; D008051:Lipid Bilayers