Bacterial toxins and the Rho GTP-binding protein: what microbes teach us about cell regulation.
In the present review activities of two bacterial toxins, Clostridium botulinum exoenzyme C3 and Escherichia coli CNF1, both acting on the GTP-binding protein Rho are analyzed. Proteins belonging to the Rho family regulate the actin cytoskeleton and act as molecular switches in a number of signal transduction pathways. C3 and CNF1 have opposite effects on Rho thus representing useful tools for studies on cell division, cell differentiation and apoptosis.
Fiorentini
C
C
Department of Ultrastructures, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy. fiorentini@ul.net.iss.it
Gauthier
M
M
Donelli
G
G
Boquet
P
P
D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001905:Botulinum Toxins; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D003603:Cytotoxins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C060296:cytotoxic necrotizing factor type 1; D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases; C063007:exoenzyme C3, Clostridium botulinum; D001905:Botulinum Toxins; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins