title: The cytolethal distending toxin family.
abstract: Cytolethal distending toxins are produced by a small but diverse group of bacterial pathogens. This newly discovered toxin family can cause a variety of mammalian cells to become irreversibly blocked in the G2 phase of the cell cycle. How this novel effect is accomplished is unknown but the study of these fascinating toxins promises to reveal new methods of host-pathogen interaction.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0298, USA. cpicket@pop.uky.edu
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Pickett
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Whitehouse
mesh_terms: D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000633:toxicity*; D002460:Cell Line; D016195:G2 Phase / Q000187:drug effects*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; C067044:cytolethal distending toxin