title: Understanding the mode of action of diphtheria toxin: a perspective on progress during the 20th century.
abstract: Diphtheria toxin is one of the most extensively studied and well understood bacterial toxins. Ever since its discovery in the late 1800's this toxin has occupied a central focus in the field of toxinology. In this review, I present a chronology of major discoveries that led to our current understanding of the structure and activity of diphtheria toxin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. jcollier@hms.harvard.edu
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Collier
mesh_terms: D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004165:Diphtheria / Q000266:history*; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000266:history*; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000737:chemistry; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D037521:Virulence Factors; D000097668:Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin A
chemical_list: D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin; D005098:Exotoxins; D037521:Virulence Factors; D000097668:Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin A