title: About lipids and toxins.
abstract: Many mono or multicellular organisms secrete soluble proteins, referred to as protein toxins, which alter the behavior of foreign, or target cells, possibly leading to their death. These toxins affect either the cell membrane by forming pores or modifying lipids, or some intracellular target. To reach this target, they must cross one of the cellular membranes, generally that of an intracellular organelle. As described in this minireview, lipids play crucial roles in the intoxication process of most if not all toxins, by allowing/promoting binding, endocytosis, trafficking and/or translocation into the cytoplasm.
authors.affiliation: Ecole Polytechnique de Lausanne, Institute of Global Health, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Núria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Reig
authors.forename: F Gisou
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: van der Goot
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008561:Membrane Fusion; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014118:Toxins, Biological