title: Pore-forming proteins and adaptation of living organisms to environmental conditions.
abstract: Pore-forming proteins are powerful "tools" for adaptation of living organisms to environmental conditions. A wide range of these proteins isolated from various sources, from viruses to mammals, has been used for the analysis of their role in the processes of intra- and inter-species competition, defense, attack, and signaling. Here we review a large number of pore-forming proteins from the perspective of their functions, structures, and mechanisms of membrane penetration. Various mechanisms of cell damage, executed by these proteins in the course of formation of a pore and after its passing to conducting state, have been considered: endo- and exocytosis, lysis, necrosis, apoptosis, etc. The role of pore-forming proteins in evolution is discussed. The relevance of practical application of pore formers has been shown, including application in nanotechnological constructions.
authors.affiliation: Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia.
authors.forename: Zh I
authors.initials: ZhI
authors.lastname: Andreeva-Kovalevskaya
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Solonin
authors.forename: E V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Sineva
authors.forename: V I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Ternovsky
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001709:Biotechnology; D004777:Environment; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D036103:Nanotechnology; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins