title: How to polymerize in order to survive.
abstract: Perforation of membranes and pore formation is mediated by polymerization of proteins of the immune system, complement C9 and Perforin, which share the conserved MACPF domain. In this issue of Immunity, Baran et al. (2009) identify the molecular mechanism initiating polymerization as charge interactions in the MACPF domain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami, Leonard Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA. epodack@med.miami.edu
authors.forename: Eckhard R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Podack
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003186:Complement C9 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015938:Complement Membrane Attack Complex / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D054353:Perforin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D003186:Complement C9; D015938:Complement Membrane Attack Complex; D054353:Perforin