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Anthrax X-rayed: new opportunities for biodefence
1Institut für Biotechnologie, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3, D-06120 Halle an der Saale, Germany. stubbs@biochemtech.uni-halle.de
Trends in Pharmacological Sciences
|November 30, 2002
Abstract:
Bacillus anthracis, the agent responsible for inhalation anthrax, exerts its lethal effects via the production of anthrax toxin (protective antigen, lethal factor and oedema factor); anthrax kills because the toxin overwhelms the patient before innate host defence systems have a chance to eradicate the invaders. Structural studies on these three components provide a starting point for the design of novel drugs to neutralize toxin action, yielding a valuable adjunct to conventional antibiotic treatment.