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Updated: Jul 7, 2026

High-throughput Measurement of Plasma Membrane Resealing Efficiency in Mammalian Cells
Published on: January 7, 2019
Pneumolysin generates multiple conductance pores in the membrane of nucleated cells
Rana G El-Rachkidy1, Noel W Davies, Peter W Andrew
1Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Medical Sciences Building, University Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK.
Abstract:
Patch clamping was used to investigate, for the first time, the electrophysiological properties of pores formed by a cholesterol-dependent cytolysin in the membrane of nucleated cells rather than in artificial membranes as previously. Pneumolysin pores in inside-out patches of CHO cell membranes had a broad range of conductance classified into small (<200 pS), medium (>200 pS and <1 nS) and large (>1 nS). A lytic-deficient mutant of pneumolysin (W433F) induced a similar spectrum of channels but there were more small channels than with wild-type (WT) toxin and the number of events was decreased. The WT toxin also induced channels when given to the inside surface of the plasma membrane.
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