The molecular basis for perforin oligomerization and transmembrane pore assembly

Katherine Baran1, Michelle Dunstone, Jenny Chia

  • 1Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, St Andrew's Place, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia.

Immunity
|May 19, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Cytotoxic lymphocytes use perforin (a pore-forming protein) to eliminate infected cells. This study reveals perforin monomers use ionic attraction between specific residues to assemble pores, crucial for cell lysis and immune response.

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