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Detection of Toxin Translocation into the Host Cytosol by Surface Plasmon Resonance
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MARTX toxins as effector delivery platforms

Hannah E Gavin1, Karla J F Satchell2

  • 1Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.

Pathogens and Disease
|October 17, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Bacteria use multifunctional autoprocessing repeats-in-toxins (MARTX) toxins to inject effector proteins into host cells. These toxins disrupt cellular processes and function as virulence factors in many bacterial pathogens.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Bacterial Pathogenesis

Background:

  • Bacteria deliver effector proteins into eukaryotic cells to manipulate host environments.
  • Multifunctional autoprocessing repeats-in-toxins (MARTX) are large toxins mediating this delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the mechanisms of MARTX toxin secretion, translocation, and effector activity.
  • To understand the role of MARTX toxins in bacterial virulence.

Main Methods:

  • Investigating Type I secretion systems for MARTX toxin export.
  • Analyzing pore formation in eukaryotic cell membranes.
  • Characterizing the function of individual effector proteins delivered by MARTX.

Main Results:

  • MARTX toxins are secreted via Type I secretion systems and form pores for effector delivery.
  • Effectors target GTPases, signaling pathways, and the cytoskeleton.
  • MARTX toxins can translocate heterologous proteins and act as virulence factors.

Conclusions:

  • MARTX toxins are versatile virulence factors employed by diverse bacterial pathogens.
  • Understanding MARTX toxin function provides insights into bacterial manipulation of host cells.
Keywords:
MARTXRTXVibriobacterial toxineffectorsecretiontranslocation

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