Bacterial toxins: Offensive, defensive, or something else altogether?
The secretion of proteins that damage host tissue is well established as integral to the infectious processes of many bacterial pathogens. However, recent advances in our understanding of the activity of toxins suggest that the attributes we have assigned to them from early in vitro experimentation...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2017-09-01
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| Series: | PLoS Pathogens |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5608399?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818512709655724032 |
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| author | Justine K Rudkin Rachel M McLoughlin Andrew Preston Ruth C Massey |
| author_facet | Justine K Rudkin Rachel M McLoughlin Andrew Preston Ruth C Massey |
| author_sort | Justine K Rudkin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The secretion of proteins that damage host tissue is well established as integral to the infectious processes of many bacterial pathogens. However, recent advances in our understanding of the activity of toxins suggest that the attributes we have assigned to them from early in vitro experimentation have misled us into thinking of them as merely destructive tools. Here, we will discuss the multifarious ways in which toxins contribute to the lifestyle of bacteria and, by considering their activity from an evolutionary perspective, demonstrate how this extends far beyond their ability to destroy host tissue. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T23:50:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fcf54517baa54b51af7d773d055df2ce |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1553-7366 1553-7374 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T23:50:43Z |
| publishDate | 2017-09-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-fcf54517baa54b51af7d773d055df2ce2022-12-22T01:28:47ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Pathogens1553-73661553-73742017-09-01139e100645210.1371/journal.ppat.1006452Bacterial toxins: Offensive, defensive, or something else altogether?Justine K RudkinRachel M McLoughlinAndrew PrestonRuth C MasseyThe secretion of proteins that damage host tissue is well established as integral to the infectious processes of many bacterial pathogens. However, recent advances in our understanding of the activity of toxins suggest that the attributes we have assigned to them from early in vitro experimentation have misled us into thinking of them as merely destructive tools. Here, we will discuss the multifarious ways in which toxins contribute to the lifestyle of bacteria and, by considering their activity from an evolutionary perspective, demonstrate how this extends far beyond their ability to destroy host tissue.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5608399?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Justine K Rudkin Rachel M McLoughlin Andrew Preston Ruth C Massey Bacterial toxins: Offensive, defensive, or something else altogether? PLoS Pathogens |
| title | Bacterial toxins: Offensive, defensive, or something else altogether? |
| title_full | Bacterial toxins: Offensive, defensive, or something else altogether? |
| title_fullStr | Bacterial toxins: Offensive, defensive, or something else altogether? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bacterial toxins: Offensive, defensive, or something else altogether? |
| title_short | Bacterial toxins: Offensive, defensive, or something else altogether? |
| title_sort | bacterial toxins offensive defensive or something else altogether |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5608399?pdf=render |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT justinekrudkin bacterialtoxinsoffensivedefensiveorsomethingelsealtogether AT rachelmmcloughlin bacterialtoxinsoffensivedefensiveorsomethingelsealtogether AT andrewpreston bacterialtoxinsoffensivedefensiveorsomethingelsealtogether AT ruthcmassey bacterialtoxinsoffensivedefensiveorsomethingelsealtogether |