Staphylococcus aureus secretes pore-forming toxins, such as α-hemolysin, which damage the cell membranes. Here the authors describe the cryo-EM structures of the α-hemolysin pore, and pre-pores in lipid environments, demonstrating that membrane rigidity and lipid-chain length play crucial roles in pore formation.
- Arnab Chatterjee
- Anupam Roy
- Somnath Dutta