Bacterial toxins articles from across Nature Portfolio

Bioinformatic, structural and functional analyses characterize Streptomyces antiquus insecticidal protein (SAIP) as a diphtheria toxin homologue that is lethal to insect cells and targets the Flower protein as a receptor

CRISPR screening shows that claudin-4 is a receptor for the pro-carcinogenic B. fragilis toxin on colonic epithelial cells, and that this interaction promotes cleavage of E-cadherin, leading to epithelial barrier disruption and inflammation.

Takehara et al. screen FDA-approved drugs to identify inhibitors of Clostridium perfringens α-toxin and evaluate their effects in cells and mouse models. Caspofungin reduces α-toxin–induced lethality, tissue damage, and inflammatory responses, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic intervention for gas gangrene.

An immunity-like system functions as a lysis control hub to promote gene transfer agent particle release from host bacterial cells, suggesting that bacterial immune systems may be co-opted to promote horizontal gene transfer.

A pore-forming toxin produced by Listeria monocytogenes induces changes in the host cell cytoskeleton that facilitate cell-to-cell spread of this intracellular bacterial pathogen. Here, Sun et al. show how the toxin modulates the activities and interactions of host protein complexes, enhancing local actin recycling necessary for cell-to-cell spread.

This study reveals how the Vip1-Vip2 binary toxin assembles and enables protein translocation into target cells, providing structural insights into binary toxin action and suggesting strategies for developing next-generation bioinsecticides.

This study identified an exotoxin that is produced by Streptomyces that specifically kills insects.

A low-carbohydrate diet or host mismatch-repair deficiency promotes colorectal cancer in synergy with colibactin-producing Escherichia coli, while soluble fibre supplements counteract these effects.

This study shows that the Campylobacter jejuni-derived genotoxin named cytolethal distending toxin promotes colorectal cancer metastasis.

Bacteroides fragilis employs two different mechanisms, secreted microbe- and host-targeting toxins, that facilitate successful colonization of the mammalian gastrointestinal tract.

This study finds that toxin–antitoxin systems can protect bacteria from phages by inducing abortive infection.

This month’s Genome Watch highlights how genome and transcriptome sequencing of newly identified endosymbionts helps to connect genetic information to their protective functions.