Bacterial pore-forming toxins

Semi-intact cells are cells whose plasma membrane has been permeabilized with detergent or toxins, and can be referred to as “cell-type test tubes” (Fig. 1). We use a bacterial poreforming toxin, streptolysin O (SLO), to permeabilize the cells. At 4℃, SLO binds to cholesterol in plasma membranes. At warmer temperatures, SLO assembles to form amphiphilic oligomers, which results in the generation of small, stable transmembrane pores (Bhakdi et al., 1985).

184p yeutinh98 22-09-2012 42 5   Download