The Comprehensive Sourcebook Of Bacterial Protein Toxins

The Comprehensive Sourcebook of Bacterial Protein Toxins 4th Edition, contains chapters written by internationally known and well-respected specialists. This book contains chapters devoted to individual toxins, as well as chapters that consider the different applications of these toxins. Considerable progress has been made in understanding the structure, function, interaction and trafficking into cells, as well as mechanism of action of toxins. Bacterial toxins are involved in the pathogenesis of many bacteria, some of which are responsible for severe diseases in human and animals, but can also be used as tools in cell biology to dissect cellular processes or used as therapeutic agents. Novel recombinant toxins are already proposed in the treatment of some diseases, as well as new vaccines. Alternatively, certain toxins are also considered as biological weapons or bioterrorism threats. Given the multifaceted aspects of toxin research and the multidisciplinary approaches adopted, toxins are of great interest in many scientific areas from microbiology, virology, cell biology to biochemistry and protein structure. This new edition is written with a multidisciplinary audience in mind and contains 5 new chapters that reflect the latest research in this area. Other chapters have been combined, deleted and fully revised as necessary to deliver relevant and valuable content. Descriptions of relevant toxins as well as representative toxins of the main bacterial toxin families to allow for a better comparison between them. Focused chapters on toxin applications and common properties or general features of toxins.

The Comprehensive Sourcebook of Bacterial Protein Toxins, Fourth Edition, contains chapters written by internationally known and well-respected specialists. This book contains chapters devoted to individual toxins, as well as chapters that consider the different applications of these toxins. Considerable progress has been made in understanding the structure, function, interaction and trafficking into cells, as well as mechanism of action of toxins. Bacterial toxins are involved in the pathogenesis of many bacteria, some of which are responsible for severe diseases in human and animals, but can also be used as tools in cell biology to dissect cellular processes or used as therapeutic agents. Novel recombinant toxins are already proposed in the treatment of some diseases, as well as new vaccines. Alternatively, certain toxins are also considered as biological weapons or bioterrorism threats. Given the multifaceted aspects of toxin research and the multidisciplinary approaches adopted, toxins are of great interest in many scientific areas from microbiology, virology, cell biology to biochemistry and protein structure. This new edition is written with a multidisciplinary audience in mind and contains 5 new chapters that reflect the latest research in this area. Other chapters have been combined, deleted and fully revised as necessary to deliver relevant and valuable content.

Written by an international team of leading scientists, this volume draws together a wealth of information on the structure, regulation, and activity of bacterial protein toxins. A comprehensive sourcebook on bacterial toxins, Sourcebook of Bacterial Protein Toxins is the first book designed to draw together current knowledge on these toxins. The 22 chapters of this book have been written by 44 internationally known specialists who have significantly contributed to the progress in the domains covered. This book will appeal to a wide readership, including microbiologists, biochemists, cell biologists, and physicians. It will also arouse the interest of students and scientists in other disciplines who see the power of these fascinating biological agents, either as exquisitely specific probes of cellular processes or as extremely potent agents of infectious disease.

Microbial Toxins, A Comprehensive Treatise, Volume IIA: Bacterial Protein Toxins provides a comprehensive discussion of various aspects of bacterial toxins. The book's 10 chapters discuss the following: botulinum toxin; tetanus toxin; Clostridium perfringens toxins types A, B, C, D, and E; cholera toxins; the exotoxin of Shigella dysenteriae; protein toxins from Bordetella pertussis; Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli neurotoxins; toxins of Proteus mirabilis; and Listeria monocytogenes toxin. Each chapter covers the nature of the toxin, toxin production and purification, and mode of action.

Bacterial toxins that act inside cells interact very specifically with key components of the cell and some even manipulate the cell in subtle ways for their own purposes. These potent toxins, described in this 2005 book, will be of interest to both microbiologists and cell biologists. Some of these toxins are conventional multidomain toxins that are self-programmed to enter cells. Others are delivered by type III mechanisms, often as a package of potent molecules. The molecular targets for all these toxins mediate signal transduction and the cell cycle to regulate the crucial processes of cell growth, cell division and differentiation. Thus these potent toxins are not only responsible for disease, but also provide a powerful set of tools with which to interrogate the biology of the cell. In addition such toxins may act directly to promote carcinogenesis and hence their study is also of interest in a wider context.

With contributions by numerous experts

Many bacteria, animals, and plants produce toxins that can prove lethal to other organisms. Toxins are a form of "biological warfare" that helps their producer to survive and so confer an evolutionary advantage. They display an extraordinary range of complexity, from the formic acid provided by ants to bacterial proteins composed of thousands of amino acids. This Guidebook considers the more complex protein and peptide toxins and groups them according to their mode of action. Topics covered include: membrane-permeabilizing toxins; toxins affecting signal transduction and protein synthesis; cytoskeleton-affecting toxins; toxins affecting the immune and inflammatory response. This class of biomolecules will be of interest to a wide range of researchers in cell biology, neuroscience, and toxicology.