This book describes the major achievements and discoveries relevant to bacterial protein toxins since the turn of the new century illustrated by the discovery of more than fifty novel toxins (many of them identified through genome screening). The establishment of the three-dimensional crystal structure of more than 20 toxins during the same period offers deeper knowledge of structure-activity relationships and provides a framework to understand how toxins recognize receptors, penetrate membranes and interact with and modify intracellular substrates. - Edited by two of the most highly regarded experts in the field from the Institut Pasteur, France - 14 brand new chapters dedicated to coverage of historical and general aspects of toxinology - Includes the major toxins of both basic and clinical interest are described in depth - Details applied aspects of toxins such as therapy, vaccinology, and toolkits in cell biology - Evolutionary and functional aspects of bacterial toxins evaluated and summarized - Toxin applications in cell biology presented - Therapy (cancer therapy, dystonias) discussed - Vaccines (native and genetically engineered vaccines) featured - Toxins discussed as biological weapons, comprising chapters on anthrax, diphtheria, ricin etc.

Current Topics in Membranes is targeted toward scientists and researchers in biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology, providing the necessary membrane research to assist them in discovering the current state of a particular field and in learning where that field is heading. This volume offers an up to date presentation of current knowledge in the field of Lipid Domains. - Written by leading experts - Contains original material, both textual and illustrative, that should become a very relevant reference material - The material is presented in a very comprehensive manner - Both researchers in the field and general readers should find relevant and up-to-date information

Biophysics is a rapidly-evolving interdisciplinary science that applies theories and methods of the physical sciences to questions of biology. Biophysics encompasses many disciplines, including physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, biochemistry, medicine, pharmacology, physiology, and neuroscience, and it is essential that scientists working in these varied fields are able to understand each other's research. Comprehensive Biophysics, Nine Volume Set will help bridge that communication gap. Written by a team of researchers at the forefront of their respective fields, under the guidance of Chief Editor Edward Egelman, Comprehensive Biophysics, Nine Volume Set provides definitive introductions to a broad array of topics, uniting different areas of biophysics research - from the physical techniques for studying macromolecular structure to protein folding, muscle and molecular motors, cell biophysics, bioenergetics and more. The result is this comprehensive scientific resource - a valuable tool both for helping researchers come to grips quickly with material from related biophysics fields outside their areas of expertise, and for reinforcing their existing knowledge. Biophysical research today encompasses many areas of biology. These studies do not necessarily share a unique identifying factor. This work unites the different areas of research and allows users, regardless of their background, to navigate through the most essential concepts with ease, saving them time and vastly improving their understanding The field of biophysics counts several journals that are directly and indirectly concerned with the field. There is no reference work that encompasses the entire field and unites the different areas of research through deep foundational reviews. Comprehensive Biophysics fills this vacuum, being a definitive work on biophysics. It will help users apply context to the diverse journal literature offering, and aid them in identifying areas for further research Chief Editor Edward Egelman (E-I-C, Biophysical Journal) has assembled an impressive, world-class team of Volume Editors and Contributing Authors. Each chapter has been painstakingly reviewed and checked for consistent high quality. The result is an authoritative overview which ties the literature together and provides the user with a reliable background information and citation resource

This book focusses on evolutionary, structural and functional aspects of pore-forming proteins, bringing together prominent researchers in the fields of structural biology and cellular and biophysical techniques. The focus is on the MACPF/CDC protein super family that was originally discovered because of unexpected structural similarity between a domain present in bacterial cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDC) and proteins of the membrane attack complex/perforin (MACPF) family. Members of the MACPF/CDC super family are crucial for many biological processes, being efficient agents of development, defence, attack and invasion of cells and tissues. However, their best-known role is in bacterial pathogenesis and the proper functioning of the vertebrate immune system, via formation of transmembrane pores in target cell membranes. The book contains chapters on the distribution of MACPF/CDC proteins and on aspects of their evolution and structural properties, the similarities between different super family members and functional properties of some of the best known examples. The book also contains an overview of biophysical approaches that may be used in the future to provide further insights into how these interesting proteins function.

Nematode Models of Development and Disease, Volume 144 in the Current Topics in Developmental Biology series highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters surrounding Transgenerational inheritance, Oscillatory expression and function, Concepts and functions of small RNA pathways in C. elegans, Exploring the nuclear lamina in health and pathology using C. elegans, Cellular Plasticity, Morphogenesis, Tubulogenesis, Organogenesis forces, Programmed cell fusion in development and homeostasis, One template, two outcomes: how does the sex-shared nervous system generate sex-specific behaviors?, Metabolic Cellular Coordination of Gene-Environment Interactions, and much more. Other chapters cover Chemical and physical cues and micro-evolution in early embryogenesis, Innate immunity, Sex and Death, Dendrites maturation, axonal growth and extracellular glycoproteins, Autophagocytosis, Spermatogenesis, and the developmental and physiological roles of phagocytosis in Caenorhabditis elegans. - Provides the authority and expertise of leading contributors from an international board of authors - Presents the latest release in the Current Topics in Developmental Biology

Cell surface small molecules and macromolecules, such as members of cholesterol family (including steroid hormones), the glycolipid family (sphingolipids), the glycoprotein family (both N-linked and O-linked), and a vast array of other receptors have been shown to be involved in normal and abnormal cellular processes. The 11th International Symposium on Cell Surface Macromolecules, held in Mohali, India, in February 2017 provided a comprehensive update on the major advances in this area. Presenting selected contributions from this meeting, this book comprises 24 chapters, which provide in-depth analyses of data on the role of cell surface macromolecules in cellular function and their alterations associated with pathological conditions. It includes comprehensive research papers and critical overviews of the functional role of cell surface molecules, discussing topics such as biochemical, biophysical, and cell biological approaches to study cell membrane molecules, and metabolism of glycoconjugates.

In recent years remarkable progress has been accomplished with respect to our knowledge about bacterial protein toxins. This refers especially to structural aspects of protein toxins but also holds true for genetics, molecular biology and biochemical mechanisms underlying the action of toxins. This volume covers the very current and exciting aspects of up-to-date bacterial toxicology and comprehensively reviews the most important bacterial protein toxins such as the intracellular acting toxins which exhibit enzyme activity, as well as those toxins that interact with cell plasma membranes by damaging the membranes (pore formation) or stimulating cell receptors (superantigens). This is the most current reference work on these important bacterial protein toxins, which are presented from the point of view of different disciplines such as pharmacology, microbiology, cell biology and protein chemistry.

In recent years, the field of Toxinology has expanded substantially. On the one hand it studies venomous animals, plants and micro organisms in detail to understand their mode of action on targets. While on the other, it explores the biochemical composition, genomics and proteomics of toxins and venoms to understand their three interaction with life forms (especially humans), development of antidotes and exploring their pharmacological potential. Therefore, Toxinology has deep linkages with biochemistry, molecular biology, anatomy and pharmacology. In addition, there is a fast developing applied subfield, clinical toxinology, which deals with understanding and managing medical effects of toxins on human body. Given the huge impact of toxin-based deaths globally, and the potential of venom in generation of drugs for so-far incurable diseases (for example, Diabetes, Chronic Pain), the continued research and growth of the field is imminent. This has led to the growth of research in the area and the consequent scholarly output by way of publications in journals and books. Despite this ever growing body of literature within biomedical sciences, there is still no all-inclusive reference work available that collects all of the important biochemical, biomedical and clinical insights relating to Toxinology. The Handbook of Toxinology aims to address this gap and cover the field of Toxinology comprehensively.

In recent years, the field of Toxinology has expanded substantially. On the one hand it studies venomous animals, plants and micro organisms in detail to understand their mode of action on targets. While on the other, it explores the biochemical composition, genomics and proteomics of toxins and venoms to understand their three interaction with life forms (especially humans), development of antidotes and exploring their pharmacological potential. Therefore, Toxinology has deep linkages with biochemistry, molecular biology, anatomy and pharmacology. In addition, there is a fast developing applied subfield, clinical toxinology, which deals with understanding and managing medical effects of toxins on human body. Given the huge impact of toxin-based deaths globally, and the potential of venom in generation of drugs for so-far incurable diseases (for example, Diabetes, Chronic Pain), the continued research and growth of the field is imminent. This has led to the growth of research in the area and the consequent scholarly output by way of publications in journals and books. Despite this ever growing body of literature within biomedical sciences, there is still no all-inclusive reference work available that collects all of the important biochemical, biomedical and clinical insights relating to Toxinology. The Handbook of Toxinology aims to address this gap and cover the field of Toxinology comprehensively.

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Novel Pharmacological Inhibitors for Bacterial Protein Toxins" that was published in Toxins