Researchers discover a new type of toxic protein, reveal its 3-D structure

(Phys.org)—Researchers at Kiel University have discovered a toxic protein of pathogenic acanthamoebae and have been able to elucidate its three-dimensional structure. They found that this protein molecule looks different from all the structures formerly discovered. The acanthamoeba secretes a cell toxin (Acanthaporin); when roused from its inactive state this toxin infiltrates human nerve cells or bacteria and embeds itself in the plasma membrane, forming a kind of circular channel (pore). This discovery is published in the current issue of Nature Chemical Biology.

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