Bacteria and plants produce powerful toxins that can cause a variety of diseases, some of which are lethal for many animal species. The mechanisms of action are common to many of these toxins and represent general pathways for the interaction of a number of biomolecules with target cells such as binding to specific surface receptors, internalization and translocation across the cell membrane and interaction with intra-cellular components. Because of their potency in killing eukaryotic cells, they have been used in the development of novel agents for targeted immunotherapy and have been termed...

Pore-forming proteins and peptides play a central role in bacterial pathogenesis, the immune response, defense from venomous attack, and innate immunity. These proteins attack and eliminate other organisms by punching an aqueous channel through their membranes, which disrupts appropriate cell function. The discovery of this cellular interaction has led to an abundance of scientific, medical, and commercial applications with unlimited potential.
Pore-forming Peptides and Protein Toxins describes how natural and synthetic peptides and toxins form pores and ionic channels that cause cell...