Characterization of Bacillus anthracis lethal factor.
Published: 2006
Language: eng
Number of pages: 78
ISBN-13: 9780494212547
Description: Anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx), consisting of protective antigen and lethal factor (LF), is a principal virulence factor of Bacillus anthracis.  LF represents the enzymatic component of LeTx and its cytosolic targets are members of the mitogen activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) family. It is currently not known if MEKs play a role in the intoxication process. To address this question, a screen of C-terminal LF mutants was performed to isolate mutants defective at killing macrophages. One such isolated mutant, LF-K518E/E682G, was characterized and found to be defective at cleaving MEK 3b but was able to cleave MEKs 1 and 4. Furthermore, LF-K518E/E682G was unable to downregulate phosphorylation of the MAPKs p38 and JNK. The ability of LF-K518E/E682G to downregulate the phosphorylation of ERK was retained. These results collectively provide further support for the importance of the p38 pathway in LF-mediated macrophage killing and suggest the involvement of the JNK pathway.
Notes: Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-03, page: 1389.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Toronto, 2006.

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