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Cholera Toxin

Biological Toxins and Bioterrorism

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Abstract

Cholera is a potentially epidemic severe watery diarrhea which might lead to death, if untreated. The causative agent, Vibrio cholerae, secretes a potent enterotoxin called cholera toxin (CT) which is largely responsible for the disease. CT consists of one enzymatically active A-subunit and five immunogenic B-subunits. The B-subunits form a symmetrical pentamer into which A chain sits on the top creating wedge-shaped structure. Both A- and B-subunits are encoded by the CTX genetic element which corresponds to the genome of an integrated filamentous bacteriophage, CTXφ. The regulation of cholera toxin expression is controlled by a cascade of regulatory proteins typically referred to as the ToxR regulon. The secretion of cholera toxin from the outer membrane is mediated by type II secretion system, popularly known as T2SS pathway. CT has been shown to be associated with outer membrane vesicles which are internalized through CT receptor; whether a fraction of CT can be secreted through these vesicles remains to be determined. For its action in the human intestine, B-subunits of CT secreted extracellularly by V. cholerae bind to GM1 ganglioside receptors in the intestinal epithelial cells, and then the A-subunit induces adenylate cyclase activity resulting in cyclic adenosine monophosphate activation and fluid secretion. Various natural ligands have been reported to act as inhibitors of cholera toxin such as those originating from black tea, apple, garlic, and ginger. The knowledge described in the present brief review might be useful for further steps in the studies on CT and its remediation.

When the same acronym is used for a protein product and its respective gene product, the gene name is italicized.

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  1. Molecular & Human Genetics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700032, India

    Dr. Keya Chaudhuri

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  1. Dr. Keya Chaudhuri
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Correspondence to Keya Chaudhuri .

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  1. Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    P. Gopalakrishnakone

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Chaudhuri, K. (2014). Cholera Toxin. In: Gopalakrishnakone, P. (eds) Biological Toxins and Bioterrorism. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6645-7_7-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6645-7_7-1

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Structure, Genetics, and Mode of Disease of Cholera Toxin
    Published:
    04 March 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6645-7_7-2

  2. Original

    Cholera Toxin
    Published:
    18 June 2014

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6645-7_7-1

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