Sci Immunol 2022 05 20;7(71):eabm1803. Epub 2022 May 20.
Division of Immunity, Inflammation and Infection, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
species are a group of Gram-positive bacteria that cause diseases in humans, such as food poisoning, botulism, and tetanus. Here, we analyzed 10 different species and identified that , a pathogen that causes sepsis and gas gangrene, activates the mammalian cytosolic inflammasome complex in mice and humans. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that α-toxin secreted by binds to glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins on the host plasma membrane, oligomerizing and forming a membrane pore that is permissive to efflux of magnesium and potassium ions. Read More