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Synergohymenotropic toxin
Synergohymenotropic toxins are a family of bicomponent toxins that act thru the synergistic activity of 2 non-associated secretory proteins. In the case of PVL, these two components are designated protein class S and F, on the basis of their slow or fast elution in cation-exchange carboxy-methyl cellulose chromatography. These proteins are encoded by two contiguous and cotranscribed genes, lukS-PV and lukF-PV. In S. aureus, gamma-hemolysin is another bicomponent toxin that is encoded by three genes HlgA and HlgC (belonging to class S) and HlgB (belonging to class F). This results in 2 pairs of class S and F components- HlgA and HlgB, HlgC and HlgB. This is an important characteristic of this class of toxins; various combinations of class S and F components result in different bicomponent toxins. These toxins create lytic pores sensitive to monovalent cations and are assembled from the two components secreted separately by the organism as water-soluble molecules.
REFERENCES 1. Prevost G, Menestrina G, Colin DA, Werner S, Bronner S, Dalla Serra M, Baba Moussa L, Coraiola M, Gravet A, Monteil H. Staphylococcal bicomponent leucototoxins, mechanism of action, impact on cells and contribution to virulence. In: Pore-Forming Peptides and Protein Toxins Eds. S N Afriat et al. Taylor & Francis Publsihing, London, 2003. 2. Bronner S, Monteil H, Prevost G. Regulation of virulence determinants in Staphylococcus aureus: complexity and applications. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2004;28:183-200.
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