Interaction of Escherichia coli cytotoxic necrotizing factor type 1 (CNF1) with cultured cells.

The cytotoxic necrotizing factor type 1 (CNF1) from E. coli causes necrosis in rabbit skin and multinucleation in cultured cells. Cells exposed to CNF1 were characterized by changes in actin organization, mainly consisting in the presence of well-developed stress fibers and membrane ruffles. The interaction of CNF1 with the cell cytoskeleton probably promotes the cell spreading and interferes with the cytokinesis, leading to the formation of giant multinucleated cells.