Mitchell T J, Andrew P W
Division of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Scotland.
Microb Drug Resist. 1997 Spring;3(1):19-26. doi: 10.1089/mdr.1997.3.19.
Pneumolysin is a thiol-activated membrane-damaging toxin produced by Streptococcus pneumoniae. The toxin plays a role in virulence of the pneumococcus in animal models of infection. Pneumolysin has a range of biological activity including the ability to lyse eukaryotic cells and to interfere with the function of cells and soluble molecules of the immune system. The use of purified native and mutant toxin and of isogenic mutants of the pneumococcus expressing altered versions of the toxin has allowed the contribution of the various activities of this multifunctional toxin to virulence to be defined.
肺炎溶血素是肺炎链球菌产生的一种硫醇激活的膜损伤毒素。在感染的动物模型中，该毒素在肺炎球菌的毒力方面发挥作用。肺炎溶血素具有一系列生物活性，包括裂解真核细胞以及干扰免疫系统细胞和可溶性分子功能的能力。使用纯化的天然毒素和突变毒素以及表达该毒素变体的肺炎球菌同基因突变体，已能够确定这种多功能毒素的各种活性对毒力的贡献。
