Secretion and mechanism of action of the hole-forming toxin aerolysin.

Aeromonas hydrophila exports aerolysin as a protoxin which is activated by proteolysis after release. Aerolysin binds to the eucaryotic cell receptor glycophorin and oligomerizes, forming holes in the membrane. Important regions of the molecule have been identified by site-directed mutagenesis, and channel formation has been studied in planar lipid bilayers.