Repository logo

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
  1. Home
  2. Academic and Research Output
  3. Journal articles
  4. Computational Approaches to Explore Bacterial Toxin Entry into the Host Cell
 
review article

Computational Approaches to Explore Bacterial Toxin Entry into the Host Cell

Pezeshkian, Weria
•
Shillcock, Julian Charles  
•
Ipsen, John H.
June 28, 2021
Toxins

Many bacteria secrete toxic protein complexes that modify and disrupt essential processes in the infected cell that can lead to cell death. To conduct their action, these toxins often need to cross the cell membrane and reach a specific substrate inside the cell. The investigation of these protein complexes is essential not only for understanding their biological functions but also for the rational design of targeted drug delivery vehicles that must navigate across the cell membrane to deliver their therapeutic payload. Despite the immense advances in experimental techniques, the investigations of the toxin entry mechanism have remained challenging. Computer simulations are robust complementary tools that allow for the exploration of biological processes in exceptional detail. In this review, we first highlight the strength of computational methods, with a special focus on all-atom molecular dynamics, coarse-grained, and mesoscopic models, for exploring different stages of the toxin protein entry mechanism. We then summarize recent developments that are significantly advancing our understanding, notably of the glycolipid–lectin (GL-Lect) endocytosis of bacterial Shiga and cholera toxins. The methods discussed here are also applicable to the design of membrane-penetrating nanoparticles and the study of the phenomenon of protein phase separation at the surface of the membrane. Finally, we discuss other likely routes for future development.

  • Files
  • Details
  • Metrics
Type
review article
DOI
10.3390/toxins13070449
Author(s)
Pezeshkian, Weria
Shillcock, Julian Charles  
Ipsen, John H.
Date Issued

2021-06-28

Published in
Toxins
Volume

13

Issue

7

Start page

449

Subjects

computational methods

•

molecular dynamics simulations

•

coarse-grained simulations

•

bacterial toxin

•

membrane remodeling

Note

This is an Open Access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
UPDALPE  
BBP-CORE  
Available on Infoscience
June 29, 2021
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/179564
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
  • Contact
  • infoscience@epfl.ch

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on X
  • Follow us on Youtube
AccessibilityLegal noticePrivacy policyCookie settingsEnd User AgreementGet helpFeedback

Infoscience is a service managed and provided by the Library and IT Services of EPFL. © EPFL, tous droits réservés