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Microbial Protein Toxins pp 157–174Cite as

The Ustilago maydis killer toxins

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Part of the book series: Topics in Current Genetics ((TCG,volume 11))

Abstract

Killer toxins are small proteins secreted by a number of fungi that are lethal to susceptible cells (generally fungi of the same or related species). They bear some similarity to other families of protein toxins, which are ubiquitous in nature. The three known Ustilago maydis killer toxins typify, in many respects, the class of killer toxins. Two of them appear to exert their effects by affecting ion fluxes. Two are processed by a Golgi enzyme apparently extant in all eukaryotes. One of the three toxins has both structural and sequence homologs in other species. They have been useful in elucidating the mechanisms of ion channel function and processing of secreted proteins, and they may serve to confer resistance to fungi on a new generation of transgenic crop plants.

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  1. Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA

    Jeremy Bruenn

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Manfred J. Schmitt Raffael Schaffrath

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Bruenn, J. The Ustilago maydis killer toxins. In: Schmitt, M.J., Schaffrath, R. (eds) Microbial Protein Toxins. Topics in Current Genetics, vol 11. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/b100197

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