Diphtheria toxin

Function

Diphtheria toxin (DT) is a toxin which is secreted by the bacteria causing diphtheria. DT contains 2 subunits. Subunit A contains the catalytic domain and subunit B contains the transmembrane and receptor-binding domains. DT catalyzes the transfer of NAD to a diphthamide residue in the elongatin factor-2 and thus inhibiting protein synthesis.

Disease

A lethal dose of DT is ca. 0.1 μg per 1 kg of bodyweight.

Relevance

Structural highlights