Aerolysin

Aerolysin (Aer) is a channel-forming toxin from Aeromonas hydrophyla. It uses GPI-anchored proteins on the cell surface as receptors. Following binding it forms heptamers which insert into the cell membrane producing channels thus causing cell death. It is secreted as an inactive precursor proaerolysin (proAer) which gets cleaved by furin to produce the active Aer. For toxins in Proteopedia see Toxins.