Abstract
Analyses of the toxin produced by Salmonella Typhi bacteria reveal an unusual assembly of toxin subunits, and show that most symptoms of typhoid fever can be linked to one subunit's DNA-damaging activity. See Letter p.350 The biological basis for the pathogenic properties of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) is largely unknown. S. Typhi causes life-threatening systemic infections known as typhoid fever, whereas most other Salmonella enterica serotypes are either harmless or associated with less-serious gastric infections or food poisoning. This study shows that administration of typhoid toxin, a novel AB toxin composed of two A subunits unique to S. Typhi, reproduces many of the acute symptoms of typhoid fever. The authors go on to identify carbohydrates on cell-surface glycoproteins as receptors for typhoid toxin and determine the toxin's crystal structure, providing insights into these interactions. Theses advances suggest that antitoxin-based therapeutics may be effective in treating typhoid.
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