This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Pathogenic determinants

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

C. diphtheriae has a number of pathogenic determinants:

  • exotoxin:
    • a single polypeptide chain of molecular weight 63,000
    • enters cell and split into cell-binding domain and active fragment
    • carried by a lysogenic phage
    • expressed at low cellular free ion concentrations
    • the active fragment:
      • catalyses the transfer of the ADP-ribose moiety of NAD to a modified histidine residue of elongation factor 2 (EF2) within the cytoplasm
      • inactivates EF2, preventing the translocation of peptidyl-tRNA and so inhibiting protein synthesis
  • colonization factors
  • a number of exoenzymes

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.