Toxins are important virulence determinants responsible for microbial pathogenicity and/or evasion of the host immune response. Understanding the molecular and cellular biology of toxins is critical for the development of new anti-toxin strategies, particularly for those with bioterrorism capability. Indeed, potential applications of toxin research extend beyond simply combating microbial virulence and include the development of novel anti-cancer drugs and other frontline medicines, use of toxins as tools in neurobiology and cellular biology, etc. This timely volume serves as an update on important recent advances. Written by internationally respected scientists, topics reviewed include: toxins carried by mobile genetic elements, botulinum neurotoxins, anthrax, subtilase cytotoxin, Pasteurella multocida toxin, RTX toxins of vibrios, vacA toxin, staphylococcal immune evasion toxins, and fungal ribotoxins. The book is essential reading for everyone with an interest in microbial toxins, and it is recommended for other scientists with an interest in microbiology, bioterrorism, microbial pathogenesis, and microbial genomics.

Toxins are virulence determinants that play an important role in microbial pathogenicity and/or evasion of the host immune response. This makes them ideal targets for the development of novel antimicrobial strategies. The potential applications of toxin research extend beyond simple combating microbial pathogens and include use as novel anti-cancer drugs and other front-line medicines and as tools in neurobiology. This book serves as an update on the most important recent advances in the genetics, cellular biology and practical applications of the most important bacterial toxins.