The AB5 Toxin Family: Implications and Applications
A special issue of Toxins (ISSN 2072-6651). This special issue belongs to the section "Bacterial Toxins".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 23
Special Issue Editors
Interests: AB5 toxins; engineering biology; healthcare tools; synthetic biology
Interests: AB5 toxins; engineering biology; healthcare tools; synthetic biology
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
AB5 toxins comprise a structurally conserved but functionally diverse family of bacterial exotoxins implicated in major diseases such as cholera, whooping cough, and typhoid. These toxins are typically composed of a toxic A-subunit and a homopentameric B-pentamer (B5) that enable host cell entry. The B5 subunit targets extracellular glycolipids, facilitating the delivery of the A-subunit into host cells, where it disrupts cellular processes. Classical AB5 members include cholera toxin (CT), Shiga toxin (ST), and heat-labile enterotoxins (LTs). Additionally, pertussis toxin (PT) has a heteromeric B-pentamer, and typhoid toxin has an A₂B₅ configuration. More recently, novel homologs such as ArtAB (Salmonella Typhimurium, 2017) and the B-subunit-only YpeB (Yersinia pestis, 2022) have expanded the known repertoire of these toxins. Beyond pathogenesis, AB5 toxins are being repurposed for healthcare, including the targeting of cancer cells, vaccine delivery, and neuronal cell tracing. How these classical proteins and their diverse homologs impact disease processes and can be tailored to treatment applications is of growing importance to the research and healthcare communities. This Special Issue will cover established and recently found AB5 protein family members, new discoveries regarding their implications in disease, and novel uses in biotechnology.
Dr. James Ross
Prof. Dr. Michael E. Webb
Prof. Dr. Bruce Turnbull
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- AB5 toxins
- targeted delivery
- bacterial toxins
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