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An enterotoxin is a protein exotoxin released by a microorganism that targets the intestines. [1] They can be chromosomally or plasmid encoded. [ 2 ] They are heat labile (> 60 °C), of low molecular weight and water-soluble.
In the field of molecular biology, enterotoxin type B, also known as Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), is an enterotoxin produced by the gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. It is a common cause of food poisoning , with severe diarrhea , nausea and intestinal cramping often starting within a few hours of ingestion. [ 1 ]
Different STs recognize distinct receptors on the surface of animal cells and thereby affect different intracellular signaling pathways. For example, STa enterotoxins bind and activate membrane-bound guanylate cyclase, which leads to the intracellular accumulation of cyclic GMP and downstream effects on several signaling pathways.
In molecular biology, the heat-labile enterotoxin family includes Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin (Elt or LT) and cholera toxin (Ctx) secreted by Vibrio cholerae. lt is so named because it is inactivated at high temperatures.
This allows the body to detect the harmful toxin if it is encountered later, and to eliminate it before it can cause harm to the host. Toxins of this type include cholera toxin, pertussis toxin, Shiga toxin and heat-labile enterotoxin from E. coli.
S. aureus is an enterotoxin producer. Enterotoxins are chromosomally encoded exotoxins that are produced and secreted from several bacterial organisms. It is a heat stable toxin and is resistant to digestive protease. [5] [6] It is the ingestion of the toxin that causes the inflammation and swelling of the intestine.
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Additional classifications used to describe toxins include enterotoxin, neurotoxin, leukocidin or hemolysin which indicate where in the host's body the toxin targets. Enterotoxins target the intestines, neurotoxins target neurons, leukocidin target leukocytes (white blood cells), and hemolysins target red blood cells.