Illustrate the mechanisms by which microbial toxins impact human cells
Introduction:
Toxins are harmful compounds generated by living cells or creatures. They can be tiny molecules or proteins of various types that cause sickness when they come into contact. Toxins can induce a variety of ailments, ranging in degree mild to fatal. Bacteria, fungus, algae, and plants are examples of creatures that may produce poisons. Environmental, marine, and microbiological toxins are only a few examples of the various types of toxins. Toxins formed by bacteria (bacterial toxins) and fungus (mycotoxins) are examples of microbial toxins.
Answer:
BACTERIAL TOXINS & THEIR MECHANISM OF ACTION ON HUMAN CELLS
Toxins produced by bacteria are divided into two categories: exotoxins and endotoxins. The former are discharged into the environment right away, whereas the latter isn't released until the immune system destroys the bacterium. Toxins released into the atmosphere, irrespective of when they are released, cause metabolic pathways of the host eukaryote to be disrupted. Damage to cell membranes, disruption of protein synthesis, inhibition of neurotransmitter release, and activation of the host immune system are all examples of metabolic pathways. Toxins impair eukaryotic cell functions by various methods, depending on the target.
For instance, the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, which is linked to food poisoning, produces listeriolysin O, a pore-forming toxin protein that mainly targets cholesterol. This exotoxin disrupts intracellular processes and causes uncontrolled holes in the host's cell membranes.
An enterotoxin generated by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is another example of an exotoxin. S. aureus can generate staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), a toxin linked to an intestinal disease that stimulates immune system activation. When the immune system is activated, substantial numbers of cytokines, inflammatory-related chemicals, are released, causing considerable inflammation.
Finally, the protein lipopolysaccharide (LPS) generated by gram-negative bacteria is an example of an endotoxin. LPS is a component of the bacteria's outer membrane that helps to keep it together. When an immune system destroys the membrane, the LPS is released and acts as a poison.
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