| Type: | Family | Name: | Cytolethal distending toxin B |
| Description: | Escherichia coli, Haemophilus spp. and Campylobacter spp. all produce a toxin that is seen to cause distension in certain cell lines [, ], which eventually disintegrate and die. This novel toxin, termed cytolethal distending toxin (cdt), has three subunits: A, B, and C. Their sizes are approx. 27.7, 29.5 and 19.9kDa respectively [], and they appear to be entirely novel []. Further research on the complete toxin has revealed that it blocks the cell cycle at stage G2, through inactivation of the cyclin-dependent kinase Cdk1, and without induction of DNA breaks. This leads to multipolar abortivemitosis and micronucleation, associated with centrosomal amplification [].The roles of each subunit are unclear, but it is believed that they have separate roles in pathogenicity. | Short Name: | CD_toxinB |
