18 – Deamidase toxins

Studies on deamidase toxins continue to reveal unexpected molecular mechanisms that are relevant to many fields of biology. This holds true for the discovery of the regulation of small GTPases by ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation, as well as the identification of key factors controlling these cellular regulations. A growing body of evidence has highlighted the importance of these regulations in infection, inflammatory disorders, and cancer. As an example of the complexity of host-pathogen interactions, several groups have firmly established that the corruption of the activity of GTPases is perceived by the host as signaling a pathogen attack. Together, these findings open up new avenues for using specific toxin properties to stimulate Rho proteins, and thus protective responses against microbes. The discovery of new deamidase toxins targeting different cellular factors further demonstrates the importance of this type of posttranslational modification and key cellular targets.