E. Coli Hemolysin E (Hlye, Clya, Shea): X-Ray Crystal Structure of the Toxin and Observation of Membrane Pores by Electron Microscopy
Wallace, A.J., Stillman, T.J., Atkins, A., Jamieson, S.J., Bullough, P.A., Green, J., Artymiuk, P.J.(2000) Cell 100: 265
- PubMed: 10660049 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0092-8674(00)81564-0
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
1QOY - PubMed Abstract: 
Hemolysin E (HlyE) is a novel pore-forming toxin of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, and Shigella flexneri. Here we report the X-ray crystal structure of the water-soluble form of E. coli HlyE at 2.0 A resolution and the visualization of the lipid-associated form of the toxin in projection at low resolution by electron microscopy. The crystal structure reveals HlyE to be the first member of a new family of toxin structures, consisting of an elaborated helical bundle some 100 A long. The electron micrographs show how HlyE oligomerizes in the presence of lipid to form transmembrane pores. Taken together, the data from these two structural techniques allow us to propose a simple model for the structure of the pore and for membrane interaction.
Organizational Affiliation: 
The Krebs Institute, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, United Kingdom.