This article is about naturally occurring organic poisons. For toxic substances that can be artificial or natural, see Toxicant.
The Amanita muscaria mushroom, an iconic toxic mushroom.
A toxin is a naturally occurring organic[dubious – discuss] poison[1] produced by metabolic activities of living cells or organisms.[2] They occur especially as proteins, often conjugated.[3] The term was first used by organic chemist Ludwig Brieger (1849–1919)[4] and is derived from the word "toxic".
Toxins can be small molecules, peptides, or proteins that are capable of causing disease on contact with or absorption by body tissues interacting with biological macromolecules such as enzymes or cellular receptors. They vary greatly in their toxicity, ranging from usually minor (such as a bee sting) to potentially fatal even at extremely low doses (such as botulinum toxin).[5][6]
A toxin is a naturally occurring organic[dubious – discuss] poison produced by metabolic activities of living cells or organisms. They occur especially...
paralysis. The toxin causes the disease botulism. The toxin is also used commercially for medical and cosmetic purposes. Botulinum toxin is an acetylcholine...
Botulism is a rare and potentially fatal illness caused by a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The disease begins with weakness,...
Tetanus toxin (TeNT) is an extremely potent neurotoxin produced by the vegetative cell of Clostridium tetani in anaerobic conditions, causing tetanus...
spore-forming, motile bacterium with the ability to produce botulinum toxin, which is a neurotoxin. C. botulinum is a diverse group of pathogenic bacteria...
Microbial toxins are toxins produced by micro-organisms, including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, dinoflagellates, and viruses. Many microbial toxins promote...
Diphtheria toxin is an exotoxin secreted mainly by Corynebacterium diphtheriae but also by Corynebacterium ulcerans and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis...
Shiga toxins are a family of related toxins with two major groups, Stx1 and Stx2, expressed by genes considered to be part of the genome of lambdoid prophages...
Alpha toxin or alpha-toxin refers to several different protein toxins produced by bacteria, including: Staphylococcus aureus alpha toxin, a membrane-disrupting...
Neurotoxins are toxins that are destructive to nerve tissue (causing neurotoxicity). Neurotoxins are an extensive class of exogenous chemical neurological...
disruption of tissue that occurs during gas gangrene. The toxin involved in gas gangrene is α-toxin, which inserts into the plasma membrane of cells, producing...
Joro spider toxin (joro toxin, JSTX) - a toxin which was originally extracted from the venom of the joro spider (Trichonephila clavata), originally native...
RY-sin) is a lectin (a carbohydrate-binding protein) and a highly potent toxin produced in the seeds of the castor oil plant, Ricinus communis. The median...
Pertussis toxin (PT) is a protein-based AB5-type exotoxin produced by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, which causes whooping cough. PT is involved...
Penicillin Roquefort toxin (PR toxin) is a mycotoxin produced by the fungi Penicillium roqueforti. In 1973, PR toxin was first partially characterized...
as a cut or puncture wound caused by a contaminated object. They produce toxins that interfere with normal muscle contractions. Diagnosis is based on the...
The AB toxins are two-component protein complexes secreted by a number of pathogenic bacteria, though there is a pore-forming AB toxin found in the eggs...
The RTX toxin superfamily is a group of cytolysins and cytotoxins produced by bacteria. There are over 1000 known members with a variety of functions...
Anthrax toxin is a three-protein exotoxin secreted by virulent strains of the bacterium, Bacillus anthracis—the causative agent of anthrax. The toxin was...
ability to neutralize a specific toxin. Antitoxins are produced by certain animals, plants, and bacteria in response to toxin exposure. Although they are most...
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