| Type: | Family | Name: | Fragilysin |
| Description: | Fragilysin is a metalloprotease toxin which is cytopathic to intestinal epithelial cells and induces fluid secretion and tissue damage in ligated intestinal loops []. Fragilysin is produced by around 10% of pathogenic strains of the bacterium Bacteroides fragilis(which is found in mammalian large intestines in approximately the same quantities as Escherichia coli), and has been shown to cause diarrhoea. The fragilysin enterotoxin acts by proteolytically damaging the intestinalepithelium (at the tight junctions and basement membranes), causing the release of fluids into the intestinal lumen. In view of the intrinsicresistance of the intestinal tract to protease activity (it being constantly bathed in digestive proteases), an enzyme activity capable of puncturingthe epithelium is considered rather unusual. However the exact mechanism of action of the protein is unknown. | Short Name: | Fragilysin |
