Podcast: How cholesterol helps bacterial toxins kill cells

IISc researchers have found cholesterol present in cell membrane playing a central role in the two-step process of stabilising and binding together the pore-forming toxin Cytolysin A. On binding to cholesterol, the structure of the toxin protein that is bound to the cell membrane undergoes a change and is also stabilised. Cholesterol is also essential in holding together the molecules before the toxin forms the pore.