The Vibrio choleare haemolysin anion channel is required for cell vacuolation and death

SummarySeveral strains of Vibrio cholerae secrete ahaemolytic toxin of 63kDa, termed V. cholerae cytolysin (VCC). This toxin causes extensive vacuo-lation and death of cells in culture and forms ananion-selective channel in planar lipid bilayers and incells. Here, we identify inhibitors of the VCC anionchannel and show that the formation of the anionchannel is necessary for the development of the vacuoles and for the cell death induced by this toxin. Using markers of cell organelles, we show that vacuoles derive from different intracellular com-partments and we identify the contribution of lateendosomes and of the trans -Golgi network in vacuolebiogenesis.Introduction The Gram-negative bact…