{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7220832091","doi":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.05.756811","title":"Pyroptolysins are versatile, sterol-sensing bacterial toxins","display_name":"Pyroptolysins are versatile, sterol-sensing bacterial toxins","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-10-06","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7220832091","doi":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.05.756811","pmid":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42926760","pmcid":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/13692267"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.64898/2026.10.05.756811","doi":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.05.756811","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.05.756811","pdf_url":"https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2026/10/06/2026.10.05.756811.full.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306402567","display_name":"bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I2750212522","host_organization_name":"Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I2750212522"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"bioRxiv","raw_type":"posted-content"},"volume":null,"type":"preprint","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["crossref","pubmed"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2026/10/06/2026.10.05.756811.full.pdf","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5049488349","display_name":"MacKenzie Patterson","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9765-3507","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9765-3507"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I6902469","display_name":"Brandeis University","ror":"https://ror.org/05abbep66","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I6902469"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"MacKenzie Patterson","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9765-3507","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I6902469"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5157881351","display_name":"Anna L Rakowski","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8789-6302","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8789-6302"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I6902469","display_name":"Brandeis University","ror":"https://ror.org/05abbep66","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I6902469"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Anna L. Rakowski","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8789-6302","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I6902469"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5157882057","display_name":"Emma Kote","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5086-7196","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5086-7196"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I6902469","display_name":"Brandeis University","ror":"https://ror.org/05abbep66","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I6902469"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Emma Kote","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5086-7196","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I6902469"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5157854824","display_name":"Angelina C Como-Mosconi","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3281-7471","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3281-7471"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I6902469","display_name":"Brandeis University","ror":"https://ror.org/05abbep66","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I6902469"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Angelina C. Como-Mosconi","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3281-7471","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I6902469"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5012321109","display_name":"Bin Huang","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0056-1794","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0056-1794","https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2542-7788"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I6902469","display_name":"Brandeis University","ror":"https://ror.org/05abbep66","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I6902469"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Bin Huang","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I6902469"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5064061778","display_name":"Megan L. Mayer","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9738-786X","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9738-786X"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I136199984","display_name":"Harvard University","ror":"https://ror.org/03vek6s52","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I136199984"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Megan L. Mayer","raw_affiliation_strings":["Harvard Cryo-EM Center for Structural Biology, Boston, Massachusetts, USA"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9738-786X","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Harvard Cryo-EM Center for Structural Biology, Boston, Massachusetts, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I136199984"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5150002233","display_name":"Alex G. Johnson","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4040-9797","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4040-9797"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I6902469","display_name":"Brandeis University","ror":"https://ror.org/05abbep66","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I6902469"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Alex G. Johnson","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4040-9797","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I6902469"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":2,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5150002233"],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I6902469"],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11103","display_name":"Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities","score":0.33719998598098755,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2404","display_name":"Microbiology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/24","display_name":"Immunology and Microbiology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11103","display_name":"Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities","score":0.33719998598098755,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2404","display_name":"Microbiology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/24","display_name":"Immunology and Microbiology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11078","display_name":"Inflammasome and immune disorders","score":0.23070000112056732,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1312","display_name":"Molecular Biology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/13","display_name":"Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11075","display_name":"Insect Resistance and Genetics","score":0.0820000022649765,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1312","display_name":"Molecular Biology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/13","display_name":"Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/cholesterol-dependent-cytolysins","display_name":"cholesterol-dependent cytolysins","score":0.8830000162124634},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/bacterial-toxins","display_name":"bacterial toxins","score":0.7440000176429749},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/pore-formation","display_name":"pore formation","score":0.6209999918937683},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/sterol-sensing","display_name":"sterol sensing","score":0.7879999876022339},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/cholesterol-rich-membranes","display_name":"cholesterol-rich membranes","score":0.8479999899864197},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/insecticidal-activity","display_name":"insecticidal activity","score":0.8199999928474426},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/chimeric-toxin","display_name":"chimeric toxin","score":0.5770000219345093},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/cell-death","display_name":"cell death","score":0.4350000023841858}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C95444343","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7141","display_name":"Cell biology","level":1,"score":0.5856999754905701},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C8891405","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1059","display_name":"Immune system","level":2,"score":0.5472000241279602},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C86803240","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q420","display_name":"Biology","level":0,"score":0.5166000127792358},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C9043230","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q262657","display_name":"Microbial toxins","level":3,"score":0.49549999833106995},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C523546767","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q10876","display_name":"Bacteria","level":2,"score":0.4828999936580658},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C207001950","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q141124","display_name":"In vivo","level":2,"score":0.48019999265670776},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41625074","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q176088","display_name":"Membrane","level":2,"score":0.46779999136924744},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C202751555","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q221681","display_name":"In vitro","level":2,"score":0.44920000433921814},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C185592680","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2329","display_name":"Chemistry","level":0,"score":0.4489000141620636},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C19655278","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3293735","display_name":"Bacterial cell structure","level":3,"score":0.4442000091075897},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C1491633281","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7868","display_name":"Cell","level":2,"score":0.41670000553131104},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C89423630","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7193","display_name":"Microbiology","level":1,"score":0.41600000858306885},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778106830","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q29548","display_name":"Cell membrane","level":3,"score":0.364300012588501},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C51785407","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2627568","display_name":"Effector","level":2,"score":0.3637000024318695},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C146587185","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q258248","display_name":"Bacterial outer membrane","level":4,"score":0.3547999858856201},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C55493867","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7094","display_name":"Biochemistry","level":1,"score":0.3066999912261963},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144647389","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q423042","display_name":"Membrane protein","level":3,"score":0.29499998688697815},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C169627665","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5767913","display_name":"Homology modeling","level":3,"score":0.28299999237060547},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C165525559","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q224180","display_name":"Homology (biology)","level":3,"score":0.28279998898506165},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C31573885","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q304484","display_name":"Programmed cell death","level":3,"score":0.26910001039505005},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C70721500","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q177005","display_name":"Computational biology","level":1,"score":0.25839999318122864},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C81885089","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q189082","display_name":"Cell culture","level":2,"score":0.25130000710487366},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776120743","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3271540","display_name":"Mechanism of action","level":3,"score":0.2508000135421753}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":3,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.64898/2026.10.05.756811","doi":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.05.756811","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.05.756811","pdf_url":"https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2026/10/06/2026.10.05.756811.full.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306402567","display_name":"bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I2750212522","host_organization_name":"Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I2750212522"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"bioRxiv","raw_type":"posted-content"},{"id":"pmid:42926760","doi":null,"is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42926760","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306525036","display_name":"PubMed","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I1299303238","host_organization_name":"National Institutes of Health","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I1299303238"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology","raw_type":"Journal Article"},{"id":"pmh:oai:pubmedcentral.nih.gov:13692267","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13692267/","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S2764455111","display_name":"PubMed Central","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I1299303238","host_organization_name":"National Institutes of Health","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I1299303238"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"bioRxiv","raw_type":"Text"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.64898/2026.10.05.756811","doi":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.05.756811","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.05.756811","pdf_url":"https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2026/10/06/2026.10.05.756811.full.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306402567","display_name":"bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I2750212522","host_organization_name":"Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I2750212522"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"bioRxiv","raw_type":"posted-content"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"study_designs":[],"awards":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/G6287432520","display_name":"Equipment: MRI: Track 2 Acquisition of a Tundra Cryo-electron microscope","funder_award_id":"2319804","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320306076","funder_display_name":"National Science Foundation"}],"funders":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320306076","display_name":"National Science Foundation","ror":"https://ror.org/021nxhr62"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320310134","display_name":"Brandeis University","ror":"https://ror.org/05abbep66"}],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":true,"pdf":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7220832091.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7220832091.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":60,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W1791817302","https://openalex.org/W1864325817","https://openalex.org/W1882905539","https://openalex.org/W1972222351","https://openalex.org/W1994285482","https://openalex.org/W2004349481","https://openalex.org/W2005690045","https://openalex.org/W2006210104","https://openalex.org/W2007395394","https://openalex.org/W2017103071","https://openalex.org/W2028475005","https://openalex.org/W2032099869","https://openalex.org/W2057417107","https://openalex.org/W2080989088","https://openalex.org/W2100975785","https://openalex.org/W2105329815","https://openalex.org/W2105430590","https://openalex.org/W2108237888","https://openalex.org/W2114850508","https://openalex.org/W2130060890","https://openalex.org/W2154167687","https://openalex.org/W2165284749","https://openalex.org/W2195753589","https://openalex.org/W2342464147","https://openalex.org/W2587625522","https://openalex.org/W2602465944","https://openalex.org/W2765322245","https://openalex.org/W2793402357","https://openalex.org/W2801376357","https://openalex.org/W2802099741","https://openalex.org/W2950954328","https://openalex.org/W2951391808","https://openalex.org/W2972299921","https://openalex.org/W2983652778","https://openalex.org/W2989578970","https://openalex.org/W2995997429","https://openalex.org/W3027614707","https://openalex.org/W3043910918","https://openalex.org/W3083406432","https://openalex.org/W3091268297","https://openalex.org/W3177828909","https://openalex.org/W4220838810","https://openalex.org/W4294782877","https://openalex.org/W4309858927","https://openalex.org/W4375858802","https://openalex.org/W4388928506","https://openalex.org/W4389086573","https://openalex.org/W4392155415","https://openalex.org/W4392984784","https://openalex.org/W4394694527","https://openalex.org/W4394694796","https://openalex.org/W4394785938","https://openalex.org/W4395446452","https://openalex.org/W4396721167","https://openalex.org/W4404343451","https://openalex.org/W4404531735","https://openalex.org/W4406739472","https://openalex.org/W4408929323","https://openalex.org/W4412487985","https://openalex.org/W7126115639"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W4386865288","https://openalex.org/W7171546000","https://openalex.org/W4401888860","https://openalex.org/W3204209426","https://openalex.org/W7212261179","https://openalex.org/W7203439935","https://openalex.org/W4409152792","https://openalex.org/W4368356204","https://openalex.org/W2418806051","https://openalex.org/W2461574575"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Gasdermin":[0],"pores":[1],"mediate":[2],"cellular":[3],"self-sacrifice":[4],"for":[5,73],"the":[6,14,41,62,79,102,116,119],"immune":[7],"defense":[8],"pyroptosis.":[9],"Here":[10],"we":[11,30,77],"describe":[12],"how":[13],"gasdermin":[15,103],"fold":[16,104],"was":[17],"repurposed":[18],"during":[19],"evolution":[20],"into":[21],"a":[22,106],"membrane":[23,74],"targeting":[24],"bacterial":[25],"toxin.":[26],"These":[27],"proteins,":[28],"which":[29],"call":[31],"pyroptolysins,":[32],"are":[33,44,53],"chimeras":[34],"of":[35,61,111,121],"gasdermins":[36],"and":[37,68,86,118],"cholesterol-dependent":[38],"cytolysins.":[39],"Like":[40],"cytolysins,":[42,51],"pyroptolysins":[43,63,80],"active":[45,55,83],"on":[46,56,89],"cholesterol-rich":[47],"membranes,":[48],"but":[49],"unlike":[50],"they":[52],"poorly":[54],"mammalian":[57],"cells.":[58,122],"Structural":[59],"snapshots":[60],"confirm":[64],"their":[65],"dual":[66],"homology":[67],"reveal":[69],"pre-organized":[70],"complexes":[71],"primed":[72],"insertion.":[75],"Unexpectedly,":[76],"found":[78],"to":[81],"be":[82],"in":[84,87],"vitro":[85],"vivo":[88],"membranes":[90],"with":[91],"remarkably":[92],"low":[93],"sterol":[94],"content,":[95],"displaying":[96],"insecticidal":[97],"activity.":[98],"Our":[99],"results":[100],"establish":[101],"as":[105],"versatile":[107],"pore-forming":[108],"scaffold,":[109],"capable":[110],"inducing":[112],"cell":[113],"death":[114],"from":[115],"inside":[117],"outside":[120]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-11-09T13:22:03.289127","created_date":"2026-10-08T00:00:00"}