Corynebacteria and listeria Flashcards
1
Q
What are the three toxin producing corynebacteria?
A
C. diptheriae, C. pseudotuberculosis, and C. ulcerans.
2
Q
What are the antibiotics implicated in treating diphtheria?
A
Penicillin G and erythromycin (a macrolide).
3
Q
What is the target for the B (binding) portion of the diphtheria A-B toxin?
A
Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor
4
Q
Where is heparin-binding epidermal growth factor found?
A
On the surface of many cell types, but particularly on heart and nerve cells (which is why diphtheria can cause neuropathy and heart issue).
5
Q
When is DtxR (the transcriptional regulator of the Tox gene) expressed?
A
When there are high iron levels. This means that diphtheria toxin production is dependent on iron metabolism of the bacteria.
