Proteomics as a Tool for Studying of Microbial Toxins

Several microorganisms such as bacteria, algae, and fungi carry microbial toxins that evade molecular mechanisms. Microbial toxin exposure can impair the body’s immune system against pathogens. Their molecular weights range from a few thousand daltons (Da) to kilodaltons (kDa). Various microbes produce a variety of toxins, some of them cause mild to severe disease, while some toxins possess anticancer properties. Proteomics is applied to detect, discover, and differentiate toxins. This chapter gives an outline of microbial toxins and their analysis using various proteomics approaches. Advancement in proteomics has also advanced our knowledge of mechanisms of bacterial virulence and some crucial aspects of how bacteria interact with human cells and, thus, the pathogenesis of infectious diseases. These advancements include mass spectrometry (MS) technology, protein fractionation methods, and bioinformatics.