Abstract
Recent advance in understanding the role of toxin proteins in controlling cell death has revealed that pro-apoptotic viral proteins targeting mitochondria contain amphiphilic α-helices with pore-forming properties. Herein, we describe that the pore-forming amphiphilic β-sheet cardiotoxins (or cytotoxins, CTXs) from Taiwan cobra (Naja atra) also target mitochondrial membrane after internalization and act synergistically with CTX-induced cytosolic calcium increase to disrupt mitochondria network. It is suggested that CTX-induced fragmentation of mitochondria play a role in controlling CTX-induced necrosis of myocytes and cause severe tissue necrosis in the victims. © 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.