DIPHTHERIA TOXIN

diphtheria toxin: translation

An AB exotoxin (62 kD) coded by b corynephage of virulent Corynebacterium diphtheriae strains (that can produce a repressor of toxin production). The B subunit binds to receptors on the surface of the target cell and facilitates the entry of the enzymically active A subunit (21 kD) that ADP-ribosylates elongation factor 2, thereby halting mRNA translation.