Immunity to K1 killer toxin: internal TOK1 blockade.

Sesti, F; Shih, T M; Nikolaeva, N; Goldstein, S A · Cell · 2001

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

K1 killer strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae harbor RNA viruses that mediate secretion of K1, a protein toxin that kills virus-free cells. Recently, external K1 toxin was shown to directly activate TOK1 channels in the plasma membranes of sensitive yeast cells, leading to excess potassium flux and cell death. Here, a mechanism by which killer cells resist their own toxin is shown: internal toxin inhibits TOK1 channels and suppresses activation by external toxin.

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