Editing Enterotoxin (section)

{{Short description|Toxin from a microorganism affecting the intestines}}
{{Infobox protein family
| Symbol = Stap_Strp_tox_C
| Name = Staph/Strep enterotoxin, C terminal
| image = PDB 1uns EBI.jpg
| width = 
| caption = identification of a secondary zinc-binding site in staphylococcal enterotoxin c2: implications for superantigen recognition
| Pfam = PF02876
| Pfam_clan = CL0386 
| InterPro = IPR006123
| SMART = 
| PROSITE = PDOC00250
| MEROPS = 
| SCOP = 1se3
| TCDB = 
| OPM family = 364
| OPM protein = 1dyq
| CAZy = 
| CDD = 
}}

An '''enterotoxin''' is a [[protein]] [[exotoxin]] released by a [[microorganism]] that targets the [[intestines]].<ref>{{DorlandsDict|three/000035767|enterotoxin}}</ref> They can be chromosomally or plasmid encoded.<ref>Carlton Gyles, Magdalene So, Stanley Falkow, Journal of Infectious Diseases (1974)   130  (1):  40-49.</ref> They are heat [[Lability#Biology|labile]] (> 60 °C), of low molecular weight and water-soluble. Enterotoxins are frequently [[cytotoxic]] and kill cells by altering the apical membrane [[Semipermeable membrane|permeability]] of the mucosal ([[epithelial]]) cells of the intestinal wall. They are mostly [[pore-forming toxin]]s (mostly chloride pores), secreted by bacteria, that assemble to form pores in [[cell membranes]]. This causes the cells to die.