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Nature 430, 843-844 (19 August 2004) | doi:10.1038/430843a; Published online 18 August 2004

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Structural biology:  Anthrax hijacks host receptor

James G. Bann1 & Scott J. Hultgren2

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An atomic picture of how anthrax toxin binds to its host's cells reveals that the toxin commandeers a host receptor protein and tricks it into helping the toxin enter the cell.

In 2001, Bacillus anthracis made headlines when US Senators Thomas Daschle and Patrick Leahy received letters containing anthrax spores, highlighting the urgent need for an effective treatment against the bacterium. Once exposed to B. anthracis

  1. James G. Bann is in the Department of Chemistry, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas 67260-0051, USA.
  2. Scott J. Hultgren is in the Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
    e-mails: Email: jim.bann@wichita.edu Email: hultgren@borcim.wustl.edu

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