An Overview of Bacterial Toxigenesis and a Potential Biological Weapon in Warfare

Abstract

Various bacterial cells releases proteinous compound known as toxins. These toxins damage or inhibit the physiological and cellular function of the healthy human cells as a result it can causes a lethal disease or death. Generally the bacterial toxins are classified according to mode of action at molecular level and the mechanism of targeting cells or organs. Some toxins are released within the bacteria called endotoxin and other secretes outside the cells delivered by gram positive and negative bacteria. These toxins encoded by bacterial genes, chromosome, phages or plasmids. The bacterial toxins such as botulinum, conotoxins, Clostridium perfrigens, epsilson toxin, saxitoxins, shigatoxins, tetrodotoxins, can be used in bioterrorism due to high toxicity and short incubation time. The promising role of nanomaterial’s in the detection of bacterial toxins have been summarized highlighting their advantages, need principles, and limitations in terms of sensitivity, accuracy, simplicity, sensitivity, cost effectiveness and multiplexing capability.