serovarin

Serovarin is a heat-stable, non-proteinaceous toxin produced by Clostridium perfringens, a Gram-positive, anaerobic bacterium commonly found in soil and the intestines of animals. It is one of the most potent toxins known, with a lethal dose (LD50) of approximately 0.001 mg/kg in mice. Serovarin is responsible for the symptoms of gas gangrene, a severe and potentially fatal infection that can occur when the bacterium invades wounds or tissue, often in the context of surgery or trauma. The toxin acts by inhibiting the activity of the enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), which is crucial for cellular energy production. This inhibition leads to the accumulation of toxic metabolites, ultimately resulting in cell death. Serovarin is also implicated in necrotizing enterocolitis, a condition affecting premature infants, and has been studied for its potential use in cancer therapy due to its ability to induce cell death in cancer cells. The toxin was first described by the Russian microbiologist Sergei Winogradsky in 1890, and its structure was later elucidated by the Soviet biochemist Boris Dubin in 1949.