Van tyne, DariaMartin, Melissa JanetGilmore, Michael2014-02-182013Van Tyne, Daria, Melissa J. Martin, and Michael S. Gilmore. 2013. “Structure, Function, and Biology of the Enterococcus faecalis Cytolysin.” Toxins 5 (5): 895-911. doi:10.3390/toxins5050895. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/toxins5050895.2072-6651http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:11717548Enterococcus faecalis is a Gram-positive commensal member of the gut microbiota of a wide range of organisms. With the advent of antibiotic therapy, it has emerged as a multidrug resistant, hospital-acquired pathogen. Highly virulent strains of E. faecalis express a pore-forming exotoxin, called cytolysin, which lyses both bacterial and eukaryotic cells in response to quorum signals. Originally described in the 1930s, the cytolysin is a member of a large class of lanthionine-containing bacteriocins produced by Gram-positive bacteria. While the cytolysin shares some core features with other lantibiotics, it possesses unique characteristics as well. The current understanding of cytolysin biosynthesis, structure/function relationships, and contribution to the biology of E. faecalis are reviewed, and opportunities for using emerging technologies to advance this understanding are discussed.en-UScytolysinlantibioticbacteriocinJournal Article2014-02-1810.3390/toxins5050895