Dear Colleagues,

Cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) is a potent AB type genotoxin produced by more than 30 medically-important Gram-negative bacterial pathogens of the Gamma and Epsilon classes of Proteobacteria. Included amongst these bacteria are several pathotypes of Escherichia coli, certain species of Campylobacter, Helicobacter, and Shigella, and a clad of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotypes that collectively are responsible for the majority of clinically-important food-borne and water-borne zoonotic intestinal illnesses worldwide. Moreover, members of the Haemophilus species associated with chronic genital infections and acute sepsis and Aggregatibacter (formerly Actinobacillus) actinomycetemcomitans a major periodontal disease pathogen also produce CDT; however, the contribution of CDT to microbial pathogenesis remains incompletely understood. Experimental studies to date have focused on mechanisms of CDT-induced eukaryotic cell genotoxicity in vitro and ex vivo, while few animal studies suggest a critical role for CDT in direct cell damage and resistance against host innate defense mechanisms. Alterations of host cell homeostasis likely contributes to infection and disease caused by CDT-producing bacterial pathogens, and thus, this Special Issue of Toxins will focus on molecular mechanisms of CDT-induced genotoxicity in the context of disease mechanisms. The goal is to increase our understanding of the contribution of this broadly-conserved genotoxin to mechanisms of infection and disease and provide a basis for development of control strategies for major bacterial pathogens of humans and animals.

Prof. Dr. Joseph M. DiRienzo
Prof. Dr. Gerald E. Duhamel
Guest Editors

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• AB-toxin
• cell cycle
• cytolethal distending toxin
• diarrheal disease
• enteric bacteria
• eukaryotic cell
• genotoxin
• nuclease
• periodontal disease