α-Hemolysin (Staphylococcus aureus)

α-Hemolysin (Staphylococcus aureus), a polypeptide virulence factor of Staphylococcus aureus, disrupts host cell plasma membranes. Upon binding to the cell surface, its monomers create a homoheptamic prepore, which evolves into a mature transmembrane pore, facilitating K+ and Ca2+ ion transport that induces necrotic death in target cells [1].