The ABC toxin complex from Yersinia entomophaga can package three different cytotoxic components expressed from distinct genetic loci in an unfolded state: the structures of both shell and cargo

A cytotoxin encoded by an ‘orphan’ genetic locus in the insect pathogen Yersinia entomophaga is shown to be a functional part of an ABC toxin complex, and the structures of both the RHS-repeat-containing ‘shell’ and the free toxin alone are determined by X-ray crystallography. The structure of the toxin indicates that it most likely functions by directly modifying actin in the target cell.