Fig 8. Schematic illustration of the refined pore-forming action of Nhe as substantiated in the present manuscript.

(A) In solution NheA is present as single soluble molecules whereas NheB and -C form complexes as published [20]; (B) next the NheB/C complexes attach to the cell membrane where small permeable pro-pores are formed [26]; the pro-pore formation occurs independent of -A which is still in solution; (C) the penultimate step is the attachment of the A-component to the pro-pore followed by a conformational alteration (D) that leads to full pore-formation and destruction of the target-cell (E).