How would you expect intracellular signaling to be altered in cells that have been infected with cholera compared to non-infected cells?

Question

How would you expect intracellular signaling to be altered in cells that have been infected with cholera compared to non-infected cells?

Answer 1

Cholera toxin is a protein complex that causes massive fluid loss.

1. A subunit of the cholera toxin protein inhibits GTPase activity of a G-protein.
2. This results in the continuous activation of the G-protein leading to increased cAMP levels.

cAMP is an important intracellular signaling molecule that has an effect on multiple downstream targets(in this case, chloride secretion-->water loss). Because of this, intracellular signaling is expected to increase in cells that have been infected with cholera toxin.