part Part 1 Pore-forming proteins -- chapter 1 Staphylococcal bicomponent leucotoxins, mechanism of action, impact on cells and contribution to virulence / chapter 2 The formation of ion-permeable channels by RTX-toxins in lipid bilayer membranes -- Basis for their biological activity / chapter 3 Properties of the monomeric and the pentameric Pseudomonas cytotoxin / chapter 4 Helicobacter pylori vacuolating toxin VacA -- Channel-forming properties and cell intoxication / chapter 5 Delta-endotoxin mode of action / chapter 6 Functional studies of helix -5 region from Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab -endotoxin / chapter 7 Colicin channels and protein translocation -- Parallels with diphtheria toxin / chapter 8 Actinoporins, pore-forming toxins of sea anemones (Actiniaria) / part Part 2 Pore-forming peptides -- chapter 9 Structural and charge requirements for antimicrobial peptide insertion into biological and model membranes / chapter 10 Pardaxins pore-forming neurotoxins as pharmacological tools in dissecting neurotransmitter exocytosis and neurotoxicity / chapter 11 Cecropin melittin hybrid peptides as versatile templates in the development of membrane-active antibiotic agents / chapter 12 The syringomycins: lipodepsipeptide pore formers from plant bacterium Pseudomonas syringae -- Lipodepsipeptide pore formers from plant bacterium / chapter 13 Molecular mechanisms of action of syringopeptins, antifungal peptides from Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae / chapter 14 The role of amyloid peptide channels in amyloid disease