Pertussis toxin interfering with intracellular communication. The Gi subunits remain locked in their GDP-bound, inactive state, thus unable to inhibit adenylate cyclase activity, leading to increased cellular concentrations of cAMP. Increased intracellular cAMP affects normal biological signaling. The toxin causes several systemic effects, among which is an increased release of insulin, causing hypoglycemia. Whether the effects of pertussis toxin are responsible for the paroxysmal cough remains unknown. As a result of this unique mechanism, PT has also become widely used as a biochemical tool to ADP-ribosylate GTP-binding proteins in the study of signal transduction. It has also become an essential component of
Byne's disease high humidity can also affect pyrite (or its more reactive polymorph marcasite) (iron sulphide) fossils in a somewhat similar condition, which is known as pyrite disease. The iron sulfide can react with water and oxygen to form iron sulfates and sulfuric acid, which then can produce Bynesian decay. Byne's disease Byne's disease, more accurately known as Bynesian decay, is a peculiar and permanently damaging condition (resulting from an ongoing chemical reaction) which often attacks mollusk shells that are in storage or on display for long periods of time. Bynesian decay is a form of efflorescence of salts formed by the