''toxins that act upon the extracellular matrix or connective tissue'' - this allows the further spread of bacteria and therefore the infection deeper into tissue regions.
''A-B type toxins'' - the 'B'-subunit attaches to target regions on cell membranes, the 'A'-subunit tends to have an enzymatic function and enters through the membrane affecting the internal bio-mechanisms. Many toxins are classified as 'AB5' meaning that they contain one enzymatically active A-subunit and a pentamer of five identical B-subunits. Toxins of this type include cholera toxin, pertussis toxin, shiga toxin and heat-labile enterotoxin from ''E. coli''.
''Membrane damaging toxins'' - these toxins are designed primarily to puncture and disrupt the cellular membrane killing cells, a significant resulting example is that of Gangrene .
