Identification of three oligosaccharide binding sites in ricin.

The galactoside-binding sites of ricin B chain can be blocked by affinity-directed chemical modification using a reactive ligand derived from asialoglycopeptides containing triantennary N-linked oligosaccharides. The terminal galactosyl residue of one branch of the triantennary oligosaccharide is modified to contain a reactive dichlorotriazine moiety. Two separate galactoside-binding sites have been clearly established in the ricin B chain by X-ray crystallography [Rutenber, E., and Robertus, J. D. (1991) Proteins 10, 260-269], and it is necessary to covalently attach two such reactive ligands to the B chain to block its binding to galactoside affinity matrixes. A method was developed using thiol-specific labeling of the ligand combined with subsequent immunoaffinity chromatography which allowed the isolation of ricin B chain peptides covalently linked to the ligand from proteolytic digests of purified blocked ricin. The sites of covalent attachment of the two ligands in blocked ricin were inferred from sequence analysis to be Lys 62 in domain 1 of the B chain and Tyr 148 in domain 2. A minor species of blocked ricin contains a third covalently attached ligand. From the analysis of peptides derived from blocked ricin enriched in this species, it is inferred that Tyr 67 in domain 1 is the specific site on the ricin B chain where a third reactive ligand becomes covalently linked to the protein. These results are interpreted as providing support for the notion that the ricin B chain has three oligosaccharide binding sites.     

2.8-A crystal structure of a nontoxic type-II ribosome-inactivating protein, ebulin l

Ebulin l is a type-II ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) isolated from the leaves of Sambucus ebulus L. As with other type-II RIP, ebulin is a disulfide-linked heterodimer composed of a toxic A chain and a galactoside-specific lectin B chain. A normal level of ribosome-inactivating N-glycosidase activity, characteristic of the A chain of type-II RIP, has been demonstrated for ebulin l. However, ebulin is considered a nontoxic type-II RIP due to a reduced cytotoxicity on whole cells and animals as compared with other toxic type-II RIP like ricin. The molecular cloning, amino acid sequence, and the crystal structure of ebulin l are presented and compared with ricin. Ebulin l is shown to bind an A-chain substrate analogue, pteroic acid, in the same manner as ricin. The galactoside-binding ability of ebulin l is demonstrated crystallographically with a complex of the B chain with galactose and with lactose. The negligible cytotoxicity of ebulin l is apparently due to a reduced affinity for galactosides. An altered mode of galactoside binding in the 2gamma subdomain of the lectin B chain primarily causes the reduced affinity.     

Novel sugar-binding specificity of the type XIII xylan-binding domain of a family F/10 xylanase from Streptomyces olivaceoviridis E-86

The type XIII xylan-binding domain (XBD) of a family F/10 xylanase (FXYN) from Streptomyces olivaceoviridis E-86 was found to be structurally similar to the ricin B chain which recognizes the non-reducing end of galactose and specifically binds to galactose containing sugars. The crystal structure of XBD [Fujimoto, Z. et al. (2000) J. Mol. Biol. 300, 575-585] indicated that the whole structure of XBD is very similar to the ricin B chain and the amino acids which form the galactose-binding sites are highly conserved between the XBD and the ricin B chain. However, our investigation of the binding abilities of wt FXYN and its truncated mutants towards xylan demonstrated that the XBD bound xylose-based polysaccharides. Moreover, it was found that the sugar-binding unit of the XBD was a trimer, which was demonstrated in a releasing assay using sugar ranging in size from xylose to xyloheptaose. These results indicated that the binding specificity of the XBD was different from those of the same family lectins such as the ricin B chain. Somewhat surprisingly, it was found that lactose could release the XBD from insoluble xylan to a level half of that observed for xylobiose, indicating that the XBD also possessed the same galactose recognition site as the ricin B chain. It appears that the sugar-binding pocket of the XBD has evolved from the ancient ricin super family lectins to bind additional sugar targets, resulting in the differences observed in the sugar-binding specificities between the lectin group (containing the ricin B chain) and the enzyme group.     

The position of the proricin vacuolar targeting signal is functionally important

Ricin is synthesised as an ER-targeted precursor containing an enzymatic A chain and a galactose-binding B chain separated by a 12-amino acid linker propeptide. This internal propeptide is known to contain a sequence-specific vacuolar sorting signal whose functionality depends on the presence of an isoleucine residue. Conversion of this isoleucine to glycine completely abolished vacuolar targeting of proricin and led to its secretion. However, when this mutated signal was positioned at the C-terminus of a normally secreted reporter, vacuolar targeting of a significant fraction still occurred. Likewise, when the corrupted linker was C-terminally exposed within its natural context following the mature ricin A chain, and then co-expressed with ricin B chain, toxin heterodimers were still partially transported to tobacco cell vacuoles. By contrast, when placed at the N-terminus of the secreted reporter, or at the N-terminus of ricin B chain for co-expression with ricin A chain, the propeptide behaved most strikingly as a sequence-specific vacuolar targeting signal that, when mutated, resulted in complete secretion of the proteins. It would appear that the position of the linker peptide influences the specificity of its vacuolar targeting function.     

天花粉同工凝集素－1双链的拆分和鉴定

天花粉同工凝集素－１经巯基乙醇还原,碘代乙酰胺保护,其链间二硫键被打开,但仍非共价结合在一起。我们利用尿素变性的Ｑ－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ离子交换层忻分离了此凝集素的两条链。氨基酸组成测定与其他３种肽链作一比较,它们都含有较多的酸性和羟基氨基酸。蛋白质印迹显示ＴＫＬ的抗血清不仅能与ＴＫＬ－１的两条链分别反应,也能与天花粉毒蛋白及蓖麻毒蛋白的Ａ链起作用。溴化氰裂解的ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥＲ肽谱表明天花粉凝集素的两条链与天花粉毒蛋白含有类似的裂解片段,在分子量１６ｋｄ左右有相同的电泳条带。ＴＫＬ－１两亚基的Ｎ末端序列已经测定,同源性比较发现其３３ｋｄ亚基的Ｎ末端序列与天花粉毒蛋白、蓖麻毒蛋白的一些肽段类似。迄今已有的证据表明ＴＫＬ与ＴＣＳ等是一些非常相关的蛋白质。     

Evidence for a nucleation step in a lipid-protein interaction-kinetics of the incorporation of polymyxin into phosphatidic acid bilayer vesicles

Incubation of 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonic acid with ricin and its isolated A and B polypeptide chains showed an increase in fluorescence at 470 nm. The A chain induced more fluorescence enhancement than either ricin or ricin B chain. The addition of B chain to A chain resulted in decreased fluorescence enhancement which was pH dependent. Sephadex gel filtration showed that A and B chain efficiently reassociated and the reassociation was not dependent on formation of the interchain disulfide bond and could not be prevented by high salt concentration.     

Expression of ricin B chain in Escherichia coli

DNA encoding ricin B chain was fused to that encoding the E. coli OmpA signal peptide using the expression secretion vector pIN-111-ompA. When induced, E. coli cells transformed with the recombinant plasmid express ricin B chain. The recombinant product accumulates in the periplasmic space in a soluble, biologically active form.     

High mobility of N-terminal parts of A and B subunits of ricin

1H-NMR spectra (500 MHz) of ricin and its isolated A and B subunits have been analyzed in this study. It is shown that together with tight packing of the polypeptide chain there also exist flexible highly mobile segments in the structure of the proteins. Examination of the line-widths of resonances and the identification of sharp signals with protons of amino acids indicates that N-terminal peptide segments of A and B subunits are free and undergo rapid segmental motions. Spin-echo sequence (90-tau-180-tau) was used to suppress an intensive unresolved background signal from protons involved in the globular part of ricin, thus permitting selective identification of the unusually sharp signals from mobile side chains.     

Expression and functional properties of genetically engineered ricin B chain lacking galactose-binding activity.

Ricin is a potent plant toxin consisting of two disulfide-bonded subunits. The A chain of ricin is an N-glycosidase which inactivates 28 S RNA and inhibits protein synthesis. The B chain is a galactose-specific lectin with two galactose-binding sites. The genes encoding preproricin and its A and B chains have been cloned and expressed. In addition, X-ray crystallographic studies have identified the galactose-contact residues in both the high- and low-affinity galactose-binding sites of the B chain. In this study, the high-affinity galactose-contact residue of the B chain was changed from Asn-255 to Ala-255 by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. The resulting mutant was sequenced to confirm the presence of a single mutation and was expressed in Cos-M6 cells. Both wild-type and mutant recombinant B chain could be immunoprecipitated with a heterologous anti-B chain antibody and both could form A-B heterodimers. However, as compared to the wild-type, the mutant B chain lacked more than 99% of its lectin activity and cytotoxicity as an A-B dimer. In conclusion, altering the contact residue of the high-affinity galactose-binding site of ricin B chain from Asn-255 to Ala-255 abrogates more than 99% of its lectin activity and the cytotoxicity of the A-B heterodimer to ricin-sensitive cells.     

The primary sequence of Ricinus communis agglutinin. Comparison with ricin

A mixture of synthetic oligonucleotides representing all possible sequences of a peptide present in the ricin B chain has been used to screen a cDNA library constructed using ripening castor bean seed poly(A+) RNA. The eight largest recombinant plasmids selected, by hybridization, a single mRNA species whose translational product was identified as preprolectin by immunoprecipitation. Restriction enzyme analysis of these clones demonstrated that two classes were present representing sequences complementary to two distinct but closely related preprolectin mRNA species. The nucleotide sequence of the cloned cDNA from one of these classes encodes preproricin and has been presented elsewhere (Lamb, F. I., Roberts, L. M., and Lord, J. M., (1985) Eur. J. Biochem. 148, 265-270). The nucleotide sequence of the second class is presented here and shown to represent prepro-Ricinus communis agglutinin. The entire coding sequence was deduced from two overlapping cDNA clones having inserts of 1668 and 1151 base pairs. The coding region defines a preproprotein with a 24-amino acid N-terminal signal sequence preceding the A chain (266 amino acids) which is joined to the B chain (262 amino acids) by a 12-amino acid linking peptide. The protein was confirmed as R. communis agglutinin since the deduced B chain N-terminal sequence corresponds exactly with that determined for purified R. communis agglutinin B chain over a region where several residue differences occur in the ricin B chain. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the R. communis agglutinin precursor are compared with those of the ricin precursor.     

Conformation-dependent antigenic determinants in the toxic lectin ricin.

The major part of the ricin-precipitable antibodies in sera produced by immunizing rabbits with formaldehyde-treated ricin is precipitated also by the isolated ricin A and B chains. In contrast, in antisera produced by immunizing with formaldehyde-treated ricinus agglutinin only a small part of the antibodies cross-reacting with ricin can be precipitated by the isolated A and B chains, or bound to immunoabsorbents containing the isolated ricin chains. In immunodiffusion studies with anti-ricinus agglutinin sera, a star-shaped precipitate was formed when isolated A and B chains recombined to form intact ricin. Both anti-ricin and anti-ricinus agglutinin sera neutralized effectively the ability of ricin to inhibit protein synthesis in HeLa cells. Anti-ricin serum also neutralized the inhibitory effect of the isolated A chain on protein synthesis in a cell-free system and the ability of the isolated B chain to induce indirect hemagglutination. In contrast, antiricinus agglutinin serum did not neutralize the biologic activities of the isolated ricin A and B chains. Anti-ricinus agglutinin serum formed a precipitate with the hybrid ricin A chain/abrin B chain, and protected against the toxic effect on HeLa cells of this hybrid, indicating conformational changes of ricin A chain upon binding to the B chain. It is concluded that the anti-ricinus agglutinin serum contains antibodies directed against conformational determinants present on intact ricin, but not present or exposed in the isolated A and B chains. At least part of these conformational determinants appears to be carried by the A chain.     

The structure and action of ricin, a cytotoxic N-glycosidase

The X-ray structure of the heterodimeric plant cytotoxin ricin has been elucidated. The A chain, known to be a specific N-glycosidase, has a prominent active site cleft. The B chain is a two domain lectin, which arose from the replication of a primitive sugar binding peptide. The molecular model reveals residues which are likely to be important in the action of the protein. Site directed mutagenesis reveals the relative importance of a number of these groups. A model for the mechanism of the A chain, including steric strain of the scissile bond and carboxonium ion transition state stabilization is proposed.     

Genomic cloning and characterization of a ricin gene from Ricinus communis.

A genomic clone that specifies a single polypeptide precursor for ricin, a toxic lectin of Ricinus communis (castor bean), was isolated, sequenced and Sl mapped. The gene encodes a 64 kDa precursor which contains, in the following order: a 24 or 35 amino acid signal peptide, the A chain, a 12 amino acid linker peptide, and the B chain. The 5'-end of the ricin mRNA maps approximately 35 bases upstream from the first methionine codon. Two putative TATA boxes and a possible CAAT box lie in the 5'-flanking region. Two possible polyadenylation signals were found in the 3' flanking region. No introns were found, which is typical of other lectin genes that have been sequenced. Southern blot analysis suggests that the castor bean genome contains approximately six ricin-like genes.     

Disuccinimidyl suberate cross-linked ricin does not inhibit cell-free protein synthesis

Ricin was reacted with disuccinimidyl suberate, to yield a molecule in which the A and B chains were covalently cross-linked through a non-reducible bond. After purification, this cross-linked ricin analog was unable to inhibit protein synthesis in a cell-free translation system from rat liver. In contrast, after modification with the cross-linking agent the isolated ricin A chain maintained its inhibitory activity. These results support the view that ricin must be cleaved into its constituent polypeptide chains to elicit its toxicity, and suggest that reduction of the disulfide bond alone is not sufficient for ribosome inactivation $\text{in}\text{vitro}$.     

High Mobility of N-Terminal Parts of A and B Subunits of Ricin

Abstract

¹H-NMR spectra (500 MHz) of ricin and its isolated A and B subunits have been analyzed in this study. It is shown that together with tight packing of the polypeptide chain there also exist flexible highly mobile segments in the structure of the proteins. Examination of the line-widths of resonances and the identification of sharp signals with protons of amino acids indicates that N-terminal peptide segments of A and B subunits are free and undergo rapid segmental motions. Spin-echo sequence (90-τ-180-τ) was used to suppress an intensive unresolved background signal from protons involved in the globular part of ricin, thus permitting selective identification of the unusually sharp signals from mobile side chains.     

Transient occurrence of an ebulin-related D-galactose-lectin in shoots of Sambucus ebulus L

Young shoots of Sambucus ebulus L. contain a monomeric d-galactose binding lectin (SELlm), which disappears upon shoot development, and was previously undetected since it co-purifies with the non-toxic type 2 ribosome-inactivating protein ebulin l and the dimeric lectin SELld. Molecular cloning of cDNA coding for SELlm and mass spectrometry analysis revealed a protein with a molecular mass of 34,239 Da, which displays 80%, 77% and 45% of amino acid sequence identity with the ebulin l-B chain, SELld and ricin-B chain, respectively. Furthermore, the cloned precursor, with respect to the ebulin l precursor is truncated and contains the signal peptide, a piece of the A chain, a piece of the connecting peptide and the B chain. Further processing yields the lectin protein, which contains only the B chain. Despite the fact that SELlm displays the same d-galactose-binding sites than ricin, it was found that the lectin has different binding properties to D-galactose-containing matrix than ricin. Notably, and unlike ricin, the binding of SELlm and other Sambucus lectins to such matrix was maximum in range of 0-10 degrees C and abolished at 20 degrees C.     

Ricin toxicity to microglial and monocytic cells.

Microglial cells, like macrophages, are very sensitive to ricin, a galactose-specific toxic lectin belonging to the family of ribosome-inactivating proteins. This toxin can be taken up by most cells through the binding of its B chain to galactose-containing molecules on the cell membrane. In macrophagic cell types it can be internalised also by mannose receptors which are present on the surface of these cells. Endocytosis of the toxin by either pathway was evaluated by ricin toxicity to primary cultures of rat microglial cells and to a microglial N11 cell line in the presence or absence of lactose and mannan, which compete for the endocytosis via the ricin lectin chain or cellular mannose receptors, respectively. Results were compared with those obtained in cultures of mouse macrophages, human monocytes, and a monocytic JM cell line. All cultures were protected from ricin toxicity more by lactose than by mannan, indicating that ricin endocytosis via its lectin B chain is prevalent over that mediated by cellular mannose receptors. However, a partial protection by mannan was observed in all cases but not-stimulated N11 cells, either in the form of direct protection or of significant additional protection over that afforded by lactose. Mannose receptor expression by N11 cells was negative before, and positive after, treatment with endotoxin, as assessed by the specific binding of 125I-mannose-bovine serum albumin. Moreover, a partial protection from ricin toxicity by mannan was induced in the N11 microglial line after stimulation, consistently with an inducible expression of the mannose receptor by activated cells switched towards a microglial phenotype.     

Selection and characterization of peptide memitopes binding to ricin

A combinatorial random peptide display library expressed in E. coli was employed to identify short, linear peptide sequences that showed affinity for ricin and could be used as reagents for detection and identification of ricin. One peptide, P3, from a collection of four short peptides showed specific binding to ricin. The kinetic analysis of this peptide binding to the ricin showed lower equilibrium binding constants for the peptide P3 than monoclonal antibody. This is attributed due to both slower association and faster dissociation rates for the peptide P3. The random ricin peptide P3 binds to ricin with a K_D of 1 M versus the antibody's K_D of 14 nM. This particular peptide memitope P3 against ricin showed specific binding to ricin without any significant cross-reactivity against other proteins such as bovine serum albumin (BSA), lysozyme and natural bacterial toxins such as Staphylococcal enterotoxins A and B. The results provided proof-of-principal that peptide memitopes are another choice of reagents due to ease in production to be used for the detection of highly toxic bio-threat or biowarfare agents such as ricin.     

用琼脂糖亲和层析一步纯化蓖麻毒蛋白

本文报道了一种单用琼脂糖(Sepharose4B)来纯化蓖麻毒蛋白的快速简便的方法。我们发现在pH5的条件下,蓖麻毒蛋白和与其密切相关的蓖麻凝集素对琼脂糖的结合能力有很大的差别。在有0.2mol/LD-半乳糖存在下可将蓖麻毒蛋白从Sepharose上洗下,同样条件下蓖麻凝集素仍牢固地结合在柱上。从而经一步柱层析便可得到电泳纯的蓖麻毒蛋白。此法不需另行合成亲和胶,适合于蓖麻毒蛋白的大规模纯化。