Inactivation of toxin B from the Indian cobra by cleavage of a specific bond during limited hydrolysis with trypsin

Two neurotoxins, "toxin B", a long neurotoxin from Naja naja, and "cobrotoxin", a short neurotoxin from Naja naja atra, were compared with respect to their limited hydrolysis by trypsin and chymotrypsin and its effect on their neurotoxicity. Limited hydrolysis of toxin B with trypsin cleaves peptide bonds at Arg68-Lys69 and Arg33-Gly34 in the toxin molecule and causes complete loss of the neurotoxicity yielding des-carboxyl terminal toxin B(1-68) nicked at Arg33-Gly34 in the molecule. On the other hand, the des-carboxyl terminal toxin B(1-67) shows 70% of the native toxin B neurotoxicity. These results indicated that the complete loss of the toxicity may be due to hydrolysis of a specific peptide bond, Arg33-Gly34, in the toxin B molecule. Limited trypsin digestion did not affect the toxicity of cobrotoxin and limited chymotrypsin digestion had no effect on either neurotoxin.     

Stopped-flow fluorescence studies on binding kinetics of neurotoxins with acetylcholine receptor

Acetylcholine receptor from Narke japonica electroplax exhibits a fluorescence change upon binding of snake neurotoxins. This fluorescence change primarily arises from the conformational change of the acetylcholine receptor and reflects the binding process of the toxin with the receptor. The time dependence of the fluorescence change has been monitored for 28 short neurotoxins and 8 long neurotoxins by using a stopped-flow technique. The steady-state fluorescence change is of the same order of magnitude for the short neurotoxins but varies among the long neurotoxins. Nha 10, a short neurotoxin with weak neurotoxicity, causes no fluorescence change in the receptor but can still bind to the receptor with sufficiently high affinity. The substitution of the conserved residue Asp-31 to Gly-31 in Nha is probably responsible for the reduced neurotoxicity. The rate constants for the binding of the neurotoxins to the receptor have been obtained by analyzing the transient fluorescence change. The rate constants show surprisingly a wide range of distribution: (1.0-20.5) X 10(6) M-1 s-1 for short neurotoxins and (0.26-1.9) X 10(6) M-1 s-1 for long neurotoxins. Examination of the relationship between the rate constants of fluorescence change of the short neurotoxins and their amino acid sequences, thermal stability, hydrogen-deuterium exchange behavior, overall net charge, etc. reveals the following. Positive charges on the side chains of residues 27 and 30 and overall net charge of the neurotoxin govern the magnitude of the binding rate of the neurotoxin with the receptor.     

Maurotoxin and the Kv1.1 channel: voltage-dependent binding upon enantiomerization of the scorpion toxin disulfide bridge Cys31-Cys34.

Maurotoxin (MTX) is a 34-amino acid polypeptide cross-linked by four disulfide bridges that has been isolated from the venom of the scorpion Scorpio maurus palmatus and characterized. Maurotoxin competed with radiolabeled apamin and kaliotoxin for binding to rat brain synaptosomes and blocked K+ currents from Kv1 channel subtypes expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Structural characterization of the synthetic toxin identified half-cystine pairings at Cys3-Cys24, Cys9-Cys29, Cys13-Cys19 and Cys31-Cys34 This disulfide bridge pattern is unique among known scorpion toxins, particularly the existence of a C-terminal '14-membered disulfide ring' (i.e. cyclic domain 31-34), We therefore studied structure-activity relationships by investigating the structure and pharmacological properties of synthetic MTX peptides either modified at the C-terminus ?i.e. MTX(1-29), [Abu31,34]-MTX and [Cys31,34, Tyr32]D-MTX) or mimicking the cyclic C-terminal domain [i.e. MTX(31-34)]. Unexpectedly, the absence of a disulfide bridge Cys31-Cys34 in [Abu 31,34]-MTX and MTX(1-29) resulted in MTX-unrelated half-cystine pairings of the three remaining disulfide bridges for the two analogs, which is likely to be responsible for their inactivity against Kv1 channel subtypes. Cyclic MTX(31-34) was also biologically inactive. [Cys31,34, Tyr32]D-MTX, which had a 'native', MTX-related, disulfide bridge organization, but a D-residue-induced reorientation of the C-terminal disulfide bridge, was potent at blocking the Kv1.1 channel. This peptide-induced Kv1.1 blockage was voltage-dependent (a property not observed for MTX), maximal in the low depolarization range and associated with on-rate changes in ligand binding. Thus, the cyclic C-terminal domain of MTX seems to be crucial for recognition of Kv1.3, and to a lesser extent, Kv1.2 channels and it may contribute to the stabilization and strength of the interaction between the toxin and the Kv1.1 channel.     

Phosphatidylcholine Biosynthesis in the Neuroblastoma-Glioma Hybrid Cell Line NG 108-15: Stimulation by Phorbol Esters

Studies were conducted on curaremimetic neurotoxin binding to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor present on membrane fractions derived from the human medulloblastoma clonal line, TE671. High-affinity binding sites (KD = 2 nM for 1-h incubation at 20 degrees C) and low-affinity binding sites (KD = 40 nM) for 125I-labeled alpha-bungarotoxin are present in equal quantities (60 fmol/mg membrane protein). The kinetically determined dissociation constant for high-affinity binding of toxin is 0.56 nM (k1 = 6.3 X 10(-3) min-1 nM-1; k-1 = 3.5 X 10(-3) min-1) at 20 degrees C. Nicotine, d-tubocurarine, and acetylcholine are among the most effective inhibitors of high-affinity toxin binding. The quantity of toxin binding sites and their affinity for cholinergic agonists is sensitive to reduction, alkylation, and/or oxidation of membrane sulfhydryl residues. High-affinity toxin binding sites that have been subjected to reaction with the sulfhydryl reagent dithiothreitol are irreversibly blocked by the nicotinic receptor affinity reagent bromoacetylcholine. High-affinity toxin binding is inhibited in the presence of either of two polyclonal antisera or a monoclonal antibody raised against nicotinic acetylcholine receptors from fish electric tissue. Taken together, these results indicate that curaremimetic neurotoxin binding sites on membrane fractions of the TE671 cell line share some properties with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of peripheral origin and with toxin binding sites on other neuronal tissues.     

2-D-NMR study of the conformation characteristics of toxin 3 from Naja naja siamensis venom

The spatial structure of "long" toxin 3 Naja naja siamensis in solution has been studied by methods of two-dimensional (2D) 1H NMR spectroscopy. The individual signal assignments for 67 out of 71 residues and analysis of nuclear Overhauser effects between distinct protons of the molecule allowed the comparison of the toxin 3 conformations at different pH values and temperatures. It was shown that the deprotonated imidazole ring of His22 residue (at pH greater than or equal to 7,5) is surrounded by the side chains of Cys17, Pro18, Val23, Cys24, Cys45, Ala46 and Thr48 residues. On the contrary, the protonated imidazole ring of His22 (at pH less than 4,0) is exposed into solvent. Ionization of His22 is accompanied by a change in the Tyr25 aromatic ring orientation and affects the conformational mobility of the Cys17, His22, Cys45 and Ala47 side chains. The revealed conformational features of toxin 3 in solution are discussed in connection with the differences between "long" and "short" neurotoxins in the kinetics of their binding to acetylcholine receptor.     

Crystal structure of botulinum neurotoxin type A in complex with the cell surface co-receptor GT1b-insight into the toxin-neuron interaction

Botulinum neurotoxins have a very high affinity and specificity for their target cells requiring two different co-receptors located on the neuronal cell surface. Different toxin serotypes have different protein receptors; yet, most share a common ganglioside co-receptor, GT1b. We determined the crystal structure of the botulinum neurotoxin serotype A binding domain (residues 873-1297) alone and in complex with a GT1b analog at 1.7 A and 1.6 A, respectively. The ganglioside GT1b forms several key hydrogen bonds to conserved residues and binds in a shallow groove lined by Tryptophan 1266. GT1b binding does not induce any large structural changes in the toxin; therefore, it is unlikely that allosteric effects play a major role in the dual receptor recognition. Together with the previously published structures of botulinum neurotoxin serotype B in complex with its protein co-receptor, we can now generate a detailed model of botulinum neurotoxin's interaction with the neuronal cell surface. The two branches of the GT1b polysaccharide, together with the protein receptor site, impose strict geometric constraints on the mode of interaction with the membrane surface and strongly support a model where one end of the 100 A long translocation domain helix bundle swing into contact with the membrane, initiating the membrane anchoring event.     

Crystal structure of a highly acidic neurotoxin from scorpion Buthus tamulus at 2.2A resolution reveals novel structural features

The crystal structure of a highly acidic neurotoxin from the scorpion Buthus tamulus has been determined at 2.2A resolution. The amino acid sequence determination shows that the polypeptide chain has 64 amino acid residues. The pI measurement gave a value of 4.3 which is one of the lowest pI values reported so far for a scorpion toxin. As observed in other alpha-toxins, it contains four disulphide bridges, Cys12-Cys63, Cys16-Cys36, Cys22-Cys46, and Cys26-Cys48. The crystal structure reveals the presence of two crystallographically independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. The conformations of two molecules are identical with an r.m.s. value of 0.3A for their C(alpha) tracings. The overall fold of the toxin is very similar to other scorpion alpha-toxins. It is a betaalphabetabeta protein. The beta-sheet involves residues Glu2-Ile6 (strand beta1), Asp32-Trp39 (strand beta3) and Val45-Val55 (strand beta4). The single alpha-helix formed is by residues Asn19-Asp28 (alpha2). The structure shows a trans peptide bond between residues 9 and 10 in the five-membered reverse turn Asp8-Cys12. This suggests that this toxin belongs to classical alpha-toxin subfamily. The surface features of the present toxin are highly characteristic, the first (A-site) has residues, Phe18, Trp38 and Trp39 that protrude outwardly presumably to interact with its receptor. There is another novel face (N-site) of this neurotoxin that contains several negatively charged residues such as, Glu2, Asp3, Asp32, Glu49 and Asp50 which are clustered in a small region of the toxin structure. On yet another face (P-site) in a triangular arrangement, with respect to the above two faces there are several positively charged residues, Arg58, Lys62 and Arg64 that also protrude outwardly for a potentially potent interaction with other molecules. This toxin with three strong features appears to be one of the most toxic molecules reported so far. In this sense, it may be a new subclass of neurotoxins with the largest number of hot spots.     

Conformation NMR analysis of the spatial structure of Buthus eupeus insectotoxin I5A

1H NMR spectroscopy has been used to collect data related to the spatial structure of insectotoxin I5A Buthus eupeus: pH-dependence of the chemical shifts, deuterium exchange rates of individual amide hydrogens, spin-spin coupling of the H-N-C alpha-H and H-C alpha-C beta-H protons, and nuclear Overhauser effect between distinct protons belonging to amino acid residues remote in the sequence. Molecular conformation in the regions from Asp9 to Cys19 (beta-turn 9-12 and right-hand alpha-helix 12-19) and from Asn23 to Asn34 (antiparallel beta-sheet with the beta-turn 27-30) directly follows from the observed parameters. Pseudoatomic approach of distance geometry algorithm was used to solve the overall folding of the molecule and propose the most probable set of disulfide bridges: Cys2-Cys19, Cys5-Cys31, Cys16-Cys26 and Cys20-Cys33. The spatial structure of insectotoxin I5A B. eupeus demonstrates remarkable similarity with that of a "long" type scorpion neurotoxin V-3 Centruroides sculpturatus.     

Histidine 186 of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha subunit requires the presence of the 192-193 disulfide bridge to interact with alpha-bungarotoxin

We have previously shown that two histidine residues of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor are relevant for alpha-bungarotoxin binding. This paper studies: (1) the interaction between alpha-bungarotoxin and the peptide alpha173-202--synthesized according to the sequence of the Torpedo californica receptor alpha subunit--and between the toxin and the same peptide containing His186 modified with ethoxyformic anhydride or substituted by Ala; (2) the influence of the presence of Cys192-Cys193 disulfide bridge on such interactions. Solid-phase and in-solution competition assays were performed: ethoxyformylation of His186 or its substitution by Ala led to a significant drop in the toxin binding capacity only for peptides containing the bridge. Circular dichroism and fourth derivate spectra of all peptides were also analyzed. Results strongly indicate the involvement of His186 in the toxin binding to those peptides with the bridge--also present in the native receptor molecules--but not to their reduced forms; on the other hand, they give further support to the already established premise that, though the bridge does not participate directly in receptor-toxin binding, its presence is relevant to define the appropriate conformation of the interaction area.     

Interchain cysteine bridges control entry of progesterone to the central cavity of the uteroglobin dimer.

The progesterone-binding protein uteroglobin has been expressed in Escherichia coli in an unfused, soluble form. Like mature uteroglobin from rabbit endometrium (UG), the E.coli produced uteroglobin (UG1) dimerizes in vitro, forms an antiparallel dimer with Cys3-Cys69' and Cys69-Cys3' disulfide bonds and binds progesterone under reducing conditions. In order to analyze the dimerization and the reduction dependence of progesterone binding in more detail, we separately replaced cysteine 3 and cysteine 69 by serines. Under reducing conditions, both uteroglobin variants (UG1-3Ser and UG1-69Ser) bind progesterone with the same affinity as the wild-type suggesting that both cysteine residues are not directly involved in progesterone binding. In contrast to the wild-type protein, both cysteine variants also bind progesterone with high affinity in the absence of reducing agents. In addition, UG1-3Ser and UG1-69Ser both form covalently linked homodimers. Thus, unnatural Cys69-69' and Cys3-3' disulfide bonds exist in UG1-3Ser and UG1-69Ser, respectively. These data together with computer models based on X-ray diffraction data strongly support the idea that progesterone reaches its binding site located in an internal hydrophobic cavity via a hydrophobic tunnel along helices 1 and 4. Under non-reducing conditions the tunnel is closed by two disulfide bridges (Cys3-Cys69' and Cys69-Cys3') that lie in the most flexible region of the dimer. Reduction or replacement of a cysteine residue enables conformational changes that open the channel allowing progesterone to enter.     

Molecular mechanism of cardiotoxin action on axonal membranes.

Cardiotoxin isolated from Naja mossambica mossambica selectively deactivates the sodium-potassium activated adenosine triphosphatase of axonal membranes. Tetrodotoxin binding and acetylcholinesterase activities are unaffected by cardiotoxin treatment. The details of association of cardiotoxin with the axonal membrane were studied by following the deactivation of the sodium-potassium activated adenosine triphosphatase and by direct binding measurements with a tritiated derivative of the native cardiotoxin. The maximal binding capacity of the membrane is 42-50 nmol of cardiotoxin/mg of membrane protein. The high amount of binding suggests association of the toxin with the lipid phase of the membrane. It has been shown that cardiotoxin first associates rapidly and reversibly to membrane lipids, then, in a second step, it induces a rearrangement of the membrane structure which produces and irreversible deactivation of the sodium-potassium activated adenosine triphosphatase. Solubilization of the membrane-bound ATPase with Lubrol WX gives an active enzyme species that is resistant to cardiotoxin-induced deactivation. Cardiotoxin binding to the membrane is prevented by high concentrations of Ca 2+ and dibucaine. Although cardiotoxins and neurotoxins of cobra venom have large sequence homologies, their mode of action on membranes is very different. The cardiotoxin seems to bind to the lipid phase of the axonal membrane and inhibits the sodium-potassium activated adenosine triphosphatase, whereas the neurotoxin associates with a protein receptor in the post-synaptic membrane and blocks acetylcholine transmission.     

Amino-acid sequence of toxin III of Naja haje.

The complete amino acid sequence of toxin III of Naja haje (72 residues) has been established mainly by use of a protein sequenator (identification of 70 residues). The two C-terminal residues have been determined by digestion with carboxypeptidases A and B. Addition of succinylated protein or peptide greatly improved the performance of the sequenator for the Edman degradation of peptides: on one peptide (39 residues) degradation went to step 34 with a protein program and on two peptides (10 and 13 residues) degradation reached the last amino acid with a peptide program (use of dimethylbenzylamine). Amino acid analysis of tryptic peptides obtained by digestion of the C-terminal cyanogen bromide peptide are in full agreement with the sequence established by automatic degradation. The sequence of toxin III of Naja haje is unique and is very similar to that of Naja nivea alpha (although there are 9 differences), of Naja melanoleuca b (11 differences) and also to that of Naja naja A (18 differences).     

Synthetic peptides corresponding to sequences of snake venom neurotoxins and rabies virus glycoprotein bind to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

Peptides corresponding to portions of loop 2 of snake venom curare-mimetic neurotoxins and to a structurally similar region of rabies virus glycoprotein were synthesized. Interaction of these peptides with purified Torpedo electric organ acetylcholine receptor was tested by measuring their ability to block the binding of 125I-labeled alpha-bungarotoxin to the receptor. In addition, inhibition of alpha-bungarotoxin binding to a 32-residue synthetic peptide corresponding to positions 173-204 of the alpha-subunit was determined. Neurotoxin and glycoprotein peptides corresponding to toxin loop 2 inhibited labeled toxin binding to the receptor with IC50 values comparable to those of nicotine and the competitive antagonist d-tubocurarine and to the alpha-subunit peptides with apparent affinities between those of d-tubocurarine and alpha-cobratoxin. Substitution of neurotoxin residue Arg37, the proposed counterpart of the quaternary ammonium of acetylcholine, with a negatively charged Glu residue reduced the apparent affinity about 10-fold. Peptides containing the neurotoxin invariant residue Trp29 and 10- to 100-fold higher affinities than peptides lacking this residue. These results demonstrate that relatively short synthetic peptides retain some of the binding ability of the native protein from which they are derived, indicating that such peptides are useful in the study of protein-protein interactions. The ability of the peptides to compete alpha-bungarotoxin binding to the receptor with apparent affinities comparable to those of other cholinergic ligands indicates that loop 2 of the neurotoxins and the structurally similar segment of the rabies virus glycoprotein act as recognition sites for the acetylcholine receptor. Invariant toxin residues Arg37 and Trp29 and their viral homologs play important, although not essential, roles in binding, possibly by interaction with complementary anionic and hydrophobic subsites on the acetylcholine receptor. The alpha-subunit peptide most likely contains all of the determinants for binding of the toxin and glycoprotein peptides present on the alpha-subunit, because these peptides bind to the 32-residue alpha-subunit peptide with the same or greater affinity as to the intact subunit.     

Echistatin disulfide bridges: selective reduction and linkage assignment.

Echistatin is the smallest member of the disintegrin family of snake venom proteins, containing four disulfides in a peptide chain of 49 residues. Partial assignment of disulfides has been made previously by NMR and chemical approaches. A full assignment was made by a newly developed chemical approach, using partial reduction with tris-(2-carboxyethyl)-phosphine at acid pH. Reduction proceeded in a stepwise manner at pH 3, and the intermediates were isolated by high performance liquid chromatography. Alkylation of free thiols, followed by sequencer analysis, enabled all four bridges to be identified: (1) at 20 degrees C a single bridge linking Cys 2-Cys 11 was broken, giving a relatively stable intermediate; (2) with further treatment at 41 degrees C the bridges Cys 7-Cys 32 and Cys 8-Cys 37 became accessible to the reagent and were reduced at approx. equal rates; (3) the two bicyclic peptides produced in this manner were less stable and could be reduced at 20 degrees C to a peptide that retains a single bridge linking Cys 20-Cys 39; and (4) the monocyclic peptide can be reduced to the linear molecule at 20 degrees C. Some disulfide exchange occurred during alkylation of the bicyclic intermediates, but results unambiguously show the pattern to be [2-11; 7-32; 8-37; 20-39]. A comparison is made with kistrin, a longer disintegrin whose disulfide structure has been proposed from NMR analysis.     

Botulinum neurotoxin type B. Its purification, radioiodination and interaction with rat-brain synaptosomal membranes

Neurotoxin from Clostridium botulinum type B was purified to homogeneity by by affinity and ion-exchange chromatography; specific neurotoxicity of this protein (Mr of approximately equal to 155 000) following trypsinisation attained a level of 2 X 10(8) mouse LD50 units/mg protein. 125I-iodination of the toxin to high specific radioactivities (19-63 TBq/mmol) yielded typically greater than 65% of its original toxicity; dodecyl sulphate gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions, after trypsinisation, showed that the larger polypeptide (Mr of approximately equal to 101 000) was labelled preferentially. Saturable binding of the 125I-labelled neurotoxin to rat cerebrocortical synaptosomes was observed and Scatchard analysis showed a low content of acceptors with high affinity (Kd = 0.3-0.5 nM;Bmax approximately equal to 30-60 fmol/mg protein, together with a much larger population of weak-affinity sites. No significant differences in binding affinity were seen in competition experiments using native or fully activated (trypsinized) neurotoxin, indicating that chain cleavage is not essential for acceptor-toxin interaction. Type A botulinum neurotoxin showed a limited capacity to inhibit the synaptosomal binding of labelled type B toxin, even at high concentrations (1 muM), and other neurotoxins were without effect, emphasising the acceptor selectivity. Near-complete loss of specific toxin binding was produced by preincubation of synaptosomes with neuraminidase whereas inhibition of the low-affinity sites with wheat-germ agglutinin was less pronounced; such inactivation was prevented by inclusion of selective inhibitors (2,3-dehydro-2-deoxy-N-acetylneuraminic acid and N-acetylglucosamine, respectively). These observations implicate N-acetylneuraminic acid and, possibly, other sugar moieties as constituents of the toxin acceptors. Trypsinisation of synaptosomes gave incomplete inhibition of binding when assayed with 1 nM or 10 nM 125I-iodinated toxin. Detailed analysis of the actions of neuraminidase, trypsin and heat treatment on the concentration dependence of toxin binding suggest the existence of at least two distinguishable populations of sites that contain N-acetylneuraminic acid, with a protein component being associated with the acceptors of lower affinity. These findings are discussed in relation to those previously reported for type A neurotoxin and to the possible physiological significance of such membrane acceptors.     

Actions of snake neurotoxins on an insect nicotinic cholinergic synapse

Here we examine the actions of six snake neurotoxins (α-cobratoxin from Naja naja siamensis, erabutoxin-a and b from Laticauda semifasciata; CM12 from N. haje annulifera, toxin III 4 from Notechis scutatus and a long toxin from N. haje) on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the cercal afferent, giant interneurone 2 synapse of the cockroach, Periplaneta americana. All toxins tested reduced responses to directly-applied ACh as well as EPSPs evoked by electrical stimulation of nerve XI with similar time courses, suggesting that their action is postsynaptic. Thus, these nicotinic receptors in a well-characterized insect synapse are senstive to both long and short chain neurotoxins. This considerably expands the range of snake toxins that block insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and may enable further pharmacological distinctions between nAChR subtypes.     

Structurally conserved alpha-neurotoxin genes encode functionally diverse proteins in the venom of Naja sputatrix

The structure and organization of the genes encoding the long-chain neurotoxins and four other isoforms of weak neurotoxins in the venom of Naja sputatrix are reported. The genes contained three exons interrupted by two introns, a structure similar to other members of the three-finger toxin family. The proteins encoded by these genes, however, show varied affinity towards nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Phylogenetic analysis of these genes showed that the weak neurotoxin gene is confined to a distinct group. We also observe that specific mutations of the gene provide the diversity in function in these toxins while maintaining a common structural scaffold. This forms the first report where the molecular basis of evolution of postsynaptic neurotoxins from an ancestral gene can be demonstrated using the same species of snake.     

On the molecular mechanisms of neutralization of a cobra neurotoxin by specific antibodies

Examination of 76 homologous neurotoxin sequences suggested that the "toxic" domain of these compounds consists of twelve highly conserved residues. Five of these, namely Lys-27, Trp-29, Asp-31, Arg-33 and Glu-38, together with a variant residue at position 36 are organized into a pattern which resembles that of d-tubocurarine. Two lines of experimental evidence are in agreement with the proposed topology of the "toxic" site in Naja nigricollis toxin alpha--Three highly conserved residues (Lys-27, Trp-29 and Lys-47) have been modified individually in toxin alpha. These modifications induce a decrease in binding affinity of toxin alpha for its target, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. In contrast, modifications of three residues (Leu-1, Lys-15 and Lys-51) excluded from the "toxic" domain, do not alter the binding properties of toxin alpha.--Five toxin derivatives carrying a nitroxide group at residues 1, 15, 27, 47 or 51 have been prepared. ESR spectra have been recorded for each derivative in both the free state and bound to the receptor. Mobility of the probes of the residues excluded from the "toxic" site is not altered upon receptor binding. In contrast mobility of the nitroxide of the presumed "toxic" Lys-47 becomes markedly reduced after toxin receptor complex formation. Lys-27 nitroxide is immobilized in both the free and bound state. The antigenic structure of N. nigricollis toxin alpha has been partially clarified using two different approaches. --Fifteen antigenically important residues of toxin alpha have been identified by analyzing cross-reactions between toxin alpha and eleven homologous neurotoxins, using polyclonal antibodies.--- One monoclonal antibody (M alpha 1) specific for toxin alpha has been prepared. Competition experiments, made with (3H) toxin alpha, six mono modified toxin derivatives or alpha three homologous neurotoxins, showed that the binding site of (M alpha 1) comprises the N-terminal group, Lys-15, Pro-18 and probably Thr-16. This site is topographically different from the "toxic" domain. (M alpha 1) inhibits the toxicity of toxin alpha under both in vivo and in vitro conditions. In addition, (M alpha 1) is capable of "removing" toxin molecules bound to the receptor, allowing a rapid recovery of the functional properties of the receptor.     

The human growth hormone receptor. Secretion from Escherichia coli and disulfide bonding pattern of the extracellular binding domain

A gene fragment encoding the extracellular domain of the human growth hormone (hGH) receptor from liver was cloned into a plasmid under control of the Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase promoter and the heat-stable enterotoxin (StII) signal peptide sequence. Strains of E. coli expressing properly folded hGH binding protein were identified by blotting colonies with 125I-hGH. The E. coli strain capable of highest expression (KS330) secreted 10 to 20 mg/liter of culture of properly processed and folded hGH receptor fragment into the periplasmic space. The protein was purified to near homogeneity in 70 to 80% yield (in tens of milligram amounts) using ammonium sulfate precipitation, hGH affinity chromatography, and gel filtration. The unglycosylated extracellular domain of the hGH receptor has virtually identical binding properties compared to its natural glycosylated counterpart isolated from human serum, suggesting glycosylation is not important for binding of hGH. The extracellular binding domain codes for 7 cysteines, and we show that six of them form three disulfide bonds. Peptide mapping studies show these disulfides are paired sequentially to produce short loops (10-15 residues long) as follows: Cys38-Cys48, Cys83-Cys94, and Cys108-Cys122. Cys241 is unpaired, and mutagenic analysis shows that the extreme carboxyl end of the receptor fragment (including Cys241) is not essential for folding or binding of the protein to hGH. High level expression of this receptor binding domain and its homologs in E. coli will greatly facilitate their detailed biophysical and structural analysis.