Cytolethal distending toxin B as a cell-killing component of tumor-targeted anthrax toxin fusion proteins

Cytolethal distending toxin (Cdt) is produced by Gram-negative bacteria of several species. It is composed of three subunits, CdtA, CdtB, and CdtC, with CdtB being the catalytic subunit. We fused CdtB from Haemophilus ducreyi to the N-terminal 255 amino acids of Bacillus anthracis toxin lethal factor (LFn) to design a novel, potentially potent antitumor drug. As a result of this fusion, CdtB was transported into the cytosol of targeted cells via the efficient delivery mechanism of anthrax toxin. The fusion protein efficiently killed various human tumor cell lines by first inducing a complete cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, followed by induction of apoptosis. The fusion protein showed very low toxicity in mouse experiments and impressive antitumor effects in a Lewis Lung carcinoma model, with a 90% cure rate. This study demonstrates that efficient drug delivery by a modified anthrax toxin system combined with the enzymatic activity of CdtB has great potential as anticancer treatment and should be considered for the development of novel anticancer drugs.     

大肠杆菌FC40系统静止期突变中的F因子转移

本研究采用大肠杆菌GM133 rifr细胞和营养收集细胞HB214 strr进行适应性突变实验。在混合30min和2d 后添加链霉素杀死GM133基因型细胞,继续培养5d后,在选择平板上出现了一定数量的lac+strr基因型回复突变菌落。根据这些突变菌落的数量,估计在lac+突变产生之前,GM133和HB214细胞之间的接合频率分别为0.07%和7.47%。在培养了7d的选择平板上添加含链霉素的M9选择培养基,2d 后也观察到大量发生lac+突变但没有形成肉眼可见菌落的营养收集细胞。此外,在lac+突变发生后,也有F因子从GM133细胞转移进入HB214细胞。这些事实表明,在FC40系统的适应性突变实验中发生了真正的F因子转移。 Abstract:The experiment of adaptive mutation was performed by using Escherichia coli GM133 rifr as test cells and HB214 strr as scavenger cells.Transfer frequency between GM133 and HB214 was estimated,based on the number of revertants appeared on the selective plates when GM133 were killed by addition of M9 selective medium containing 100μg/mL of streptomycin at different time.After 30 minutes the cells of GM133 and HB214 were mixed,the estimated transfer frequency was about 0.07%,and two days,7.47%.After selection of 7 days,some HB214 cells with F` factor from GM133 cells and lac+ mutation were observed,but these cells failed to form the colonies which can be seen by the naked-eye.It was demonstrated that actual F` factor transfer events from test cells GM133 to scavenger cells HB214 occurred during the selection.     

Comparison of the 3′ Termini of Discrete Segments of the Double-Stranded Ribonucleic Acid Genomes of Cytoplasmic Polyhedrosis Virus, Wound Tumor Virus, and Reovirus

The 3' terminal nucleosides of the isolated components of double-stranded ribonucleic acids of reovirus, wound tumor virus, and cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus were determined by labeling with tritiated sodium borohydride. All wound tumor virus and cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus components appear to contain approximately equal amounts of U(OH) and C(OH) termini. Reovirus segments have essentially only C(OH) termini.     

The carboxyl-terminal end of protective antigen is required for receptor binding and anthrax toxin activity.

Anthrax toxin consists of three separate proteins produced by Bacillus anthracis: protective antigen (PA), lethal factor (LF), and edema factor (EF). Previous work showed that the process by which these proteins damage eukaryotic cells begins with binding of PA (83 kDa) to cell surface receptors. PA is then cleaved by a cell surface protease so as to expose a high-affinity binding site for LF or EF on the COOH-terminal, receptor-bound, 63-kilodalton fragment. In this report we more closely define a region of PA involved in receptor binding. The gene encoding PA was mutagenized so as to delete 3, 5, 7, 12, or 14 amino acids from the carboxyl terminus of the protein, and the truncated PA variants were purified from Bacillus subtilis or Escherichia coli. Deletion of 3, 5, or 7 amino acids reduced the binding of PA to cells and the subsequent toxicity of the PA.LF complex to J774A.1 cells and also the ability to cause EF binding to cells. Deletion of 12 or 14 amino acids completely eliminated all these activities. These results show that the carboxy terminus comprises or is part of the receptor-binding domain of PA.     

Circadian rhythm of cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) locomotion unaffected by ultrasound

Cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché), had a circadian rhythm of locomotion that peaked during the last 2 h of the photophase and declined to a lower level that was maintained throughout the scotophase. Activity was lowest during the first 8 h of photophase. The circadian rhythm of these fleas was not affected by an ultrasonic pest control device.     

Characterization of the interaction between anthrax toxin and its cellular receptors

Mutations in capillary morphogenesis gene 2 (CMG2), one of the two closely related proteins that act as anthrax toxin receptors, cause two rare human autosomal recessive conditions, juvenile hyaline fibromatosis (JHF) and infantile systemic hyalinosis (ISH). Here we demonstrate that CMG2 proteins with certain JHF- and ISH-associated single amino acid substitutions in their von Willebrand factor A domain or transmembrane region do not function as anthrax toxin receptors. However, an ISH-associated CMG2 variant having a truncated cytosolic domain does still function as an anthrax receptor, and in fact makes cells hyper-sensitive to toxin, distinguishing the roles of CMG2 in physiology and anthrax pathology. Site-specific mutagenesis was used to characterize the role that domain 2 of the anthrax toxin protective antigen (PA) plays in interaction with CMG2, focusing on the interaction between the PA 2beta(3)-2beta(4) loop and a pocket (Glu-122 pocket) adjacent to the metal ion-dependent adhesion site in CMG2. Substitutions that disrupted the salt bridge between PA Arg-344 and CMG2 Glu-122 decreased the affinity of PA to CMG2 three- to fourfold. Furthermore, mutation of CMG2 Tyr-119 (within the Glu-122 pocket) to His lowered the pH threshold for PA prepore-to-pore conversion in the endocytic pathway.     

Lipoprotein biosynthesis by prolipoprotein diacylglyceryl transferase is required for efficient spore germination and full virulence of Bacillus anthracis

Bacterial lipoproteins play a crucial role in virulence in some gram-positive bacteria. However, the role of lipoprotein biosynthesis in Bacillus anthracis is unknown. We created a B. anthracis mutant strain altered in lipoproteins by deleting the lgt gene encoding the enzyme prolipoprotein diacylglyceryl transferase, which attaches the lipid anchor to prolipoproteins. (14)C-palmitate labelling confirmed that the mutant strain lacked lipoproteins, and hydrocarbon partitioning showed it to have decreased surface hydrophobicity. The anthrax toxin proteins were secreted from the mutant strain at nearly the same levels as from the wild-type strain. The TLR2-dependent TNF-α response of macrophages to heat-killed lgt mutant bacteria was reduced. Spores of the lgt mutant germinated inefficiently in vitro and in mouse skin. As a result, in a murine subcutaneous infection model, lgt mutant spores had markedly attenuated virulence. In contrast, vegetative cells of the lgt mutant were as virulent as those of the wild-type strain. Thus, lipoprotein biosynthesis in B. anthracis is required for full virulence in a murine infection model.     

Receptor palmitoylation and ubiquitination regulate anthrax toxin endocytosis

The anthrax toxin is composed of three independent polypeptide chains. Successful intoxication only occurs when heptamerization of the receptor-binding polypeptide, the protective antigen (PA), allows binding of the two enzymatic subunits before endocytosis. We show that this tailored behavior is caused by two counteracting posttranslational modifications in the cytoplasmic tail of PA receptors. The receptor is palmitoylated, and this unexpectedly prevents its association with lipid rafts and, thus, its premature ubiquitination. This second modification, which is mediated by the E3 ubiquitin ligase Cbl, only occurs in rafts and is required for rapid endocytosis of the receptor. As a consequence, cells expressing palmitoylation-defective mutant receptors are less sensitive to anthrax toxin because of a lower number of surface receptors as well as premature internalization of PA without a requirement for heptamerization.