Neurotoxin-associated proteins

Sharma, S.K., Singh, B.R. (2004). Enhancement of the endopep-tidase activity of purified botulinum neurotoxins A and E by an isolated component of the native neurotoxin associated proteins. Biochemistry 43 4791-8. 

All botulin neurotoxins act in a similar way. They only differ in the amino-acid sequence of some protein parts (Prabakaran et al., 2001). Botulism symptoms are provoked both by oral ingestion and parenteral injection. Botulin toxin is not inactivated by enzymes present in the gastrointestinal tracts. Foodborne BoNT penetrates the intestinal barrier, presumably due to transcytosis. It is then transported to neuromuscular junctions within the bloodstream and blocks the secretion of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This results in muscle limpness and palsy caused by selective hydrolysis of soluble A-ethylmalemide-sensitive factor activating (SNARE) proteins which participate in fusion of synaptic vesicles with presynaptic plasma membrane. SNARE proteins include vesicle-associated membrane protein (VAMP), synaptobrevin, syntaxin, and synaptosomal associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP-25). Their degradation is responsible for neuromuscular palsy due to blocks in acetylcholine transmission from synaptic terminals. In humans, palsy caused by BoNT/A lasts four to six months. 

Another example of a quantal repeat—but with considerable variation in sequence—is seen in the keratin-associated proteins (KAPs). In sheep, these display pentapeptide and decapeptide consensus repeats of the form G—G—Q—P—S/T and C-C-Q/R—P—S/T—C/S/T—C—Q—P/T—S, respectively (Parry et al., 1979). Some of the positions, as indicated by the presence of a consensus sequence, contain residues that occur much more frequently than others, but the absolute conservation of a residue in any position is not observed. The decapeptide consists of a pair of five-residue repeats closely related, but different to that displayed by the pentapeptide. Although the repeats have an undetermined structure, the similarity of the repeat to a sequence in snake neurotoxin suggests that the pentapeptides will adopt a closed loop conformation stabilized by a disulphide bond between cysteine residues four apart (Fig. 5 Fraser et al., 1988 Parry et al, 1979). Relative freedom of rotation about the single bond connecting disulphide-bonded knots would give rise to the concept of a linear array of knots that can fold up to form a variety of tertiary structures. The KAPS display imperfect disulphide stabilization of knots and have interacting... 

Fig. 5. Predicted conformation of the pentapeptide repeat C-X-Y-Z-C in trichocyte keratin-associated proteins. Glutamine and arginine residues are found commonly in the X position, prolines in the Yposition, and serines and threonines in the Z position. The structure is based on the known conformation of a similar repeat in snake neurotoxin. The model shows a disulphide bond-stabilized /5-bend with a potential hydrogen bond (dotted). A string of these /5-bends, linked by bonds about which there is relatively free rotation, has been proposed as a model for this important family of matrix proteins in trichocyte keratin (Fraser et al, 1988). Figure from Fraser et al (1988) with permission from Elsevier.

Williamson LC, Neale EA (1998) Syntaxin and 25-kDa synaptosomal-associated protein differential effects of botulinum neurotoxins Cl and A on neuronal survival. J Neurosci Res 52 569-83 Williamson LC, Halpem JL, Montecucco C, Brown JE, Neale EA (1996) Clostridial neurotoxins and substrate proteolysis in intact neurons botulinum neurotoxin C acts on synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa. J Biol Chem 271 7694-9 Wilson HI, Nicholson GM, Tyler MI, Howden ME (1995) Induction of giant miniature end-plate potentials during blockade of neuromuscular transmission by textilotoxin. Naunyn Schmiede-bergs Arch Pharmacol 352 79-87... 

Stimulus-evoked, calcium-dependent release of acetylcholine (ACh) from the cholinergic synapse normally occurs through the formation of a fusion complex between ACh-containing vesicles and the intracellular leaflet of the nerve terminal membrane (Amon et al., 2001). This synaptic vesicle fusion complex consists of several proteins of the SNARE family, including a 25 kDa synaptosomal associated protein (SNAP-25), vesicle-associated membrane protein (VAMP, or synaptobrevin), and the synaptic membrane protein syntaxin. Other SNARE proteins have been identified as components of membrane transport systems in yeast and mammals but have not been implicated as targets for BoNTs. Meanwhile, type A and E neurotoxins cleave SNAP-25 while types B, D, F, and G act on VAMP and type C1 toxin cleaves both syntaxin and SNAP-25. Neurotoxin-mediated cleavage of any of these substrates disrupts the processes involved in the exocytotic release of ACh and leads to flaccid paralysis of the affected skeletal muscles. 

Williamson LC, Halpern JL, Montecucco C etal. (1996) Clostridial neurotoxins and substrate proteolysis in intact neurons. Botulinum neurotoxin C acts on synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa. J. Biol. Chem. 271 7694-9. 

A neurotoxin with 59 amino acid units from Dendro-aspis angusticeps (African green mamba) Mr 7071. It blocks presynaptic K channels (IC50 ca. 15 nM) of various neurons and increases neuromuscular transmission. This is achieved by an increased liberation of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular branching points. An elevated liberation of neurotransmitters due to binding to a membrane-associated protein receptor has been observed (guinea pigs). To date a-, /5-, y-, and 6-D. have been described. 

Cai S, Sarkar HK, Singh BR Enhancement of the endopeptidase activity of botulinum neurotoxin by its associated proteins and dithiothreitol. Biochemistry 1999, 38 6903-6910. 

The most ingenious exocytosis toxins, however, come from the anaerobic bacteria Clostridium botulinum and Clostridium tetani. The former produces the seven botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) A-G the latter produces tetanus neurotoxin (TeNT). All eight toxins consist of a heavy (H) chain and a light (L) chain that are associated by an interchain S-S bond. The L-chains enter the cytosol of axon terminals. Importantly, BoNT L-chains mainly enter peripheral cholinergic terminals, whereas the TeNT L-chain mainly enters cerebral and spinal cord GABAergic and glycinergic terminals. The L-chains are the active domains of the toxins. They are zinc-endopeptidases and specifically split the three core proteins of exocytosis, i.e. the SNAREs (Fig. 1 inset). Each ofthe eight toxins splits a... 

Niemann H (1991) Molecular biology of clostridial neurotoxins. In Alouf J, Freer J (eds) A source-book of bacterial protein toxins. Academic Press, London, pp 303 18 Nishiki T, Tokuyama Y, Kamata Y, Nemoto Y, Yoshida A et al. (1996) The high-affinity binding of Clostridium botulinum type b neurotoxin to synaptotagmin ii associated with gangliosides gtlb/gdla. FEBS Lett 378 253-7... 

Pellizzari R, Rossetto O, Lozzi L, Giovedi S, Johnson E et al. (1996) Structural determinants of the specificity for synaptic vesicle-associated membrane protein/synaptobrevin of tetanus and botulinum type B and G neurotoxins. J Biol Chem 271 20353-8 Pellizzari R, Mason S, Shone CC, Montecucco C (1997) The interaction of synaptic vesicle-associated membrane protein/synaptobrevin with botulinum neurotoxins D and F. FEBS Lett 409 339 12... 

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