ISSN:
1573-4919
Keywords:
botulinum
;
circular dichroism
;
fluorescence
;
quantum yield
;
secondary structure
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary The secondary and tertiary structural features of botulinum neurotoxin (NT) serotype A, a dichain protein (Mr 145 000), and its two subunits, the heavy (H) and light (L) chains (Mr 97 000 and 53 000, respectively) were examined using circular dichroism and fluorescence spectorscopy. Nearly 70% of the amino acid residues in each of the three polypeptide preparations were found in ordered structure (sum of α helix, β sheet and β turns). Also, the α helix, β sheet, β turns and random coil contents of the dichain NT were nearly equal to the weighted mean of each of these secondary structure parameters of the L and H chains; e.g., sum of α helix of L chain (22%) and H chain (18.7%), as weighted mean, 19.8% was similar to that of NT (20%). These agreements suggested that the secondary structures of the subunits of the dichain NT do not significantly change when they are separated as isolated L and H chains. Fluorescence emission maximum of L chain, 4 nm less (blue shift) than that of H chain, suggested relatively more hydrophobic environment of fluorescent tryptophan residue(s) of L chain. Tryptophan fluorescence quantum yields of L chain, H chain and the NT, 0.072, 0.174 and 0.197, respectively, suggested that a) an alteration in the micro-environment of the tryptophan residues was possibly caused by interactions of L and H chain subunits of the NT and b) quantum yields for L and H chains were altered when they are together as subunits of the NT. Possible implications of structural features of the L and H chains, their interactions and the molecular mechanism of action of botulinum NT are assessed.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00223515
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