Characterization of toxin complex produced by a unique strain of Clostridium botulinum serotype D 4947

Protein J. 2004 Aug;23(6):371-8. doi: 10.1023/b:jopc.0000039551.42676.4c.

Abstract

A unique strain of Clostridium botulinum, serotype D 4947 (D-4947), produces a considerable amount of a 650 kDa toxin complex (L-TC) and a small amount of a 280 kDa M-TC, a 540 kDa TC, and a 610 kDa TC. The complexes are composed of only un-nicked components, including neurotoxin (NT), nontoxic nonhemagglutinin (NTNHA) and hemagglutinin subcomponents (HA-70, HA-33 and HA-17). Unlike other NTs from all serotype strains, separation of D-4947 NT from L-TC, except for M-TC, during chromatography required highly alkaline conditions around pH 8.8. The separated NT and NTNHA/HAs complex can be reconstituted to L-TC that is indistinguishable from the parent L-TC with respect to toxicity, hemagglutination activity and gel filtration profile. The isoelectric points of NT and NTNHA/HAs were close together depending on the number of HA-33/17 molecules. We have established a new method to separate the unique D-4947 NT from the complex, which will yield valuable information on structure of botulinum toxin.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacterial Toxins / chemistry*
  • Botulinum Toxins / chemistry*
  • Botulinum Toxins / isolation & purification
  • Chromatography, Gel
  • Clostridium botulinum / metabolism*
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Hemagglutinins / chemistry
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Isoelectric Focusing
  • Mice
  • Neurotoxins / chemistry
  • Peritoneum / drug effects
  • Protein Conformation
  • Proteins / chemistry
  • Species Specificity
  • Trypsin / chemistry

Substances

  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Hemagglutinins
  • Neurotoxins
  • Proteins
  • Trypsin
  • Botulinum Toxins