Transforming the domain structure of botulinum neurotoxins into novel therapeutics

Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2013:364:287-306. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-33570-9_13.

Abstract

Botulinum neurotoxins are comprised of multiple identifiable protein domains. Recent advances in understanding the relationships between domain structure and neurotoxin function have provided a number of opportunities to engineer innovative therapeutic proteins that utilise the neurotoxins and neurotoxin domains. For example, recent insights into the properties of the catalytic, translocation and binding domains open up opportunities to develop botulinum neurotoxins with enhanced properties of selectivity, potency and duration of action. In parallel, the broad scope for utilisation of the individual domains is becoming clearer as significant advancements are made to exploit the unique biology of the catalytic and translocation domains. These opportunities and the status of their development will be reviewed in this chapter.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Botulinum Toxins / chemistry*
  • Botulinum Toxins / therapeutic use*
  • Botulinum Toxins / toxicity
  • Botulism / microbiology
  • Botulism / therapy
  • Clostridium botulinum / chemistry*
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Endopeptidases / chemistry
  • Endopeptidases / therapeutic use
  • Motor Neurons / chemistry
  • Neurotoxins / chemistry
  • Neurotoxins / therapeutic use
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Protein Transport
  • Proteolysis
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Synaptic Transmission
  • Ubiquitination

Substances

  • Neurotoxins
  • Endopeptidases
  • Botulinum Toxins