Filkin SY

In Naja kaouthia cobra venom, we have earlier discovered a covalent dimeric form of alpha-cobratoxin (alphaCT-alphaCT) with two intermolecular disulfides, but we could not determine their positions. Here, we report the alphaCT-alphaCT crystal structure at 1.94 A where intermolecular disulfides are identified between Cys(3) in one protomer and Cys(20) of the second, and vice versa. All remaining intramolecular disulfides, including the additional bridge between Cys(26) and Cys(30) in the central loops II, have the same positions as in monomeric alpha-cobratoxin. The three-finger fold is essentially preserved in each protomer, but the arrangement of the alphaCT-alphaCT dimer differs from those of noncovalent crystallographic dimers of three-finger toxins (TFT) or from the kappa-bungarotoxin solution structure. Selective reduction of Cys(26)-Cys(30) in one protomer does not affect the activity against the alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), whereas its reduction in both protomers almost prevents alpha7 nAChR recognition. On the contrary, reduction of one or both Cys(26)-Cys(30) disulfides in alphaCT-alphaCT considerably potentiates inhibition of the alpha3beta2 nAChR by the toxin. The heteromeric dimer of alpha-cobratoxin and cytotoxin has an activity similar to that of alphaCT-alphaCT against the alpha7 nAChR and is more active against alpha3beta2 nAChRs. Our results demonstrate that at least one Cys(26)-Cys(30) disulfide in covalent TFT dimers, similar to the monomeric TFTs, is essential for their recognition by alpha7 nAChR, although it is less important for interaction of covalent TFT dimers with the alpha3beta2 nAChR.

Discovery of proteins expressed in the central nervous system sharing the three-finger structure with snake alpha-neurotoxins provoked much interest to their role in brain functions. Prototoxin LYNX1, having homology both to Ly6 proteins and three-finger neurotoxins, is the first identified member of this family membrane-tethered by a GPI anchor, which considerably complicates in vitro studies. We report for the first time the NMR spatial structure for the water-soluble domain of human LYNX1 lacking a GPI anchor (ws-LYNX1) and its concentration-dependent activity on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). At 5-30 muM, ws-LYNX1 competed with (125)I-alpha-bungarotoxin for binding to the acetylcholine-binding proteins (AChBPs) and to Torpedo nAChR. Exposure of Xenopus oocytes expressing alpha7 nAChRs to 1 muM ws-LYNX1 enhanced the response to acetylcholine, but no effect was detected on alpha4beta2 and alpha3beta2 nAChRs. Increasing ws-LYNX1 concentration to 10 muM caused a modest inhibition of these three nAChR subtypes. A common feature for ws-LYNX1 and LYNX1 is a decrease of nAChR sensitivity to high concentrations of acetylcholine. NMR and functional analysis both demonstrate that ws-LYNX1 is an appropriate model to shed light on the mechanism of LYNX1 action. Computer modeling, based on ws-LYNX1 NMR structure and AChBP x-ray structure, revealed a possible mode of ws-LYNX1 binding.