Abstract Our previous study showed that KChIP3 (Kv Channel Interacting Protein 3) probably was a physiological targete protein of beta-bungarotoxin (beta-Bgt) as evidenced by yeast two-hybrid system. Thus, extensive efforts are carried out to explore the molecular interaction between KChIP3 and beta-Bgt in the present study. KChIPs are potassium (Kv) channel-interacting proteins that bind to the 1~90 amino acid of N-terminus of Kv4 alpha-subunits and regulate the ion current density, shift the voltage dependence of activation and speed their recovery from inactivation. beta-Bgt, a presynaptic neurotoxin purified from Bungarus multicinctus venom, consists of A chain and B chain which cross-linked by an interchain disulfide bond. The results of pull-down assay revealed that, in contrast to other KChIP proteins, KChIP3 bound with beta-Bgt. Moreover, it was found that the B chain of beta-Bgt was a functional subunit in the binding with KChIP3, and the binding of KChIP3 to beta-Bgt showed a Ca2+-dependent manner. Removal of the third and the fourth EF-hand regions of KChIP3 abolished its interaction with beta-Bgt. Noticeably, the binding of beta-Bgt with KChIP3 did not influence the interaction between KChIP3 and Kv4. In the meantime, rat brain KChIP3 could be isolated using a beta-Bgt-Sepharose column. These observations suggest that KChIP3 is an intra-cellular target recognized by beta-Bgt. Accidently, it was found that direct protein-protein interaction between Taiwan cobra cardiotoxin3 (CTX3) and potassium channel-interacting proteins (KChIPs) was investigated. It was found that KChIPs bound with CTX3, in which KChIP1 and CTX3 formed a 1:1 complex as evidenced by the results of chemical crosslinking. Pull-down assay revealed that the intact EF-hand 3 and 4 of KChIP1 was critical for CTX3-binding. Whereas, all mutated KChIP3 were able to bind with CTX3. In contrast to the interaction between KChIP1 and KvN, the binding of CTX3 to KChIP1 showed a Ca2+-independent manner. Fluorescence measurement revealed that CTX3 affected the binding of ANS to Ca2+-bound KChIP1, but not Ca2+-free KChIP1. Alternatively, KChIP1 simultaneously bound with KvN and CTX3, and the interaction between KChIP1 and KvN was enhanced by CTX3. In terms of the fact that KChIPs regulate the electrophysiological properties of Kv K+ channel, the potentiality of beta-bgt and CTX for this biomedical application could be considered.

The aim of the study is to investigate the causal relationship between membrane-damaging activity and antibacterial action of cardiotoxins from Naja naja atra (Taiwan cobra) cardiotoxin 3 (CTX3) and Naja nigricollis (Egyptian cobra) toxin gamma. Compared with that on Escherichia coli (E. coli, Gram-negative bacteria), CTX3 showed a greater growth inhibition on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus, Gram-positive bacteria). Antibacterial avtivity of toxin gamma toward E. coli and S. aureus was similar. Bactericidal action of cardiotoxins positively correlated with increase in membrane permeability of bacterial cells. Morphological examination showed that cardiotoxins disrupted the integrity of bacterial membrane. Cardiotoxins showed similar binding capability with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA), and destabilization of LPS layer and inhibition of LTA biosynthesis on cell wall promoted bactericidal effect of cardiotoxins on E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. CTX3 notably permeabilized model membrane of S. aureus and toxin gamma had similar activity on the permeabilization of bacterial model membrane used. Membrane-damaging activity of cardiotoxins was inhibited by either LPS or LTA, while increasing concentrations of cardiotoxins counteracted the inhibitory action of LPS and LTA. Oxidation of Met residues on loop II of cardiotoxins simultaneously attenuated membrane-permeabilizing activity and bactericidal effect of cardiotoxins. Taken together, our data indicate that antibacterial action of cardiotoxins depend on their ability to induce membrane permeability.

Naja naja atra Cardiotoxins (CTXs), basic polypeptides of 60 amino acid residues adopt a three-fingered loop-folding topology and show cytotoxicity for human tissues in targeting cell membrane. Despite having highly similar sequence, the six CTX isoforms also display different cytotoxic potencies and hemolytic activities. The goal of these studies is to explore the mechanical processes that involved in membrane-damaging activities of CTXs on vesicles composed of different cell membrane components, and to delineate the events that lead to different biological activities of CTXs. The studies were performed by estimating the color transformation of phospholipid/polydiacetylene vesicles and the fluorescence enhancement of fluorescein-labeled phospholipid/protein or fluorescein released from vesicles. It was found that vesicles consisted of unsaturated phospholipids improve membrane-damaging activity of CTXs and adopt a vital membrane-bound conformation of CTXs. In contract, the characteristic of vesicles consisted of saturated phospholipids was against CTXs adopting an essential membrane-damaging structure. It was also found that not only electrostatic force but also hydrophobic force were involved in the interaction between CTXs and membrane. Comparing with phosphatidylcholine-only vesicles, CTXs displayed higher membrane-damaging activity for the sphingomyelin-containing vesicles, and the loop2 region of CTXs play a crucial role for the membrane-damaging activity of sphingomyelin-containing vesicles. Besides, the CTX3 and CTX5 would interact with the H-antigen of blood group O red blood cells, but only the binding of CTX3 with H-antigen reduce its membrane-damaging activity for red blood cells membrane. Moreover, the fusogenicity of CTXs is responsible for the membrane-damaging activity of CTXs toward bacterial membrane-mimicking vesicles. The cardiolipin have the potency to improve the fusogenicity of CTX3, which induced the bactericidal activity toward the cardiolipin-containing bacterium.

Amostras de Plesiomonas shigelloides, isoladas de água de rio, produziram uma citotoxina denominada LCF (Fator Citotóxico Letal), ativa em células Vero, CHO, CaCo-2 e HT-29, causando vacuolizações intracelulares e retração dos núcleos, levando á morte por apoptose. Esta citotoxina foi purificada e seu peso molecular estimado em 48 kDA. É uma citotoxina termolábil e foi parcialmente neutralizada por antisoro anti-LT-1 (enterotoxina termolábil tipo 1 de Escherichia coli) e pelo antisoro anti-Aerolisina de Aeromonas. O antisoro anti-CT (enterotoxina colérica) não neutralizou sua atividade. Em teste \"Western blot\" para anti-LT-1, não ocorreu reação sorológica. O LCF induziu acúmulo de fluido em intestino de camundongos recém-nascidos e alças intestinais de coelhos. O LCF foi letal para camundongos e ratos, levando-os a morte cardíaca súbita quando injetado por via intravenosa. Considerando os resultados obtidos, neste estudo, as amostras de P. shigelloides isolados de água de rio, mostraram grande potencial como patógeno para o homem e animal. / Plesiomonas shigelloides is a ubiquous microorganism recognized as putative human and animal enteropathogen. Production of toxins has been related to their role in pathogenicity. At previous studies we detected a cytotoxin, named LCF (Lethal Citotoxic Factor) active on a variety of cells, causing intensive intracellular vacuolation and nuclear condensation, leading to death. The toxin purification revealed a heat-labile protein of about 48 kDa by electrophoresis analysis in poliacrylamide gel (SDS-PAGE). The cytotoxic activity was partially neutralized by anti-LT-1 (type 1 termolabile enterotoxin of Escherichia coli) and by anti-aerolisin (cytotoxic enterotoxin of Aeromonas). Western blot analysis to anti-LT-1 showed no serological reaction. Fluid accumulation occurred when toxin was applied to the intestine of newborn mice and to rabbit intestinal loop assays. LCF was lethal to mice and rats, leading them to cardiac death when injected intravenously. Considering the results, these isolates of P. shigelloides have shown great potential as pathogens.

Amostras de Plesiomonas shigelloides, isoladas de água de rio, produziram uma citotoxina denominada LCF (Fator Citotóxico Letal), ativa em células Vero, CHO, CaCo-2 e HT-29, causando vacuolizações intracelulares e retração dos núcleos, levando á morte por apoptose. Esta citotoxina foi purificada e seu peso molecular estimado em 48 kDA. É uma citotoxina termolábil e foi parcialmente neutralizada por antisoro anti-LT-1 (enterotoxina termolábil tipo 1 de Escherichia coli) e pelo antisoro anti-Aerolisina de Aeromonas. O antisoro anti-CT (enterotoxina colérica) não neutralizou sua atividade. Em teste \"Western blot\" para anti-LT-1, não ocorreu reação sorológica. O LCF induziu acúmulo de fluido em intestino de camundongos recém-nascidos e alças intestinais de coelhos. O LCF foi letal para camundongos e ratos, levando-os a morte cardíaca súbita quando injetado por via intravenosa. Considerando os resultados obtidos, neste estudo, as amostras de P. shigelloides isolados de água de rio, mostraram grande potencial como patógeno para o homem e animal. / Plesiomonas shigelloides is a ubiquous microorganism recognized as putative human and animal enteropathogen. Production of toxins has been related to their role in pathogenicity. At previous studies we detected a cytotoxin, named LCF (Lethal Citotoxic Factor) active on a variety of cells, causing intensive intracellular vacuolation and nuclear condensation, leading to death. The toxin purification revealed a heat-labile protein of about 48 kDa by electrophoresis analysis in poliacrylamide gel (SDS-PAGE). The cytotoxic activity was partially neutralized by anti-LT-1 (type 1 termolabile enterotoxin of Escherichia coli) and by anti-aerolisin (cytotoxic enterotoxin of Aeromonas). Western blot analysis to anti-LT-1 showed no serological reaction. Fluid accumulation occurred when toxin was applied to the intestine of newborn mice and to rabbit intestinal loop assays. LCF was lethal to mice and rats, leading them to cardiac death when injected intravenously. Considering the results, these isolates of P. shigelloides have shown great potential as pathogens.

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