Investigation of the unfolding pathway of Bacillus thuringiensis Cyt2Aa2 toxin reveals an unfolding intermediate

J Biotechnol. 2009 May 20;141(3-4):137-41. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2009.03.012. Epub 2009 Mar 28.

Abstract

Cyt2Aa2 is a cytolytic toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. darmstadiensis. Its active form has a lethal activity against specific mosquito larvae. We characterized an unfolding pathway of Cyt2Aa2 using a guanidinium hydrochloride denaturation. The results revealed three-state transition with a detectable intermediate in a condition with 3-4M of GuHCl. The conformational free energies for native and intermediate state unfolding were 5.82+/-0.47 and 16.85+/-1.47kcal/mol, respectively. Kinetic analysis suggested that the activation energy of both transitions was around 23-25kcal/mol, with a rate-limiting step in the second transition. These results have established an energy profile of the Cyt2Aa2 toxin in various conformations involved in the unfolding/refolding pathway. Further characterization of the intermediate state by dye-binding assay, intrinsic fluorescence, and circular dichroism spectroscopy demonstrated characteristics of a molten globule state. This revealed intermediate could play an active role in the structural folding and biological activity of the toxin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacillus thuringiensis / genetics*
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Circular Dichroism
  • Cytotoxins / chemistry*
  • Cytotoxins / genetics
  • Cytotoxins / metabolism
  • Endotoxins / chemistry*
  • Endotoxins / genetics
  • Endotoxins / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Guanidine / chemistry
  • Protein Denaturation
  • Protein Folding
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Cytotoxins
  • Endotoxins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Guanidine