TY - JOUR
T1 - Identification of residues at the α and ε subunit interfaces mediating species selectivity of Waglerin-1 for nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
AU - Molles, Brian E.
AU - Rezai, Parastoo
AU - Kline, Eric F.
AU - McArdle, Joseph J.
AU - Sine, Steven M.
AU - Taylor, Palmer
PY - 2002/2/15
Y1 - 2002/2/15
N2 - Waglerin-1 (Wtx-1) is a 22-amino acid peptide that is a competitive antagonist of the muscle nicotinic receptor (nAChR). We find that Wtx-1 binds 2100-fold more tightly to the α-ε than to the α-δ binding site interface of the mouse nAChR. Moreover, Wtx-1 binds 100-fold more tightly to the α-ε interface from mouse nAChR than that from rat or human sources. Site-directed mutagenesis of residues differing in the extracellular domains of rat and mouse ε subunits indicates that residues 59 and 115 mediate the species difference in Wtx-1 affinity. Mutation of residues 59 (Asp in mouse, Glu in rat ε) and 115 (Tyr in mouse, Ser in rat ε) converts Wtx-1 affinity for the α-ε interface of one species to that of the other species. Studies of different mutations at position 59 indicate both steric and electrostatic contributions to Wtx-1 affinity, whereas at position 115, both aromatic and polar groups contribute to affinity. The human nAChR also has lower affinity for Wtx-1 than mouse nAChR, but unlike rat nAChR, residues in both α and ε subunits mediate the affinity difference. In human nAChR, polar residues (Ser-187 and Thr-189) confer low affinity, whereas in mouse nAChR aromatic residues (Trp-187 and Phe-189) confer high affinity. The overall results show that non-conserved residues at the nAChR binding site, although not crucial for activation by ACh, govern the potency of neuromuscular toxins.
AB - Waglerin-1 (Wtx-1) is a 22-amino acid peptide that is a competitive antagonist of the muscle nicotinic receptor (nAChR). We find that Wtx-1 binds 2100-fold more tightly to the α-ε than to the α-δ binding site interface of the mouse nAChR. Moreover, Wtx-1 binds 100-fold more tightly to the α-ε interface from mouse nAChR than that from rat or human sources. Site-directed mutagenesis of residues differing in the extracellular domains of rat and mouse ε subunits indicates that residues 59 and 115 mediate the species difference in Wtx-1 affinity. Mutation of residues 59 (Asp in mouse, Glu in rat ε) and 115 (Tyr in mouse, Ser in rat ε) converts Wtx-1 affinity for the α-ε interface of one species to that of the other species. Studies of different mutations at position 59 indicate both steric and electrostatic contributions to Wtx-1 affinity, whereas at position 115, both aromatic and polar groups contribute to affinity. The human nAChR also has lower affinity for Wtx-1 than mouse nAChR, but unlike rat nAChR, residues in both α and ε subunits mediate the affinity difference. In human nAChR, polar residues (Ser-187 and Thr-189) confer low affinity, whereas in mouse nAChR aromatic residues (Trp-187 and Phe-189) confer high affinity. The overall results show that non-conserved residues at the nAChR binding site, although not crucial for activation by ACh, govern the potency of neuromuscular toxins.
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U2 - 10.1074/jbc.M109232200
DO - 10.1074/jbc.M109232200
M3 - Article
C2 - 11724791
AN - SCOPUS:0037085479
SN - 0021-9258
VL - 277
SP - 5433
EP - 5440
JO - Journal of Biological Chemistry
JF - Journal of Biological Chemistry
IS - 7
ER -