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Publication Abstract from PubMed

Cholera is a life-threatening diarrhoeal disease caused by the human pathogen Vibrio cholerae. Infection occurs after ingestion of the bacteria, which colonize the human small intestine and secrete their major virulence factor - the cholera toxin (CT). The GM1 ganglioside is considered the primary receptor of the CT, but recent studies suggest that also fucosylated receptors such as histo-blood group antigens are important for cellular uptake and toxicity. Recently, a special focus has been on the histo-blood group antigen Lewis(x) (Le(x)), however, where and how the CT binds to Le(x) remains unclear. Here we report the high-resolution crystal structure (1.5 A) of the receptor-binding B-subunits of the CT bound to the Le(x) trisaccharide, and complementary quantitative binding data for CT holotoxins. Le(x), and also L-fucose alone, bind to the secondary binding site of the toxin, distinct from the GM1 binding site. In contrast, fucosyl-GM1 mainly binds to the primary binding site due to high-affinity interactions of its GM1 core. Le(x) is the first histo-blood group antigen of non-secretor phenotype structurally investigated in complex with CT. Together with the quantitative binding data, this allows unique insight into why individuals with non-secretor phenotype are more prone to severe cholera than so-called 'secretors'.

Crystal structures of cholera toxin in complex with fucosylated receptors point to importance of secondary binding site.,Heim JB, Hodnik V, Heggelund JE, Anderluh G, Krengel U Sci Rep. 2019 Aug 22;9(1):12243. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-48579-2. PMID:31439922^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.