Reengineering the specificity of the highly selective Clostridium botulinum protease via directed evolution.

The botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A) cuts a single peptide bond in SNAP25, an activity used to treat a wide range of diseases. Reengineering the substrate specificity of BoNT/A's protease domain (LC/A) could expand its therapeutic applications; however, LC/A's extended substrate recognition (≈ 60 residues) challenges conventional approaches. We report a directed evolution method for retargeting LC/A and retaining its exquisite specificity.

Identification of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) as a protein receptor for botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A).

Botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A) causes transient muscle paralysis by entering motor nerve terminals (MNTs) where it cleaves the SNARE protein Synaptosomal-associated protein 25 (SNAP25206) to yield SNAP25197. Cleavage of SNAP25 results in blockage of synaptic vesicle fusion and inhibition of the release of acetylcholine. The specific uptake of BoNT/A into pre-synaptic nerve terminals is a tightly controlled multistep process, involving a combination of high and low affinity receptors.

PDZ domain-mediated interactions of G protein-coupled receptors with postsynaptic density protein 95: quantitative characterization of interactions.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest family of membrane proteins in the human genome. Their signaling is regulated by scaffold proteins containing PDZ domains, but although these interactions are important for GPCR function, they are still poorly understood. We here present a quantitative characterization of the kinetics and affinity of interactions between GPCRs and one of the best characterized PDZ scaffold proteins, postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), using fluorescence polarization (FP) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR).

Botulinum neurotoxin serotype A specific cell-based potency assay to replace the mouse bioassay.

Botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A), a potent therapeutic used to treat various disorders, inhibits vesicular neurotransmitter exocytosis by cleaving SNAP25. Development of cell-based potency assays (CBPAs) to assess the biological function of BoNT/A have been challenging because of its potency. CBPAs can evaluate the key steps of BoNT action: receptor binding, internalization-translocation, and catalytic activity; and therefore could replace the current mouse bioassay.