0000000000117846
AUTHOR
Bernard Poulain
Tetanus Toxin Inhibits Neuroexocytosis Even When Its Zn2+-dependent Protease Activity Is Removed
Tetanus toxin (TeTX) is a dichain protein that blocks neuroexocytosis, an action attributed previously to Zn(2+)-dependent proteolysis of synaptobrevin (Sbr) by its light chain (LC). Herein, its cleavage of Sbr in rat cerebrocortical synaptosomes was shown to be minimized by captopril, an inhibitor of certain metalloendoproteases, whereas this agent only marginally antagonized the inhibition of noradrenaline release, implicating a second action of the toxin. This hypothesis was proven by preparing three mutants (H233A, E234A, H237A) of the LC lacking the ability to cleave Sbr and reconstituting them with native heavy chain. The resultant dichains were found to block synaptosomal transmitter…
Differences in the temperature dependencies of uptake of botulinum and tetanus toxins in Aplysia neurons
The respective neuroselective actions of botulinum type A (BoNT) and tetanus (TeTx) neurotoxins on cholinergic and non-cholinergic synapses of Aplysia are mainly due to differences in their extracellular neuronal targetting. Further information was gained on this neuroselectivity by examining the temperature dependencies of binding, internalization and intracellular action of both toxins. After reduction of temperature from 22 degrees C to 10 degrees C, the binding of neither BoNT nor TeTx was significantly altered whereas the neuronal uptake of BoNT, but not of TeTx, was prevented. Although TeTx internalization could be detected at the low temperature, its intracellular activity was greatl…