Biomaterial Database

Mapping epitopic regions of cholera toxin B-subunit protein. 1991

M Kazemi, and R A Finkelstein

Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia 65212.

Continuous overlapping synthetic hexapeptides representing the entire 103 amino acid sequence of the immunodominant B-subunit protein of cholera enterotoxin were used to examine reactivities of a variety of antisera in attempts to detect and define sequence-related (continuous) antigenic regions. The validity of the methods was established by the reactions of polyclonal antisera raised against longer synthetic peptides with appropriate synthetic hexapeptides. An unexpected cross-reaction is attributed to the presence of three identical amino acids (Gln16-Ile17-His18)--although in different order (Gln56-His57-Ile58)--in two parts of the B-subunit chain. Adsorption studies using polyclonal rabbit antisera revealed that, in many instances, denatured B-subunit protein more effectively removed reactivity with hexapeptides than did the native protein. Native holotoxin was more effective than native B-subunit. Sera from human cholera convalescents gave diffuse patterns of reactivity with synthetic hexapeptides--primarily against regions of reactive hexapeptides rather than with clearly defined continuous epitopes. Among many epitopic regions encountered, a strongly reactive tetramer, Ser-Gln-His-Ile (SQHI), was discovered in a highly conserved region, residues 55-58, of the B-subunit amino acid sequence. Adsorption studies revealed that this epitope is apparently exposed on the surface of the native protein. Amino acid substitution revealed the essentiality of Gln and His residues to this epitope. Gly54 was not part of the epitope but substitution of acidic residues Glu and Asp for Gly eliminated reactivity with antibody. The results suggest that continuous epitopes may contribute to the antigenicity of the native toxin protein and may be potentially useful for development of a peptide vaccine.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007106	Immune Sera	Serum that contains antibodies. It is obtained from an animal that has been immunized either by ANTIGEN injection or infection with microorganisms containing the antigen.	Antisera,Immune Serums,Sera, Immune,Serums, Immune
D008969	Molecular Sequence Data	Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories.	Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
D010446	Peptide Fragments	Partial proteins formed by partial hydrolysis of complete proteins or generated through PROTEIN ENGINEERING techniques.	Peptide Fragment,Fragment, Peptide,Fragments, Peptide
D002772	Cholera Toxin	An ENTEROTOXIN from VIBRIO CHOLERAE. It consists of two major protomers, the heavy (H) or A subunit and the B protomer which consists of 5 light (L) or B subunits. The catalytic A subunit is proteolytically cleaved into fragments A1 and A2. The A1 fragment is a MONO(ADP-RIBOSE) TRANSFERASE. The B protomer binds cholera toxin to intestinal epithelial cells and facilitates the uptake of the A1 fragment. The A1 catalyzed transfer of ADP-RIBOSE to the alpha subunits of heterotrimeric G PROTEINS activates the production of CYCLIC AMP. Increased levels of cyclic AMP are thought to modulate release of fluid and electrolytes from intestinal crypt cells.	Cholera Toxin A,Cholera Toxin B,Cholera Toxin Protomer A,Cholera Toxin Protomer B,Cholera Toxin Subunit A,Cholera Toxin Subunit B,Choleragen,Choleragenoid,Cholera Enterotoxin CT,Cholera Exotoxin,Cholera Toxin A Subunit,Cholera Toxin B Subunit,Procholeragenoid,Enterotoxin CT, Cholera,Exotoxin, Cholera,Toxin A, Cholera,Toxin B, Cholera,Toxin, Cholera
D000595	Amino Acid Sequence	The order of amino acids as they occur in a polypeptide chain. This is referred to as the primary structure of proteins. It is of fundamental importance in determining PROTEIN CONFORMATION.	Protein Structure, Primary,Amino Acid Sequences,Sequence, Amino Acid,Sequences, Amino Acid,Primary Protein Structure,Primary Protein Structures,Protein Structures, Primary,Structure, Primary Protein,Structures, Primary Protein
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000939	Epitopes	Sites on an antigen that interact with specific antibodies.	Antigenic Determinant,Antigenic Determinants,Antigenic Specificity,Epitope,Determinant, Antigenic,Determinants, Antigenic,Specificity, Antigenic
D051381	Rats	The common name for the genus Rattus.	Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus
D066298	In Vitro Techniques	Methods to study reactions or processes taking place in an artificial environment outside the living organism.	In Vitro Test,In Vitro Testing,In Vitro Tests,In Vitro as Topic,In Vitro,In Vitro Technique,In Vitro Testings,Technique, In Vitro,Techniques, In Vitro,Test, In Vitro,Testing, In Vitro,Testings, In Vitro,Tests, In Vitro,Vitro Testing, In