title: Structure of a pertussis toxin-sugar complex as a model for receptor binding.
abstract: Pertussis toxin is an exotoxin from the bacterium Bordetella pertussis which is important the pathogenesis of whooping cough and the generation of a protective immune response. The diverse biological activities of the toxin depend on its ability to recognize carbohydrate-containing receptors on a wide variety of eukaryotic cells. We present here the crystal structure of pertussis toxin complexed with a soluble oligosaccharide from transferrin. Binding sites for the terminal sialic acid-galactose moiety are revealed on both subunits S2 and S3 of the B-oligomer. Identification of amino acid residues involved in receptor binding will improve the design of genetically inactivated toxins for use in new acellular whooping cough vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boodhoo
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Heerze
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Cockle
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Read
mesh_terms: D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D014168:Transferrin / Q000737:chemistry*; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D014168:Transferrin; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; C093426:pertussis toxin receptor; D037342:Pertussis Toxin