title: A Novel Botulinum Neurotoxin, Previously Reported as Serotype H, Has a Hybrid-Like Structure With Regions of Similarity to the Structures of Serotypes A and F and Is Neutralized With Serotype A Antitoxin.
abstract: Botulism is a potentially fatal paralytic disease caused by the action of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) on nerve cells. There are 7 known serotypes (A-G) of BoNT and up to 40 genetic variants. Clostridium botulinum strain IBCA10-7060 was recently reported to produce BoNT serotype B (BoNT/B) and a novel BoNT, designated as BoNT/H. The BoNT gene (bont) sequence of BoNT/H was compared to known bont sequences. Genetic analysis suggested that BoNT/H has a hybrid-like structure containing regions of similarity to the structures of BoNT/A1 and BoNT/F5. This novel BoNT was serologically characterized by the mouse neutralization assay and a neuronal cell-based assay. The toxic effects of this hybrid-like BoNT were completely eliminated by existing serotype A antitoxins, including those contained in multivalent therapeutic antitoxin products that are the mainstay of human botulism treatment.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Maslanka
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lúquez
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Janet K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Dykes
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Tepp
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
authors.forename: Christina L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Pier
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pellett
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Brian H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Raphael
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Suzanne R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kalb
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Agam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
authors.forename: Eric A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D001904:Botulinum Antitoxin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D001904:Botulinum Antitoxin; D001905:Botulinum Toxins
keywords: Clostridium botulinum; botulinum toxin; botulism; neuronal cell-based assay; neutralization; serotype