Toxin Instability and Its Role in Toxin Translocation from the Endoplasmic Reticulum to the Cytosol

Autor: Ken Teter
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2013
Předmět:
Zdroj: Biomolecules, Vol 3, Iss 4, Pp 997-1029 (2013)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2218-273X
DOI: 10.3390/biom3040997
Popis: AB toxins enter a host cell by receptor-mediated endocytosis. The catalytic A chain then crosses the endosome or endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane to reach its cytosolic target. Dissociation of the A chain from the cell-binding B chain occurs before or during translocation to the cytosol, and only the A chain enters the cytosol. In some cases, AB subunit dissociation is facilitated by the unique physiology and function of the ER. The A chains of these ER-translocating toxins are stable within the architecture of the AB holotoxin, but toxin disassembly results in spontaneous or assisted unfolding of the isolated A chain. This unfolding event places the A chain in a translocation-competent conformation that promotes its export to the cytosol through the quality control mechanism of ER-associated degradation. A lack of lysine residues for ubiquitin conjugation protects the exported A chain from degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and an interaction with host factors allows the cytosolic toxin to regain a folded, active state. The intrinsic instability of the toxin A chain thus influences multiple steps of the intoxication process. This review will focus on the host–toxin interactions involved with A chain unfolding in the ER and A chain refolding in the cytosol.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals