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Functional and Structural Variation among Sticholysins, Pore-Forming Proteins from the Sea Anemone Stichodactyla helianthus. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21238915. [PMID: 33255441 PMCID: PMC7727798 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21238915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Venoms constitute complex mixtures of many different molecules arising from evolution in processes driven by continuous prey-predator interactions. One of the most common compounds in these venomous cocktails are pore-forming proteins, a family of toxins whose activity relies on the disruption of the plasmatic membranes by forming pores. The venom of sea anemones, belonging to the oldest lineage of venomous animals, contains a large amount of a characteristic group of pore-forming proteins known as actinoporins. They bind specifically to sphingomyelin-containing membranes and suffer a conformational metamorphosis that drives them to make pores. This event usually leads cells to death by osmotic shock. Sticholysins are the actinoporins produced by Stichodactyla helianthus. Three different isotoxins are known: Sticholysins I, II, and III. They share very similar amino acid sequence and three-dimensional structure but display different behavior in terms of lytic activity and ability to interact with cholesterol, an important lipid component of vertebrate membranes. In addition, sticholysins can act in synergy when exerting their toxin action. The subtle, but important, molecular nuances that explain their different behavior are described and discussed throughout the text. Improving our knowledge about sticholysins behavior is important for eventually developing them into biotechnological tools.
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Oliveira CS, Caldeira CAS, Diniz-Sousa R, Romero DL, Marcussi S, Moura LA, Fuly AL, de Carvalho C, Cavalcante WLG, Gallacci M, Pai MD, Zuliani JP, Calderon LA, Soares AM. Pharmacological characterization of cnidarian extracts from the Caribbean Sea: evaluation of anti-snake venom and antitumor properties. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2018; 24:22. [PMID: 30181737 PMCID: PMC6114500 DOI: 10.1186/s40409-018-0161-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cnidarians produce toxins, which are composed of different polypeptides that induce pharmacological effects of biotechnological interest, such as antitumor, antiophidic and anti-clotting activities. This study aimed to evaluate toxicological activities and potential as antitumor and antiophidic agents contained in total extracts from five cnidarians: Millepora alcicornis, Stichodactyla helianthus, Plexaura homomalla, Bartholomea annulata and Condylactis gigantea (total and body wall). METHODS The cnidarian extracts were evaluated by electrophoresis and for their phospholipase, proteolytic, hemorrhagic, coagulant, fibrinogenolytic, neuromuscular blocking, muscle-damaging, edema-inducing and cytotoxic activities. RESULTS All cnidarian extracts showed indirect hemolytic activity, but only S. helianthus induced direct hemolysis and neurotoxic effect. However, the hydrolysis of NBD-PC, a PLA2 substrate, was presented only by the C. gigantea (body wall) and S. helianthus. The extracts from P. homomalla and S. helianthus induced edema, while only C. gigantea and S. helianthus showed intensified myotoxic activity. The proteolytic activity upon casein and fibrinogen was presented mainly by B. annulata extract and all were unable to induce hemorrhage or fibrinogen coagulation. Cnidarian extracts were able to neutralize clotting induced by Bothrops jararacussu snake venom, except M. alcicornis. All cnidarian extracts were able to inhibit hemorrhagic activity induced by Bothrops moojeni venom. Only the C. gigantea (body wall) inhibited thrombin-induced coagulation. All cnidarian extracts showed antitumor effect against Jurkat cells, of which C. gigantea (body wall) and S. helianthus were the most active; however, only C. gigantea (body wall) and M. alcicornis were active against B16F10 cells. CONCLUSION The cnidarian extracts analyzed showed relevant in vitro inhibitory potential over the activities induced by Bothrops venoms; these results may contribute to elucidate the possible mechanisms of interaction between cnidarian extracts and snake venoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia S. Oliveira
- Centro de Estudos de Biomoléculas Aplicadas a Saúde (CEBio), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz de Rondônia (Fiocruz Rondônia), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
- Brazilian Marine Biotechnology Network (BioTecMar Network), Porto Velho, Brazil
- Departamento de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
| | - Cleópatra A. S. Caldeira
- Centro de Estudos de Biomoléculas Aplicadas a Saúde (CEBio), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz de Rondônia (Fiocruz Rondônia), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
- Brazilian Marine Biotechnology Network (BioTecMar Network), Porto Velho, Brazil
- Departamento de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
| | - Rafaela Diniz-Sousa
- Centro de Estudos de Biomoléculas Aplicadas a Saúde (CEBio), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz de Rondônia (Fiocruz Rondônia), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
- Brazilian Marine Biotechnology Network (BioTecMar Network), Porto Velho, Brazil
- Departamento de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
| | - Dolores L. Romero
- Centro de Estudios de Proteínas, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Habana, Havana, Cuba
| | - Silvana Marcussi
- Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, MG Brazil
| | - Laura A. Moura
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular (GCM), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói, RJ Brazil
| | - André L. Fuly
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular (GCM), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói, RJ Brazil
| | - Cicília de Carvalho
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, SP Brazil
| | - Walter L. G. Cavalcante
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, SP Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil
| | - Márcia Gallacci
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, SP Brazil
| | - Maeli Dal Pai
- Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, SP Brazil
| | - Juliana P. Zuliani
- Centro de Estudos de Biomoléculas Aplicadas a Saúde (CEBio), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz de Rondônia (Fiocruz Rondônia), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
- Brazilian Marine Biotechnology Network (BioTecMar Network), Porto Velho, Brazil
- Departamento de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
| | - Leonardo A. Calderon
- Centro de Estudos de Biomoléculas Aplicadas a Saúde (CEBio), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz de Rondônia (Fiocruz Rondônia), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
- Brazilian Marine Biotechnology Network (BioTecMar Network), Porto Velho, Brazil
- Departamento de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
| | - Andreimar M. Soares
- Centro de Estudos de Biomoléculas Aplicadas a Saúde (CEBio), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz de Rondônia (Fiocruz Rondônia), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
- Brazilian Marine Biotechnology Network (BioTecMar Network), Porto Velho, Brazil
- Departamento de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
- Centro Universitário São Lucas (UniSL), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
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Rivera-de-Torre E, Palacios-Ortega J, García-Linares S, Gavilanes JG, Martínez-Del-Pozo Á. One single salt bridge explains the different cytolytic activities shown by actinoporins sticholysin I and II from the venom of Stichodactyla helianthus. Arch Biochem Biophys 2017; 636:79-89. [PMID: 29138096 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2017.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Sticholysins I and II (StnI and StnII), α-pore forming toxins from the sea anemone Stichodactyla helianthus, are water-soluble toxic proteins which upon interaction with lipid membranes of specific composition bind to the bilayer, extend and insert their N-terminal α-helix, and become oligomeric integral membrane structures. The result is a pore that leads to cell death by osmotic shock. StnI and StnII show 93% of sequence identity, but also different membrane pore-forming activities. The hydrophobicity profile along the first 18 residues revealed differences which were canceled by substituting StnI amino acids 2 and 9. Accordingly, the StnID9A mutant, and the corresponding StnIE2AD9A variant, showed enhanced hemolytic activity. They also revealed a key role for an exposed salt bridge between Asp9 and Lys68. This interaction is not possible in StnII but appears conserved in the other two well-characterized actinoporins, equinatoxin II and fragaceatoxin C. The StnII mutant A8D showed that this single replacement was enough to transform StnII into a version with impaired pore-forming activity. Overall, the results show the key importance of this salt bridge linking the N-terminal stretch to the β-sandwich core. A conclusion of general application for the understanding of salt bridges role in protein design, folding and stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esperanza Rivera-de-Torre
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular I, Facultades de Química y Biología, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Palacios-Ortega
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular I, Facultades de Química y Biología, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara García-Linares
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular I, Facultades de Química y Biología, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - José G Gavilanes
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular I, Facultades de Química y Biología, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Álvaro Martínez-Del-Pozo
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular I, Facultades de Química y Biología, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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Rivera-de-Torre E, García-Linares S, Alegre-Cebollada J, Lacadena J, Gavilanes JG, Martínez-Del-Pozo Á. Synergistic Action of Actinoporin Isoforms from the Same Sea Anemone Species Assembled into Functionally Active Heteropores. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:14109-14119. [PMID: 27129251 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.710491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the toxic polypeptides secreted in the venom of sea anemones, actinoporins are the pore-forming toxins whose toxic activity relies on the formation of oligomeric pores within biological membranes. Intriguingly, actinoporins appear as multigene families that give rise to many protein isoforms in the same individual displaying high sequence identities but large functional differences. However, the evolutionary advantage of producing such similar isotoxins is not fully understood. Here, using sticholysins I and II (StnI and StnII) from the sea anemone Stichodactyla helianthus, it is shown that actinoporin isoforms can potentiate each other's activity. Through hemolysis and calcein releasing assays, it is revealed that mixtures of StnI and StnII are more lytic than equivalent preparations of the corresponding isolated isoforms. It is then proposed that this synergy is due to the assembly of heteropores because (i) StnI and StnII can be chemically cross-linked at the membrane and (ii) the affinity of sticholysin mixtures for the membrane is increased with respect to any of them acting in isolation, as revealed by isothermal titration calorimetry experiments. These results help us understand the multigene nature of actinoporins and may be extended to other families of toxins that require oligomerization to exert toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esperanza Rivera-de-Torre
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular I, Facultades de Química y Biología, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid
| | - Sara García-Linares
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular I, Facultades de Química y Biología, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid
| | | | - Javier Lacadena
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular I, Facultades de Química y Biología, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid
| | - José G Gavilanes
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular I, Facultades de Química y Biología, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid.
| | - Álvaro Martínez-Del-Pozo
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular I, Facultades de Química y Biología, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid.
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Rojko N, Dalla Serra M, Maček P, Anderluh G. Pore formation by actinoporins, cytolysins from sea anemones. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2015; 1858:446-56. [PMID: 26351738 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2015.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Revised: 08/31/2015] [Accepted: 09/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Actinoporins (APs) from sea anemones are ~20 kDa pore forming toxins with a β-sandwich structure flanked by two α-helices. The molecular mechanism of APs pore formation is composed of several well-defined steps. APs bind to membrane by interfacial binding site composed of several aromatic amino acid residues that allow binding to phosphatidylcholine and specific recognition of sphingomyelin. Subsequently, the N-terminal α-helix from the β-sandwich has to be inserted into the lipid/water interphase in order to form a functional pore. Functional studies and single molecule imaging revealed that only several monomers, 3-4, oligomerise to form a functional pore. In this model the α-helices and surrounding lipid molecules build toroidal pore. In agreement, AP pores are transient and electrically heterogeneous. On the contrary, crystallized oligomers of actinoporin fragaceatoxin C were found to be composed of eight monomers with no lipids present between the adjacent α-helices. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Pore-Forming Toxins edited by Maur Dalla Serra and Franco Gambale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nejc Rojko
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Mauro Dalla Serra
- Istituto di Biofisica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche & Fondazione Bruno Kessler, via alla Cascata 56/C, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Peter Maček
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gregor Anderluh
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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