Exaptation of two ancient immune proteins into a new dimeric pore-forming toxin in snails

The Membrane Attack Complex-Perforin (MACPF) family is ubiquitously found in all kingdoms. They have diverse cellular roles, however MACPFs with pore-forming toxic function in venoms and poisons are very rare in animals. Here we present the structure of PmPV2, a MACPF toxin from the poisonous apple snail eggs, that can affect the digestive and nervous systems of potential predators. We report the three-dimensional structure of PmPV2, at 17.2 A resolution determined by negative-stain electron microscopy and its solution structure by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). We found that PV2s differ from nearly all MACPFs in two respects: it is a dimer in solution and protomers combine two immune proteins into an AB toxin. The MACPF chain is linked by a single disulfide bond to a tachylectin chain, and two heterodimers are arranged head-to-tail by non-covalent forces in the native protein. MACPF domain is fused with a putative new Ct-accessory domain exclusive to invertebrates. The tachylectin is a six-bladed β-propeller, similar to animal tectonins. We experimentally validated the predicted functions of both subunits and demonstrated for the first time that PV2s are true pore-forming toxins. The tachylectin “B” delivery subunit would bind to target membranes, and then the MACPF “A” toxic subunit would disrupt lipid bilayers forming large pores altering the plasma membrane conductance. These results indicate that PV2s toxicity evolved by linking two immune proteins where their combined preexisting functions gave rise to a new toxic entity with a novel role in defense against predation. This structure is an unparalleled example of protein exaptation.Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La PlataInstituto de Estudios Inmunológicos y Fisiopatológico

Versatile Activity of a Copper(II) Complex Bearing a N4‐Tetradentate Schiff Base Ligand with Reduced Oxygen Species

International audienceThe reactivity of the Cu(II) complex of N,N’-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethylene)propane-1,3-diamine (py2pn), [Cu(py2pn)(ClO4)2], toward O2.− and H2O2 has been examined. The complex reacts with O2.− with fast second order kinetics, kMcF=4.05×106 M−1 s−1, employing the Cu(II)/Cu(I) couple proved by spectroscopic detection of the reduced form at low temperature. At −40 °C in DMF, the reaction of the complex with H2O2/Et3N yields an stable end-on Cu(II)-hydroperoxide, with kOOH=0.31 min−1, the formation of which has been established by DFT calculations, electronic and EPR spectra. At room temperature, the end-on Cu(II)-hydroperoxide reacts with a second Cu(II) complex to evolve O2, with kCAT=83.2 M−2 s−1. The Cu(II)-hydroperoxide can mediate phenol oxidation, probably through a trigonal bipyramidal ternary transition state based on DFT analysis, favored over catalase activity when low proportion of catalyst is used. In these reactions, structural constraints imposed by the ligand distort the coordination geometry of the metal and controls reactivity

Exaptation of two ancient immune proteins into a new dimeric pore-forming toxin in snails

The Membrane Attack Complex-Perforin (MACPF) family is ubiquitously found in all kingdoms. They have diverse cellular roles, however MACPFs with pore-forming toxic function in venoms and poisons are very rare in animals. Here we present the structure of PmPV2, a MACPF toxin from the poisonous apple snail eggs, that can affect the digestive and nervous systems of potential predators. We report the three-dimensional structure of PmPV2, at 17.2 Å resolution determined by negative-stain electron microscopy and its solution structure by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). We found that PV2s differ from nearly all MACPFs in two respects: it is a dimer in solution and protomers combine two immune proteins into an AB toxin. The MACPF chain is linked by a single disulfide bond to a tachylectin chain, and two heterodimers are arranged head-to-tail by non-covalent forces in the native protein. MACPF domain is fused with a putative new Ct-accessory domain exclusive to invertebrates. The tachylectin is a six-bladed β-propeller, similar to animal tectonins. We experimentally validated the predicted functions of both subunits and demonstrated for the first time that PV2s are true pore-forming toxins. The tachylectin “B” delivery subunit would bind to target membranes, and then the MACPF “A” toxic subunit would disrupt lipid bilayers forming large pores altering the plasma membrane conductance. These results indicate that PV2s toxicity evolved by linking two immune proteins where their combined preexisting functions gave rise to a new toxic entity with a novel role in defense against predation. This structure is an unparalleled example of protein exaptation.Fil: Giglio, Matías Leonel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner"; ArgentinaFil: Ituarte, Santiago. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner"; ArgentinaFil: Milesi, Verónica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Estudios Inmunológicos y Fisiopatológicos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Estudios Inmunológicos y Fisiopatológicos; ArgentinaFil: Dreon, Marcos Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner"; ArgentinaFil: Brola, Tabata Romina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner"; ArgentinaFil: Caramelo, Julio Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Ip, Jack Chi Ho. Hong Kong Baptist University; ChinaFil: Maté, Sabina María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner"; ArgentinaFil: Qiu, Jian Wen. Hong Kong Baptist University; ChinaFil: Otero, Lisandro Horacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; ArgentinaFil: Heras, Horacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner"; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentin