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tetanus toxin (TeTx); tetanospasmin
Zinc metalloprotease specific for synaptobrevin-2.
Inhibitor of neurotransmitter release.
Tetanospasmin is produced as a single chain polypeptide in vegetative cells under plasmid control. With autolysis, tetanospasm is cleaved to form a disulfide-linked heterodimer with subunits of MW 100 kD & 50 kD. Tetanus & botulinum toxins are the two most powerful neurotoxins known.
General
bacterial toxin
zinc metalloprotease
Properties
MOTIF: active site
MOTIF: Zn+2-binding site
EFFECTOR-BOUND: Zn+2
MOTIF: histidine residue (2)
glutamate residue
References
- Sollner T, Whiteheart SW, Brunner M et al
SNAP receptors implicated in vesicle targeting and fusion.
Nature. 1993 Mar 25;362(6418):318-24.
PMID: 8455717
- Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 13th ed. Isselbacher
et al (eds), McGraw-Hill Inc. NY, 1994, pg 633