Acetylcholine-binding protein in the hemolymph of the planorbid snail Biomphalaria glabrata is a pentagonal dodecahedron (60 subunits)

PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e43685. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043685. Epub 2012 Aug 20.

Abstract

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) play important neurophysiological roles and are of considerable medical relevance. They have been studied extensively, greatly facilitated by the gastropod acetylcholine-binding proteins (AChBP) which represent soluble structural and functional homologues of the ligand-binding domain of nAChR. All these proteins are ring-like pentamers. Here we report that AChBP exists in the hemolymph of the planorbid snail Biomphalaria glabrata (vector of the schistosomiasis parasite) as a regular pentagonal dodecahedron, 22 nm in diameter (12 pentamers, 60 active sites). We sequenced and recombinantly expressed two ∼25 kDa polypeptides (BgAChBP1 and BgAChBP2) with a specific active site, N-glycan site and disulfide bridge variation. We also provide the exon/intron structures. Recombinant BgAChBP1 formed pentamers and dodecahedra, recombinant BgAChBP2 formed pentamers and probably disulfide-bridged di-pentamers, but not dodecahedra. Three-dimensional electron cryo-microscopy (3D-EM) yielded a 3D reconstruction of the dodecahedron with a resolution of 6 Å. Homology models of the pentamers docked to the 6 Å structure revealed opportunities for chemical bonding at the inter-pentamer interfaces. Definition of the ligand-binding pocket and the gating C-loop in the 6 Å structure suggests that 3D-EM might lead to the identification of functional states in the BgAChBP dodecahedron.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholine / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Biomphalaria / metabolism*
  • Carrier Proteins / chemistry*
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Hemolymph / metabolism*
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Acetylcholine

Grants and funding

This work was funded in part by the DFG (German Research Foundation [www.dfg.de]) in the framework of the research training group 1043 “Immunotherapy” (VM: grant; JM: consumables), and by the Government of Rhineland-Palatinate via the Center of Immunology of the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz [www.uni-mainz.de] (ST: financial support of Core Facility “mass spectrometry”, JM: financial support of Core Facility “3D-EM”). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.