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Composition of mamba's venom is quite atypical and characterized by the presence of a large diversity of three-finger fold toxins (3FTx) interacting with various enzymes, receptors and ion channels. In particular, 3FTx from mambas display the unique property to interact with class A GPCRs, sometimes with a high affinity and selectivity. A screening of five of these toxins (MT1, MT3, MT7, ρ-Da1a and ρ-Da1b) on 29 different subtypes of bioaminergic receptors, using competition binding experiments, highlights the diversity of their pharmacological profiles. These toxins may display either absolute selectivity for one receptor subtype or a polypharmacological property for various bioaminergic receptors. Nevertheless, adrenoceptor is the main receptor family targeted by these toxins. Furthermore, a new receptor target was identified for 3FTx and toxins in general, the ρ-Da1b interacting competitively with the human dopamine D3 receptor in the micromolar range. This result expands the diversity of GPCRs targeted by toxins and more generally highlights the multipotent interacting property of 3FTx. Phylogenic analyzes of these toxins show that muscarinic, adrenergic and dopaminergic toxins may be pooled in one family called aminergic toxins, this family coming probably from a specific radiation of ligands present in mamba venoms.

International audience; The snake toxin MT7 is a potent and specific allosteric modulator of the human M1 muscarinic receptor (hM1). We previously characterized by mutagenesis experiments the functional determinants of the MT7-hM1 receptor interaction (FruchartGaillard, C., Mourier, G., Marquer, C., Stura, E., Birdsall, N. J.,and Servent, D. (2008) Mol. Pharmacol. 74, 1554–1563) and more recently collected evidence indicating that MT7 may bind to a dimeric form of hM1 (Marquer, C., Fruchart-Gaillard, C., Mourier, G., Grandjean, O., Girard, E., le Maire, M., Brown, S., and Servent, D. (2010) Biol. Cell 102, 409– 420). To structurally characterize the MT7-hM1 complex, we adopted a strategy combining double mutant cycle experiments and molecular modeling calculations. First, thirty-three ligand-receptor proximities were identified from the analysis of sixty-one double mutant binding affinities. Several toxin residues that are more than 25 A˚ apart still contact the same residues on the receptor. As a consequence, attempts to satisfy all the restraints by docking the toxin onto a single receptor failed. The toxin was then positioned onto two receptors during five independent flexible docking simulations. The different possible ligand and receptor extracellular loop conformations were described by performing simulations in explicit solvent. All the docking calculations converged to the same conformation of the MT7-hM1 dimer complex, satisfying the experimental restraints and in which (i) the toxin interacts with the extracellular side of the receptor, (ii) the tips of MT7 loops II and III contact one hM1 protomer, whereas the tip of loop I binds to the other protomer, and (iii) the hM1dimeric interface involves the transmembrane helices TM6 and TM7. These results structurally support the high affinity and selectivity of the MT7-hM1 interaction and highlight the atypical mode of interaction of this allosteric ligand on its G proteincoupled receptor target.

Background information. The idea that GPCRs (G-protein-coupled receptors) may exist as homo- or hetero-oligomers, although still controversial, is now widely accepted. Nevertheless, the functional roles of oligomerization are still unclear and gaining greater insight into the mechanisms underlying the dynamics of GPCR assembly and, in particular, assessing the effect of ligands on this process seems important. We chose to focus our present study on the effect of MT7 (muscarinic toxin 7), a highly selective allosteric peptide ligand, on the oligomerization state of the hM1 (human M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtype). Results. We analysed the hM1 oligomerization state in membrane preparations or in live cells and observed the effect of MT7 via four complementary techniques: native-PAGE electrophoresis analysed by both Western blotting and autoradiography on solubilized membrane preparations of CHO-M1 cells (Chinese-hamster ovary cells expressing muscarinic M1 receptors); FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) experiments on cells expressing differently tagged M1 receptors using either an acceptor photobleaching approach or a novel fluorescence emission anisotropy technique; and, finally, by BRET (bioluminescence resonance energy transfer) assays. Our results reveal that MT7 seems to protect the M1 receptor from the dissociating effect of the detergent and induces an increase in the FRET and BRET signals, highlighting its ability to affect the dimeric form of the receptor. Conclusions. Our results suggest that MT7 binds to a dimeric form of hM1 receptor, favouring the stability of this receptor state at the cellular level, probably by inducing some conformational rearrangements of the pre-existing muscarinic receptor homodimers.

To understand how snake neurotoxins interact with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, we have elaborated an experimentally based model of the α–cobratoxin–α7 receptor complex. This model was achieved by using ( i ) a three-dimensional model of the α7 extracellular domain derived from the crystallographic structure of the homologous acetylcholine-binding protein, ( ii ) the previously solved x-ray structure of the toxin, and ( iii ) nine pairs of residues identified by cycle-mutant experiments to make contacts between the α-cobratoxin and α7 receptor. Because the receptor loop F occludes entrance of the toxin binding pocket, we submitted this loop to a dynamics simulation and selected a conformation that allowed the toxin to reach its binding site. The three-dimensional structure of the toxin–receptor complex model was validated a posteriori by an additional double-mutant experiment. The model shows that the toxin interacts perpendicularly to the receptor axis, in an equatorial position of the extracellular domain. The tip of the toxin central loop plugs into the receptor between two subunits, just below the functional receptor loop C, the C-terminal tail of the toxin making adjacent additional interactions at the receptor surface. The receptor establishes major contacts with the toxin by its loop C, which is assisted by principal (loops A and B) and complementary (loops D, F, and 1) functional regions. This model explains the antagonistic properties of the toxin toward the neuronal receptor and opens the way to the design of new antagonists.

ρ-Da1a is a three-finger fold toxin from green mamba venom that is highly selective for the α1A-adrenoceptor. This toxin has atypical pharmacological properties, including incomplete inhibition of (3)H-prazosin or (125)I-HEAT binding and insurmountable antagonist action. We aimed to clarify its mode of action at the α1A-adrenoceptor. The affinity (pKi 9.26) and selectivity of ρ-Da1a for the α1A-adrenoceptor were confirmed by comparing binding to human adrenoceptors expressed in eukaryotic cells. Equilibrium and kinetic binding experiments were used to demonstrate that ρ-Da1a, prazosin and HEAT compete at the α1A-adrenoceptor. ρ-Da1a did not affect the dissociation kinetics of (3)H-prazosin or (125)I-HEAT, and the IC50 of ρ-Da1a, determined by competition experiments, increased linearly with the concentration of radioligands used, while the residual binding by ρ-Da1a remained stable. The effect of ρ-Da1a on agonist-stimulated Ca(2+) release was insurmountable in the presence of phenethylamine- or imidazoline-type agonists. Ten mutations in the orthosteric binding pocket of the α1A-adrenoceptor were evaluated for alterations in ρ-Da1a affinity. The D106(3.32)A and the S188(5.42)A/S192(5.46)A receptor mutations reduced toxin affinity moderately (6 and 7.6 times, respectively), while the F86(2.64)A, F288(6.51)A and F312(7.39)A mutations diminished it dramatically by 18- to 93-fold. In addition, residue F86(2.64) was identified as a key interaction point for (125)I-HEAT, as the variant F86(2.64)A induced a 23-fold reduction in HEAT affinity. Unlike the M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor toxin MT7, ρ-Da1a interacts with the human α1A-adrenoceptor orthosteric pocket and shares receptor interaction points with antagonist (F86(2.64), F288(6.51) and F312(7.39)) and agonist (F288(6.51) and F312(7.39)) ligands. Its selectivity for the α1A-adrenoceptor may result, at least partly, from its interaction with the residue F86(2.64), which appears to be important also for HEAT binding.

Background and purpose: Venoms are a rich source of ligands for ion channels, but very little is known about their capacity to modulate G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) activity. We developed a strategy to identify novel toxins targeting GPCRs. Experimental approach: We studied the interactions of mamba venom fractions with α1-adrenoceptors in binding experiments with 3H-prazosin. The active peptide (AdTx1) was sequenced by Edman degradation and mass spectrometry fragmentation. Its synthetic homologue was pharmacologically characterized by binding experiments using cloned receptors and by functional experiments on rabbit isolated prostatic smooth muscle. Key results: AdTx1, a 65 amino-acid peptide stabilized by four disulphide bridges, belongs to the three-finger-fold peptide family. It has subnanomolar affinity (Ki= 0.35 nM) and high specificity for the human α1A-adrenoceptor subtype. We showed high selectivity and affinity (Kd= 0.6 nM) of radio-labelled AdTx1 in direct binding experiments and revealed a slow association constant (kon= 6 × 106·M−1·min−1) with an unusually stable α1A-adrenoceptor/AdTx1 complex (t1/2diss= 3.6 h). AdTx1 displayed potent insurmountable antagonism of phenylephrine's actions in vitro (rabbit isolated prostatic muscle) at concentrations of 10 to 100 nM. Conclusions and implications: AdTx1 is the most specific and selective peptide inhibitor for the α1A-adrenoceptor identified to date. It displays insurmountable antagonism, acting as a potent relaxant of smooth muscle. Its peptidic nature can be exploited to develop new tools, as a radio-labelled-AdTx1 or a fluoro-labelled-AdTx1. Identification of AdTx1 thus offers new perspectives for developing new drugs for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Muscarinic receptors mediate metabotropic actions of acetylcholine in the CNS and PNS and autocrine functions of acetylcholine in non-neuronal systems. Because of the lack of highly selective muscarinic ligands, the precise location, functional role, and roles in various diseases of the five muscarinic receptor subtypes remain unclear. Muscarinic toxins isolated from the venom of Dendroaspis snakes have a natural high affinity and selectivity, associated with roles as competitive antagonists, allosteric modulators, and potential agonists. These toxins may therefore be invaluable tools for studying muscarinic receptors. We review data on the structural and pharmacological characterization of the muscarinic toxins, focusing on recent structure-function studies on toxin-receptor interactions. We discuss the potential benefits of using these toxins for investigating muscarinic function in vivo.

Muscarinic MT7 toxin is a highly selective and potent antagonist of the M 1 subtype of muscarinic receptor and acts by binding to an allosteric site. To identify the molecular determinants by which MT7 toxin interacts with this receptor in its free and NMS-occupied states, the effect on toxin potency of alanine substitution was evaluated in equilibrium and kinetic binding experiments as well as in functional assays. The determination of the crystallographic structure of an MT7-derivative (MT7-diiodoTyr51) allowed the selection of candidate residues that are accessible and present on both faces of the three toxin loops. The equilibrium binding data are consistent with negative cooperativity between N -methylscopolamine (NMS) and wild-type or modified MT7 and highlight the critical role of the tip of the central loop of the toxin (Arg34, Met35 Tyr36) in its interaction with the unoccupied receptor. Examination of the potency of wild-type and modified toxins to allosterically decrease the dissociation rate of [ 3 H]NMS allowed the identification of the MT7 residues involved in its interaction with the NMS-occupied receptor. In contrast to the results with the unoccupied receptor, the most important residue for this interaction was Tyr36 in loop II, assisted by Trp10 in loop I and Arg52 in loop III. The critical role of the tips of the MT7 loops was also confirmed in functional experiments. The high specificity of the MT7-M 1 receptor interaction exploits several MT7-specific residues and reveals a different mode of interaction of the toxin with the free and NMS-occupied states of the receptor.

Monoiodinated, Met35-oxidized muscarinic toxin 7 (MT7ox) was synthesized, and its affinity constants for free or N-methyl scopolamine (NMS)-occupied hM1 receptor were measured directly by equilibrium and kinetic binding experiments. Identical values were obtained with the two types of assay methods, 14 pM and 0.9 nM in free or NMS-liganded receptor states, respectively, highlighting a strong negative cooperativity between this allosteric toxin and NMS. Identical results were obtained with indirect binding experiments with [3H]NMS using the ternary complex model, clearly demonstrating the reciprocal nature of this cooperativity. Furthermore, the effects of various orthosteric and allosteric agents on the dissociation kinetic of 125I-MT7ox were measured and show that, except for the MT1 toxin, all of the ligands studied [NMS, atropine, gallamine, brucine, tacrine, staurosporine, and (9S,10S,12R)-2,3,9,10,11-hexahydro-10-hydroxy-9-methyl-1-oxo-9,12-epoxy-1H-diindolo[1,2,3-fg:3′,2′,1′-kl]pyrrolo[3,4-i][1,6]benzodiazocine-10-carboxylic acid hexyl ester (KT5720)] interact allosterically with muscarinic toxin 7. Equilibrium binding experiments with 125I-MT7ox and [3H]NMS were conducted to reveal the effects of these ligands on the free receptor, and affinity constants (pKx values) were calculated using the allosteric ternary complex model. Our results suggest that MT7 toxin interacts with hM1 receptor at a specific allosteric site, which may partially overlap those identified previously for “classic” or “atypical” allosteric agents and highlight the potential of this new allosteric tracer in studying allosterism at muscarinic receptors.

International audience; Two muscarinic toxins, MT1 and MT7, were obtained by one-step solid-phase synthesis using the 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl-based method. The synthetic and natural toxins, isolated from the snake venom or recombinantly expressed, display identical physicochemical properties and pharmacological profiles. High protein recovery allowed us to specify the selectivity of these toxins for various muscarinic receptor subtypes. Thus, sMT7 has a selectivity for the M1 receptor that is at least 20,000 times that for the other subtypes. The stability of the toxin-receptor complexes indicates that sMT1 interacts reversibly with the M1 receptor, unlike sMT7, which binds it quasi-irreversibly. The effect of the synthetic toxins on the atropine-induced [3H]N-methylscopolamine (NMS) dissociation confirms that sMT7 targets the allosteric site on the M1 receptor, whereas sMT1 seems interact on the orthosteric one. The great decreases in the binding potencies observed after the R34A modification in sMT1 and sMT7 toxins highlight the functional role of this conserved residue in their interactions with the M1 receptor. Interestingly, after the R34A modification, the sMT7 toxin binds reversibly on the M1 receptor. Furthermore, the potency of sMT7-R34A for the NMS-occupied receptor is lower compared with unmodified toxin, supporting the role of this residue in the allosteric interaction of sMT7. All these results and the different charge distributions observed at the two toxin surfaces of their structure models support the hypothesis that the two toxins recognize the M1 receptor differently.

Three-finger-fold toxins, isolated from various snake venoms, are recognized by high affinity and various specificities by different nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs and mAChRs, respectively) present in peripheral, as well as central, nervous systems (Karlsson et al., 2000; Servent and Menez, 2001; Nirthanan and Gwee, 2004). The goal of our studies is (1) to identify, at the molecular level, the functional determinants involved in the various interaction profiles of nicotinic or muscarinic toxins on their respective receptors subtypes, (2) to model some of these toxin-receptor complexes using distance constraints obtained from cycle-mutant experiments, and (3) to understand how a unique scaffold (the three-finger fold) is able to support these different functional profiles and how molecular determinants have been selected during the evolution process to create these different specific properties. Finally, these structure/function analyses should be exploited to engineer non-natural peptides with new binding and functional properties useful as pharmacological tools or therapeutic agents.

International audience; Protein engineering approaches are often a combination of rational design and directed evolution using display technologies. Here, we test ‘‘loop grafting,’’ a rational design method, on three-finger fold proteins. These small reticulated proteins have exceptional affinity and specificity for their diverse molecular targets, display protease-resistance, and are highly stable and poorly immunogenic. The wealth of structural knowledge makes them good candidates for protein engineering of new functionality. Our goal is to enhance the efficacy of these mini-proteins by modifying their pharmacological properties in order to extend their use in imaging, diagnostics and therapeutic applications. Using the interaction of three-finger fold toxins with muscarinic and adrenergic receptors as a model, chimeric toxins have been engineered by substituting loops on toxin MT7 by those from toxin MT1. The pharmacological impact of these grafts was examined using binding experiments on muscarinic receptors M1 and M4 and on the $\alpha_{1A}$-adrenoceptor. Some of the designed chimeric proteins have impressive gain of function on certain receptor subtypes achieving an original selectivity profile with high affinity for muscarinic receptor M1 and $\alpha_{1A}$-adrenoceptor. Structure-function analysis supported by crystallographic data for MT1 and two chimeras permits a molecular based interpretation of these gains and details the merits of this protein engineering technique. The results obtained shed light on how loop permutation can be used todesign new three-finger proteins with original pharmacological profiles