Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026
10:41
Detection of Toxin Translocation into the Host Cytosol by Surface Plasmon Resonance
Published on: January 3, 2012
Backbone resonance assignment of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin H
Maria Saline1, Vladislav Orekhov, Karin Lindkvist-Petersson
1Swedish NMR Centre, University of Gothenburg, PO Box 465, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden.
Biomolecular NMR Assignments
|November 6, 2009
Summary
Staphylococcal enterotoxin H (SEH) superantigen binding to T cell receptors was studied using NMR. This research provides insights into the weak SEH-TCR interaction and protein structure.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Structural Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Staphylococcal enterotoxin H (SEH) is a superantigen that provokes a massive immune response by binding to T cell receptors (TCR) and MHC class II molecules.
- The interaction between SEH and TCR is known to be weak, making it suitable for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the complete sequential backbone assignment of SEH.
- To analyze the protein secondary structure of SEH using NMR data.
- To investigate the weak SEH-TCR interaction.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 2 mg of uniformly labeled (2H, 13C, 15N) SEH.
- Performed NMR spectroscopy at 900 MHz for backbone assignment.
- Inferred secondary structure using chemical shift index (C(alpha) and C(beta)).
Main Results:
- Achieved complete sequential backbone assignment of SEH.
- The inferred secondary structure from NMR data showed strong agreement with existing X-ray crystallographic structures.
- Confirmed the feasibility of using NMR to study the weak SEH-TCR interaction.
Conclusions:
- NMR spectroscopy is a viable method for characterizing the structural aspects of SEH and its interactions.
- The structural data obtained from NMR complements X-ray crystallography findings.
- This study provides a foundation for further investigation into the molecular mechanisms of superantigen activity.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:12Bacterial Toxins
Bacterial toxins are sophisticated virulence factors that enable pathogenic bacteria to interact with, invade, and damage host tissues. These toxins fall broadly into two types: protein exotoxins, which are secreted into the environment and target specific host receptors, and lipopolysaccharide endotoxins, which are structural components of the bacterial outer membrane released primarily during bacterial lysis or membrane shedding. Exotoxins generally act more selectively, binding to cell...
01:18Bacterial Gastroenteritis
Bacterial gastroenteritis, characterized by diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting, is often caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water and is frequently associated with pathogenic Escherichia coli strains. These microbes exploit two principal mechanisms to inflict disease.Shiga toxin–producing E. coli, also referred to as STEC—notably O157:H7—release Shiga toxins that target ribosomes, blocking protein synthesis. The B subunit of the toxin binds the host glycolipid receptor...
01:29Staphylococcal Skin Infections
Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...
01:27Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors
Enzyme-linked receptors are cell-surface receptors acting as an enzyme or associating with an enzyme intracellularly. They make excellent drug targets. Drugs can bind to the extracellular ligand-binding domain or directly affect their enzymatic domain and alter their activity.
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
01:22Botulism
Botulism is a life-threatening neuroparalytic condition caused by botulinum neurotoxin, which is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, a Gram-positive, spore-forming, obligate anaerobe.In adults, the toxin enters the body in different ways: in foodborne botulism, the preformed toxin is absorbed in the intestine. In wound botulism, spores grow in injured tissue and release the toxin into the blood. Infant botulism differs mechanistically from adult forms. In infants, botulism commonly...
01:28Diphtheria
Diphtheria is an acute, toxin-mediated infectious disease that primarily affects the upper respiratory tract. It is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a Gram-positive, pleomorphic rod that lacks spore-forming capability and exhibits a characteristic club-shaped morphology under microscopic examination. While C. diphtheriae can asymptomatically colonize mucosal surfaces, clinical disease manifests only when the bacterial strain is lysogenized by a specific β-corynephage. This phage...