Dana Stein

Search for Bacillus anthracis Potential Vaccine Candidates by a Functional Genomic-Serologic Screen

ABSTRACT Bacillus anthracis proteins that possess antigenic properties and are able to evoke an immune response were identified by a reductive genomic-serologic screen of a set of in silico-preselected open reading frames (ORFs). The screen included in vitro expression of the selected ORFs by coupled transcription and translation of linear PCR-generated DNA fragments, followed by immunoprecipitation with antisera from B. anthracis-infected animals. Of the 197 selected ORFs, 161 were chromosomal and 36 were on plasmids pXO1 and pXO2, and 138 of the 197 ORFs had putative functional annotations (known ORFs) and 59 had no assigned functions (unknown ORFs). A total of 129 of the known ORFs (93%) could be expressed, whereas only 38 (64%) of the unknown ORFs were successfully expressed. All 167 expressed polypeptides were subjected to immunoprecipitation with the anti-B. anthracis antisera, which revealed 52 seroreactive immunogens, only 1 of which was encoded by an unknown ORF. The high percentage of seroreactive ORFs among the functionally annotated ORFs (37%; 51/129) attests to the predictive value of the bioinformatic strategy used for vaccine candidate selection. Furthermore, the experimental findings suggest that surface-anchored proteins and adhesins or transporters, such as cell wall hydrolases, proteins involved in iron acquisition, and amino acid and oligopeptide transporters, have great potential to be immunogenic. Most of the seroreactive ORFs that were tested as DNA vaccines indeed appeared to induce a humoral response in mice. We list more than 30 novel B. anthracis immunoreactive virulence-related proteins which could be useful in diagnosis, pathogenesis studies, and future anthrax vaccine development.

Engineering resistance to ‘aging’ of phosphylated human acetylcholinesterase Role of hydrogen bond network in the active center

Recombinant human acetylcholinesterase (HuAChE) and selected mutants (E202Q, Y337A, E450A) were studied with respect to catalytic activity towards charged and noncharged substrates, phosphylation with organophosphorus (OP) inhibitors and subsequent aging of the OP‐conjugates. Amino acid E450, unlike residues E202 and Y337, is not within interaction distance from the active center. Yet, the bimolecular rates of catalysis and phosphylation are 30 100 fold lower for both E450A and E202Q compared to Y337A or the wild type and in both mutants the resulting OP‐conjugates show striking resistance to aging. It is proposed that a hydrogen bond network, that maintains the functional architecture of the active center, involving water molecules and residues E202 and E450, is responsible for the observed behaviour.

Accommodation of physostigmine and its analogues by acetylcholinesterase is dominated by hydrophobic interactions

The role of the functional architecture of the HuAChE (human acetylcholinesterase) in reactivity toward the carbamates pyridostigmine, rivastigmine and several analogues of physostigmine, that are currently used or considered for use as drugs for Alzheimers disease, was analysed using over 20 mutants of residues that constitute the interaction subsites in the active centre. Both steps of the HuAChE carbamylation reaction, formation of the Michaelis complex as well as the nucleophilic process, are sensitive to accommodation of the ligand by the enzyme. For certain carbamate/HuAChE combinations, the mode of inhibition shifted from a covalent to a noncovalent type, according to the balance between dissociation and covalent reaction rates. Whereas the charged moieties of pyridostigmine and rivastigmine contribute significantly to the stability of the corresponding HuAChE complexes, no such effect was observed for physostigmine and its analogues, phenserine and cymserine. Moreover, physostigmine-like ligands carrying oxygen instead of nitrogen at position -1 of the tricyclic moiety (physovenine and tetrahydrofurobenzofuran analogues) displayed comparable structure-function characteristics toward the various HuAChE enzymes. The essential role of the HuAChE hydrophobic pocket, comprising mostly residues Trp(86) and Tyr(337), in accommodating (-)-physostigmine and in conferring approximately 300-fold stereoselectivity toward physostigmines, was elucidated through examination of the reactivity of selected HuAChE mutations toward enantiomeric pairs of different physostigmine analogues. The present study demonstrates that certain charged and uncharged ligands, like analogues of physostigmine and physovenine, seem to be accommodated by the enzyme mostly through hydrophobic interactions.

Aging-Resistant Organophosphate Bioscavenger Based on Polyethylene Glycol-Conjugated F338A Human Acetylcholinesterase

The high reactivity of cholinesterases (ChEs) toward organophosphorus (OP) compounds has led to propose recombinant ChEs as bioscavengers of nerve agents. The bioscavenging potential of recombinant ChEs can be enhanced by conjugation of polyethylene glycol (PEG) moieties, to extend their circulatory residence. However, the ability of exogenously administered ChEs to confer long-term protection against repeated exposures to nerve agents is still limited due to the aging process, whereby organophosphate-ChE adducts undergo irreversible dealkylation, which precludes oxime-mediated reactivation of the enzyme. To generate an optimal acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-based OP bioscavenger, the F338A mutation, known to decelerate the rate of aging of AChE-OP conjugates, was incorporated into polyethylene glycol-conjugated (PEGylated) human AChE. The PEGylated F338A-AChE displayed unaltered rates of hydrolysis, inhibition, phosphylation, and reactivation and could effectively protect mice against exposure to soman (pinacolylmethyl phosphonofluoridate), sarin (O-isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate), or O-ethyl-S-(2-isopropylaminoethyl) methylphosphonothioate (VX). Unlike PEGylated wild-type (WT)-AChE, the PEGylated F338A-AChE exhibits significantly reduced aging rates after soman inhibition and can be efficiently reactivated by the 1-[[[4(aminocarbonyl)-pyridinio]methoxy]methyl]-2(hydroxyimino)methyl]pyridinium dichloride (HI-6) oxime, both in vitro and in vivo. Accordingly, oxime administration to PEG-F338A-AChE-pretreated mice enabled them to withstand repeated soman exposure (5.4 and 4 LD50/dose), whereas same regime treatment of non-PEGylated F338A-AChE- or PEGylated WT-AChE-pretreated mice failed to protect against the second challenge, due to rapid clearance or irreversible aging of the latter enzymes. Thus, judicious incorporation of selected mutations into the AChE mold in conjunction with its chemical modification provides means to engineer an optimal ChE-based OP bioscavenger in terms of circulatory longevity, resistance to aging, and reduced doses required for protection, even against repeated exposures to nerve agents, such as soman.

Active vaccination with vaccinia virus A33 protects mice against lethal vaccinia and ectromelia viruses but not against cowpoxvirus; elucidation of the specific adaptive immune response

Vaccinia virus protein A33 (A33VACV) plays an important role in protection against orthopoxviruses, and hence is included in experimental multi-subunit smallpox vaccines. In this study we show that single-dose vaccination with recombinant Sindbis virus expressing A33VACV, is sufficient to protect mice against lethal challenge with vaccinia virus WR (VACV-WR) and ectromelia virus (ECTV) but not against cowpox virus (CPXV), a closely related orthopoxvirus. Moreover, a subunit vaccine based on the cowpox virus A33 ortholog (A33CPXV) failed to protect against cowpox and only partially protected mice against VACV-WR challenge. We mapped regions of sequence variation between A33VACV and A33CPXVand analyzed the role of such variations in protection. We identified a single protective region located between residues 104–120 that harbors a putative H-2Kd T cell epitope as well as a B cell epitope - a target for the neutralizing antibody MAb-1G10 that blocks spreading of extracellular virions. Both epitopes in A33CPXV are mutated and predicted to be non-functional. Whereas vaccination with A33VACV did not induce in-vivo CTL activity to the predicted epitope, inhibition of virus spread in-vitro, and protection from lethal VACV challenge pointed to the B cell epitope highlighting the critical role of residue L118 and of adjacent compensatory residues in protection. This epitope’s critical role in protection, as well as its modifications within the orthopoxvirus genus should be taken in context with the failure of A33 to protect against CPXV as demonstrated here. These findings should be considered when developing new subunit vaccines and monoclonal antibody based therapeutics against orthopoxviruses, especially variola virus, the etiologic agent of smallpox.

Early, Real-Time Medical Diagnosis of Botulism by Endopeptidase-Mass Spectrometry

Botulinum toxin was detected in patient serum using Endopeptidase-mass-spectrometry assay, although all conventional tests provided negative results. Antitoxin was administered, resulting in patient improvement. Implementing this highly sensitive and rapid assay will improve preparedness for foodborne botulism and deliberate exposure.

ENZYME ENGINEERING TOWARDS NOVEL OP-HYDROLASES BASED ON THE HUMAN ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE TEMPLATE

Abstract: Protein engineering technologies were used to generate various derivatives of human acetylcholinesterase (HuAChE). These enzymes were reacted with various organophosphates (OP) and reactivators in order to identify key element in the active center determining the efficiency of phosphylation, reactivation and of the aging process. Based on the results obtained we believe that novel biocatalysts with efficient OP-scavenging and possibly even OP-hydrolase activity may be generated, in the near future.

Genetic Detection of Vesicle Forming Pathogens by Arrayed Primer Extension (APEX)

The Variola virus is the causative agent of smallpox disease. Accurate identification of Variola and differential diagnosis between Variola and other vesicle forming (smallpox-like) pathogens are both technically challenging and of great importance. We compiled a list of vesicle forming pathogens that are prone to be misdiagnosed as smallpox. Some of the pathogens (members of the Orthopoxvirus genus) are also genetically highly similar to Variola.

Role of A33R Amino-Acid 118L in the Interactions of Vaccinia Virus with the Host

Immunization of BALB/c mice with vaccinia virus protein A33 (A33VACV) protects mice from intranasal challenge with the WR strain of vaccinia virus or with ectromelia virus making A33 an important candidate to be included in experimental smallpox subunit vaccines. Single vaccination with a recombinant Sindbis virus expressing A33VACV protect mice against lethal VACV-WR and ectromelia virus (ECTV) but not against the closely related cowpox virus (CPXV). Furthermore, even recombinant Sindbis virus expressing the cowpox virus A33 ortholog (A33CPXV) failed to protect either against cowpox or against VACV-WR challenge. Our attempts to map the regions which may account for this differential behavior were directed against a region of difference between the two orthologs. A stretch of 7 amino acids in A33 was mapped as important for protection which contain the following changes in A33CPXV: L112F, Q117K and L118S. This region maps to a single putative prevalent 9-mer CTL epitope with L112 as an essential anchoring residue, and a major target epitope for neutralizing antibodies encompassing L118. Vaccination with A33 harboring these individual substitutions highlighted the crucial role of L118 in induction of protective immunity.

The Aromatic Moiety at Position-86 of HuAChE Accelerate the Aging of Phosphonyl-AChE Conjugates through Cation-π Interactions

The possible involvement of cation-π interactions in stabilization of partially charged transition states has been investigated through examination of the kinetics of deal-kylation (‘aging’) for twelve alkyl methylphosphonyl conjugates of human acetylcholinesterase (HuAChE). These enzyme conjugates differ in the branching of the methylphosphono alkyl substituent and in the nature of the residue at position 86 of the enzyme. For conjugates of the wild type enzyme, a gradual decrease in the rates of aging, spanning two orders of magnitude, was observed for 1, 2, 2-trimethylpropyl; 1, 2-dimethylpropyl; 2-butyl and 2-propyl methylphosphonyl moieties respectively. Substitution W86→F results in a moderate decrease in the rates of aging, irrespective of the nature of the phosphonyl moiety, suggesting a similar role of the aromatic residues in the aging process. The variation of aging rates due to branching of the alkyl substituent, for the W86A conjugates was within factor ten and resembled those of limiting solvolysis reactions. These findings demonstrate that the aromatic character of the residue at position 86 is an essential element of the enzymatic environment in facilitating the aging process, and that the extent of such involvement depends upon the branching of the alkyl methylphosphonyl moiety. The generality of the biocatalytic process including cation-π stabilization of carbocationic transition state, observed in aging of phosphylated AChEs, has recently gained support from other enzymatic systems.