| Anthrax Biosensor, Protective Antigen Ion Channel Asymmetric Blockade (1998) | |||||||||||
Abstract | |||||||||||
| Bacillus anthracis secretes three proteins (protective antigen, PA; lethal factor, LF; and edema factor, EF) that are the basis for anthrax infection. We present electrophysiological measurements that demonstrate the effect of full-length LF and EF on ion channels formed by the proteolytically activated species of PA (PA63) in planar lipid bilayer membranes. LF and EF convert the heptameric PA63 channel current-voltage relationship from slightly nonlinear to one that is highly rectifying and diode-like at pH 6.6. This striking effect provides an innovative method for characterizing functional toxin interactions and can be applied as an anthrax therapeutic biosensor.. Pub. in the Jnl. of Biological Chemistry, v280 n40 p34056-34062, 7 Oct 2005. Prepared in cooperation with the National Cancer Institute-Science Applications International Corporation, Frederick, MD, and with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD. Sponsored in part by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA); and the National Science Foundation (NSF) (Grant no. CTS-0304062). The original document contains color images. | |||||||||||
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