Identification of the adenine binding site in the ricin toxin A‐chain by fluorescence, CD, and electron spin resonance spectroscopy

CD, electron spin resonance, and fluorescence spectroscopy have been utilized to study the adenine binding site of ricin and its toxic A‐subunit. At acidic (4.5) and physiological (7.3) pH, adenine or a spin‐labeled analogue of adenine, N6‐(2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1‐oxypiperidin‐4‐yl) adenine, alters the near uv CD spectra of the ricin A‐chain as well as intact ricin, whereas the far uv CD spectra of all proteins remain unchanged. Electron spin resonance data show that the adenine spin‐labeled analogue interacts strongly with the A‐chain both at pH 4.5 and 7.3, but no or very weak binding is observed for the intact ricin or the isolated B‐chain. The adenine spin label gets highly immobilized (2AII = 65.5G) by the A‐chain. The apparent dissociation constant Kd for the toxic A‐chain ligand complex is 1.55 × 10−4 M and 5.6 × 10−5 M at pH 7.3 and 4.5, respectively. Fluorescence intensity of ricin A‐chain bound 1,8‐anilinonaphthalenesulfonic acid (ANS) decreases by ∼55% at pH 4.5 with the addition of the spin‐labeled analogue of adenine, implying that both the ANS and adenine spin label (ADSL) bind to the hydrophobic domain of the A‐chain. Fluorescence of the only intrinsic tryptophan probe of the A‐chain is also efficiently quenched by ADSL, indicating that the tryptophan residue and the hydrophobic adenine binding site are closely located. All spectroscopic measurements indicate that adenine or its spin‐labeled analogue has a single binding site adjacent to the TRP211 residue in the A‐chain. Expansion of the A‐chain globule and subsequent exposure of the hydrophobic binding site seem to be responsible for the increased binding of adenine at pH 4.5. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.