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Primary Structure and Conformation of Clostridium Botulinum Neurotoxin

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Microbial Toxins in Foods and Feeds

Abstract

A set of neurotoxic proteins synthesized by certain strains of Clostridium botulinum, C. butyricum, C. tetani and presumably also by C. barati, are nearly identical in macro structure. Some aspects of their fine structures and pharmacological action are strikingly similar. These proteins, one called tetanus neurotoxin and the rest botulinum neurotoxins (NT), produce in their target nerve cells similar intracellular biochemical lesions; blockage of normal release of neurotransmitters, albeit inhibitory and excitatory. Diversity in the primary, secondary and tertiary structures among these proteins makes them antigenically distinguishable and endows them with the specificity to recognize and bind to the “acceptors/receptors” present on the susceptible nerve cells. This article considers the structural aspects of this generalized theme. The structural features of botulinum NT are presented first. The temptation to keep tetanus NT in the same focus as botulinum NT could not be overcome even twelve years after pointing out for the first time the similarities between botulinum and tetanus neurotoxins.11

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, 1925 Willow Drive, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA

    Bibhuti R. DasGupta

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  1. Bibhuti R. DasGupta
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Food and Drug Administration, Washington, DC, USA

    Albert E. Pohland

  2. Late of Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Vulus R. Dowell Jr.

  3. Agricultural Research Service, Peoria, Illinois, USA

    John L. Richard

  4. Agricultural Research Service, Dawson, Georgia, USA

    Richard J. Cole

  5. National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, Washington, USA

    Milven W. Eklund

  6. Food Safety and Inspection Service, Washington, DC, USA

    Stanley S. Green

  7. Agricultural Research Service, Athens, Georgia, USA

    William P. Norred III

  8. Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Morris E. Potter

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© 1990 Plenum Press, New York

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DasGupta, B.R. (1990). Primary Structure and Conformation of Clostridium Botulinum Neurotoxin. In: Pohland, A.E., et al. Microbial Toxins in Foods and Feeds. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0663-4_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0663-4_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-7916-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-0663-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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