Cocrystal structure of synaptobrevin-II bound to botulinum neurotoxin type B at 2.0 Å resolution

Botulinum neurotoxin serotype B is a zinc protease that disrupts neurotransmitter release by cleaving synaptobrevin-II (Sb2), one of three SNARE proteins involved in neuronal synaptic vesicle fusion. The three-dimensional crystal structure of the apo botulinum neurotoxin serotype B catalytic domain (BoNT/B-LC) has been determined to 2.2 Å resolution, and the complex of cleaved Sb2 with the catalytic domain (Sb2–BoNT/B-LC) has been determined to 2.0 Å resolution. A comparison of the holotoxin catalytic domain and the isolated BoNT/B-LC structure shows a rearrangement of three active site loops. This rearrangement exposes the BoNT/B active site. The Sb2–BoNT/B-LC structure illustrates two distinct binding regions, which explains the specificity of each botulinum neurotoxin for its synaptic vesicle protein. This observation provides an explanation for the proposed cooperativity between binding of full-length substrate and catalysis and suggest a mechanism of synaptobrevin proteolysis employed by the clostridial neurotoxins.