RT Journal Article T1 Calorimetric scrutiny of lipid binding by sticholysinII toxin mutants A1 Alegre Cebollada, Jorge A1 Cunietti, Michela A1 Herrero Galán, Elías A1 Gavilanes, José G. A1 Martínez Del Pozo, Álvaro AB The mechanisms by which pore-forming toxins are able to insert into lipidmembranes are a subject of the highest interest in the field of lipid–proteininteraction. Eight mutants affecting different regions of sticholysin II, amember of the pore-forming actinoporin family, have been produced, andtheir hemolytic and lipid-binding properties were compared to those of thewild-type protein. A thermodynamic approach to the mechanism of poreformation is also presented. Isothermal titration calorimetry experimentsshow that pore formation by sticholysin II is an enthalpy-driven processthat occurs with a high affinity constant (1.7×108 M−1). Results suggest thatconformational flexibility at the N-terminus of the protein does not providehigher affinity for the membrane, although it is necessary for correct poreformation. Membrane binding is achieved through two separate mechanisms,that is, recognition of the lipid–water interface by a cluster of aromaticresidues and additional specific interactions that include a phosphocholinebindingsite. Thermodynamic parameters derived from titration experimentsare discussed in terms of a putative model for pore formation. PB Elsevier SN 0022-2836 YR 2008 FD 2008-08 LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/52956 UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/52956 LA eng NO Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia de España DS Docta Complutense RD 10 abr 2025