Chemical modification of methionines in a cobra venom cytotoxin differentiates between lytic and binding domains.

Cytotoxin-III from Naja naja atra (CTX) was chemically modified at either or both of its two methionine residues: Over 50% oxidation of methionine-26 occurred with a 1:1 molar ratio of chloramine-T:methionine; at a 5:1 molar ratio, methionine-26 was almost completely oxidized, while methionine-24 was modified only 26%; at a 10:1 molar ratio, both methionines were completely oxidized. Each oxidized derivative demonstrated a lower toxicity toward T-cells than toward heart cells. Conversely, binding to heart cells was affected more than binding to T-cells. Cyanogen bromide cleaved native CTX at both methionines, excising phenyl-alanine-25 and methionine-26 and converting methionine-24 to homoserine lactone. This treatment of CTX eliminated cytotoxicity toward both heart and T-cells, but had only a modest effect upon T-cell binding, as had 50% oxidation of methionine-26, suggesting that CTX lytic and binding regions may be distinct. A selective loss in heart cell binding following oxidation of methionine-24 further suggests that different parts of CTX may interact with the two types of target cells. Perturbation of the relatively flat hydrophobic surface of the CTX' triple-stranded beta-sheet could result from the introduction of negative charge due to methionine-24 oxidation. Alternatively, amino acid side chain participation in a CTX binding domain may be altered by the potential formation of a new hydrogen bond between tyrosine-51 and methionine-24 sulfoxide, as revealed by computer modeling of the completely oxidized CTX derivative.