A molecule of the photoreceptor Ca(2+)-binding protein recoverin contains four potential EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding sites, of which only two, the second and the third, are capable of binding calcium ions. We have studied the effects of substitutions in the second, third and fourth EF-hand sites of recoverin on its Ca(2+)-binding properties and some other characteristics, using intrinsic fluorescence, circular dichroism spectroscopy and differential scanning microcalorimetry. The interaction of the two operating binding sites of wild-type recoverin with calcium increases the protein's thermal stability, but makes the environment around the tryptophan residues more flexible. The amino acid substitution in the EF-hand 3 (E121Q) totally abolishes the high calcium affinity of recoverin, while the mutation in the EF-hand 2 (E85Q) causes only a moderate decrease in calcium binding. Based on this evidence, we suggest that the binding of calcium ions to recoverin is a sequential process with the EF-hand 3 being filled first. Estimation of Ca(2+)-binding constants according to the sequential binding scheme gave the values 3.7 x 10(6) and 3.1 x 10(5) M(-1) for third and second EF-hands, respectively. The substitutions in the EF-hand 2 or 3 (or in both the sites simultaneously) do not disturb significantly either tertiary or secondary structure of the apo-protein. Amino acid substitutions, which have been designed to restore the calcium affinity of the EF-hand 4 (G160D, K161E, K162N, D165G and K166Q), increase the calcium capacity and affinity of recoverin but also perturb the protein structure and decrease the thermostability of its apo-form.

Several EF-hand recoverin mutants were obtained and their abilities to bind to photoreceptor membranes and to inhibit rhodopsin kinase were determined. The mutants with the`spoiled' 2nd, 3rd or (2nd+3rd) EF-hand structures did not act upon the kinase activity in the W WM range of Ca 2+ concentrations. Mutations of the 4th EF hand, which`repaired' its Ca 2+ -binding activity, resulted in recoverin with three`working' Ca 2+ -binding sites. The latter mutant inhibited rhodopsin kinase even more effectively than the wild-type recoverin, containing two working Ca 2+ -binding structures.z 1998 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

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A number of targeted cytotoxic agents have been developed that selectively kill malignant or otherwise pathological cells. These engineered proteins consist of a potent cytotoxic element connected to a ligand domain that binds to specific molecules on the surface of the target cell. Several of these agents have shown promise in clinical trials and one is currently administered to patients. A significant technical obstacle that has impeded the development of some of these toxins is the difficulty of preparing certain recombinant proteins in properly folded forms. These fusion proteins have generally been produced in bacteria requiring them to be denatured and renatured in vitro. For some proteins this is an efficient process whereas for others it is not. We describe here a system to produce fusion toxins rapidly and efficiently by engineering mammalian cells to secrete them as properly folded molecules which can be purified in native form from cell culture medium. We have used this system to produce highly active preparations of DAB(389)-IL7, a molecule consisting of the catalytic and transmembrane domains of diphtheria toxin fused to interleukin 7. This system is generalizable and can be used to produce and evaluate rapidly fusion toxins incorporating novel or uncharacterized ligands.

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