The plant cytolytic protein enterolobin assumes a dimeric structure in solution

Enterolobin is a plant cytolytic protein similar to the bacterial cytolysin aerolysin. Biochemical and biophysical techniques were used to verify if enterolobin, like aerolysin, adopts a dimeric structure in solution. SDS-PAGE showed bands corresponding to enterolobin monomer, dimer and oligomers, whilst gel filtration chromatography and electrospray mass spectrometry revealed preferred association of enterolobin as a dimer. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) of enterolobin showed images of a dimer assembly at a concentration as low as 10 mug/ml, similarly to aerolysin. The enterolobin in silico docked structure is coherent with AFM enterolobin dimer shapes. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.