Cryo-EM structure of Shiga toxin 2 in complex with the native ribosomal P-stalk reveals residues involved in the binding interaction

Shiga toxin 2a (Stx2a) is the virulence factor of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. The catalytic A1 subunit of Stx2a (Stx2A1) interacts with the ribosomal P-stalk for loading onto the ribosome and depurination of the sarcin–ricin loop, which halts protein synthesis. Because of the intrinsic flexibility of the P-stalk, a structure of the Stx2a–P-stalk complex is currently unknown. We demonstrated that the native P-stalk pentamer binds to Stx2a with nanomolar affinity, and we employed cryo-EM to determine a structure of the 72 kDa Stx2a complexed with the P-stalk. The structure identifies Stx2A1 residues involved in binding and reveals that Stx2a is anchored to the P-stalk via only the last six amino acids from the C-terminal domain of a single P-protein. For the first time, the cryo-EM structure shows the loop connecting Stx2A1 and Stx2A2, which is critical for activation of the toxin. Our principal component analysis of the cryo-EM data reveals the intrinsic dynamics of the Stx2a–P-stalk interaction, including conformational changes in the P-stalk binding site occurring upon complex formation. Our computational analysis unveils the propensity for structural rearrangements within the C-terminal domain, with its C-terminal six amino acids transitioning from a random coil to an α-helix upon binding to Stx2a. In conclusion, our cryo-EM structure sheds new light into the dynamics of the Stx2a–P-stalk interaction and indicates that the binding interface between Stx2a and the P-stalk is the potential target for drug discovery.