Botulinum ADP‐ribosyltransferase activity as affected by detergents and phospholipids

GTP-binding proteins with Mr values of 22,000 and 25,000 in bovine brain cytosol were ADP-ribosylated by an exoenzyme (termed C3) purified from Clostridium botulinum type C. The rate of C3-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of the partially purified substrates was extremely low by itself, but was increased enormously when a protein factor(s) obtained from the cytosol was simultaneously added. The rate of the C3-catalyzed reaction was also stimulated by the addition of certain types of detergents or phospholipids even in the absence of the protein factors. The ADP-ribosylation appeared to be enhanced to an extent more than the additive effect of either the protein factors or the detergents (and phospholipids). Thus, ADP-ribosylation catalyzed by botulinum C3 enzyme was affected not only by cytoplasmic protein factors but also by detergents or phospholipids in manners different from each other.