Tetanus toxin, a member of the family of Clostridial neurotoxins, is one of the most potent toxins known. The crystal structure of the complex of the COOH-terminal fragment of the heavy chain with an analogue of its ganglioside receptor, GT1b, provides the first direct identification and characterization of the ganglioside-binding sites. The ganglioside induces cross-linking by binding to two distinct sites on the Hc molecule. The structure sheds new light on the binding of Clostridial neurotoxins to receptors on neuronal cells and provides important information relevant to the design of anti-tetanus and anti-botulism therapeutic agents.

The entry of tetanus neurotoxin into neuronal cells proceeds through the initial binding of the toxin to gangliosides on the cell surface. The carboxyl-terminal fragment of the heavy chain of tetanus neurotoxin contains the ganglioside-binding site, which has not yet been fully characterized. The crystal structures of native HC and of HC soaked with carbohydrates reveal a number of binding sites and provide insight into the possible mode of ganglioside binding.

The Fab fragments of two monoclonal antibodies (Fab3A2, Fab6A) raised against epitopes of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) have been crystallized using the vapour-diffusion technique. The Fab3A2 antibody recognises an epitope on the C-terminal peptide of the beta-subunit and the Fab6A a conformational epitope of hCG. Both Fab crystals grow as hexagonal rods from ammonium sulfate solutions. The Fab3A2 crystals belong to space group P3121 with a = b = 74.84, c = 198.2 A and diffract to 1.33 A at the ESRF. The Fab6A crystals are in the space group P3221 with a = b = 129.53, c = 74.40 A and diffract to 2.7 A at the Daresbury SRS. One Fab molecule per asymmetric unit is present in both crystals.