Structure of acidic phospholipase A2 for the venom of Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii at 2.8 A resolution.

The crystal structure of acidic phospholipase A2 from the venom of Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii has been determined by molecular replacement methods based on the known structure of Crotalus atrox PLA2, a same group II enzyme. The overall structures, except the calcium-binding regions, are very similar to each other. A calcium ion is pentagonally ligated to two carboxylate oxygen atoms of Asp-49 and each carbonyl oxygen atoms of Tyr-28, Gly-30 and Ala-31. A reason why the former enzyme functions as monomeric form, while the latter one does as dimer, could be presumed by the structural comparison of these calcium-binding regions. Although Gly-32 is usually participated as a ligand in the coordination with calcium ion in group I PLA2, it is characteristically replaced to Ala-31 in the present structure, and thus the coordination geometry of calcium ion is rather different from the usually observed one.     

pH dependence of the binding constant of a phospholipase A2 from Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii venom to micelles of n-hexadecylphosphorylcholine

The phospholipase A2 from the venom of A. halys blomhoffii was titrated with micellar n-hexadecylphosphorylcholine (an analog of lysolecithin) by following the tryptophyl fluorescence change at 25 degrees C and ionic strength 0.1. The data were analyzed by assuming that the micellar surface has multiple binding sites for the enzyme and that these sites are identical and mutually independent. The enzyme binding site was found to accommodate a constant number of the substrate (monomer) molecules, N = 10.0 and 6.7 for the apoenzyme and its Ca2+ complex, respectively. The binding constant of the enzyme to the substrate micelle was found to be enhanced by Ca2+ binding to the enzyme. The pH dependence of the binding constant of the apoenzyme to the micelle was well interpreted in terms of pK shifts of two ionizable groups from 5.16 to 5.67 and from 6.45 to 6.6. The pH-dependence curve for the enzyme-Ca2+ complex, which lacked the former transition, was interpreted in terms of the pK shift of a single ionizable group from 5.55 to 5.76. The former ionizable group was assigned as Asp 49, to which Ca2+ ion can coordinate, and the latter as His 48 in the active site. No participation of the alpha-amino group with a pK value of 7.30 was observed. The binding constant of the enzyme to the substrate micelle, Kmic = 0.45-2.3 X 10(6) M-1, was found to be far greater than that to the monomeric substrate, Kmon = 0.2-1.0 X 10(4) M-1. This was interpreted in terms of the presence of an additional weak substrate-binding site in the enzyme molecule.     

Structures of cadmium-binding acidic phospholipase A2 from the venom of Agkistrodon halys Pallas at 1.9A resolution

Phospholipase A(2) coordinates Ca(2+) ion through three carbonyl oxygen atoms of residues 28, 30, and 32, two carboxyl oxygen atoms of residue Asp49, and two (or one) water molecules, forming seven (or six) coordinate geometry of Ca(2+) ligands. Two crystal structures of cadmium-binding acidic phospholipase A(2) from the venom of Agkistrodon halys Pallas (i.e., Agkistrodon blomhoffii brevicaudus) at different pH values (5.9 and 7.4) were determined to 1.9A resolution by the isomorphous difference Fourier method. The well-refined structures revealed that a Cd(2+) ion occupied the position expected for a Ca(2+) ion, and that the substitution of Cd(2+) for Ca(2+) resulted in detectable changes in the metal-binding region: one of the carboxyl oxygen atoms from residue Asp49 was farther from the metal ion while the other one was closer and there were no water molecules coordinating to the metal ion. Thus the Cd(2+)-binding region appears to have four coordinating oxygen ligands. The cadmium binding to the enzyme induced no other significant conformational change in the enzyme molecule elsewhere. The mechanism for divalent cadmium cation to support substrate binding but not catalysis is discussed.     

Purification, characterization and gene cloning of a novel phospholipase A2 from the venom of Agkistrodon blomhoffii ussurensis

A new phospholipase A2 with Gln at the site 49, abbreviated as Gln49-PLA2, has been purified from the venom of Agkistrodon blomhoffii ussurensis by using ion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration chromatography and reversed-phase HPLC, and behaves as a single-band on SDS-PAGE. Its molecular weight is 13881.85+/-0.33 Da given by mass spectrometry and pI is about 8.56 given by isoelectric focusing. Gln49-PLA2 does not show phospholipase A2 and hemorrhagic activity, whereas shows weak toxic and apparent anticoagulant activity. Based on the N-terminal sequencing and peptide mass fingerprint analysis, Gln49-PLA2 cDNA has been cloned by means of RT-PCR. Gln49-PLA2 consists of 122 amino acid residues and has the structural features of class II of snake venom phospholipase A2.     

Kinetics of the hydrolysis of mixed micelles of dipalmitoyllecithin with triton X-100 catalyzed by a phospholipase A2 from the venom of Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii

The pH dependence of kinetic parameters for the hydrolysis of mixed micelles of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (diC16PC) with Triton X-100, catalyzed by the intact and the N-terminal alpha-NH2-modified phospholipases A2 (PLA2s) of Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii, was studied at 25 degrees C and ionic strength 0.1 in the presence of saturating amounts of Ca2+. The pH dependence of the kinetic parameters for the hydrolysis of monodispersed diC6PC, catalyzed by the modified enzyme, was also studied under the same conditions, and the data were compared with the previous results for the intact enzyme [Teshima, K. et al. (1986) J. Biochem. 100, 1655-1662]. The pK values of the catalytic group, His 48, and Tyr 52 were found to shift from 5.55 to 7.00 and from 10.50 to 11.50, respectively, on binding of the micellar substrates to the enzyme. On the other hand, no participation of these ionizable groups was observed for the binding of the monodispersed substrate. On the basis of the present finding and the X-ray crystallographic studies on bovine pancreatic PLA2 [Dijkstra, B.W. et. al. (1981) J. Mol. Biol. 147, 97-123] and on a PLA2 of Crotalus atrox venom [Brunie, S. et al. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 9742-9749], the hydrogen-bonding of Tyr 73, which is involved in the lipid-water interface recognition site, to His 48 and Tyr 52 in the active center was strongly suggested to be important for the hydrolysis of micellar substrates.     

长白山白眉蝮蛇蛇毒酸性PLA_2质谱鉴定及其对血小板聚集的抑制作用

通过对纯化得到的长白山白眉蝮蛇蛇毒磷脂酶A2（ABUSV-PLA2）进行胶内胰蛋白酶酶解,产生的肽段经高效液相色谱-电喷雾串联质谱（HPLC-nESI-MS/MS）进行序列测定,蛋白鉴定采用SequestBioworks软件完成。ABUSV-PLA2与其它蛇毒来源PLA2的氨基酸序列比对表明：ABUSV-PLA2是一种新的蛇毒酸性磷脂酶A2。以ADP诱导的人血小板聚集实验结果表明：ABUSV-PLA2对ADP诱导的血小板聚集有轻微的解凝效应,但具有显著拮抗血小板的聚集作用,并呈现明显的剂量-效应关系,IC50为356nmol/L。     

Purification, characterization and bactericidal activities of basic phospholipase A2 from the venom of Agkistrodon halys (Chinese pallas)

Agkistrodon snake venoms contain a variety of phospholipases (PLA(2)), some of which are myotoxic. In this study, we used reverse-phase HPLC to purify PLA(2) from the venom of Agkistrodon halys. The enzyme named as AgkTx-II, a basic Asp49 PLA(2), has a molecular masses of 13,869.05. The amino acid sequence and molecular mass of AgkTx-II was identical to those of an Asp49 basic myotoxic PLA(2) previously isolated from this venom. Antibacterial activities were tested by susceptibility and broth-dilution assays. AgkTx-II exerted a potent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Proteus mirabilis, and Burkholderia pseudomallei. The MIC values of AgkTx-II ranged between 85 and 2.76muM and was most effective against S. aureus, P. vulgaris, P. mirabilis (MIC of 21.25muM) and B. pseudomallei (MIC of 10.25muM). This AgkTx-II rapidly killed S. aureus, P. vulgaris and B. pseudomallei in a dose-dependent manner. The effect of the AgkTx-II on bacterial membranes was evaluated by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. AgkTx-II caused morphological alterations apparent on their cellular surfaces, suggesting a killing mechanism based on membrane permeabilization and damage. Cytotoxicity was measured by XTT tetrazolium (2,3-bis[2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl]-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays using U-937 cells (monocytes). The AgkTx-II did not affect cell viability up to 500muM concentrations but cell death was evident at 1000muM concentration after 24 and 48h. Furthermore, the repeated exposure of AgkTx-II (2-14muM) treated mice showed different tissue alterations, mainly at the brain and kidney; the toxicological potential of AgkTx-II remains to be elucidated. The AgkTx-II exhibits no hemolytic action even at high doses (10-100muM) in human erythrocytes. However, the AgkTx-II is believed to exert its bactericidal effect by permeabilizing the bacterial membrane by forming pores. In addition, the basic PLA(2) AgkTx-II displays a bactericidal effect, which may be either dependent or independent of catalysis.     

Purification and characterization of the fibrinolytic enzyme from Agkistrodon halys halys venom

By Q-sepharose column ion-exchange chromatography, alkyl-sepharose column hydrophobic chromatography the purified fibrinogenolytic enzyme was obtained from Agkistrodon halys halys venom. It is a single peptide-chain with molecular weight about 28 kDa. It was founded that this enzyme cleaved A alpha-chain of fibrinogen, pH-optimum was determined in the range of 7.5-8.0. Its fibrinogenolytic activity was estimated 15.6 mM fibrinogen/min per mg protein; caseinolytic activity was estimated 7.5 c.u., and amidolytic activity was 0.325 mM pNA/min/mg and 0.175 mM pNA/min/mg for S2238 and S2251 respectively; K(m) was 5.6 mM. The enzyme activity was inhibited by DFP and benzamidine. These results suggest that the enzyme is serine protease. It inhibited the platelet-aggregation.     

Crystallization and preliminary diffraction studies of the Lys-49 phospholipase A2 from Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus

Previous chemical and structural studies have proposed a major role for Asp-49 in the calcium-mediated activation of phospholipases A2. Recently, a new class of phospholipases A2 has been characterized with a lysine in the place of aspartate at position 49 (Maraganore, J. M., Merutka, G., Cho, W., Welches, W., Kézdy, F. J., and Heinrikson, R. L. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 13839-13843; Maraganore, J. M., and Heinrikson, R. L. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 4797-4804). Although both the Lys-49 and Asp-49 phospholipases require calcium for enzymatic activity, the Lys-49 enzymes appear to be unique in their ability to bind phospholipids prior to undergoing calcium-mediated activation. We have successfully crystallized the Lys-49 phospholipase A2 from the venom of the American cottonmouth water moccasin (Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus). The crystals are tetragonal, the space group being P4(1)2(1)2 or P4(3)2(1)2 with unit cell dimensions of a = b = 71.05 A, and c = 57.76 A. There is only one molecule in the asymmetric unit and the crystals provide good quality diffraction data to 2.2 A.     

Molecular characterization of L-amino acid oxidase from Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii with special reference to platelet aggregation

L-Amino acid oxidase (LAO, EC 1.4.3.2) is widely distributed in snake venom, and induces apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells, causing prolonged bleeding from vessel walls at bite sites. The effect of snake venom LAOs on platelet function is controversial. Further, we have little information on their structural characterization. We purified M (mamushi)-LAO, a single-chain glycoprotein with a molecular mass of 60 kDa and a pI of 4.9, from Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii (Japanese mamushi) venom, and determined the N-terminal and several internal amino acid sequences of this enzyme. Molecular cloning based on these data was conducted to elucidate its full-length cDNA structure (2192 nucleotides), which includes a putative 18 amino acid residue signal peptide and a 504 residue mature subunit. The predicted M-LAO translation product shares 87.3% identity with that of Crotalus adamanteus (Southeastern diamondback rattlesnake) LAO. M-LAO, up to a final concentration of 2.6 microM, inhibited both agonist- and shear stress-induced platelet aggregation (SIPA) dose-dependently. In agonist-induced platelet aggregation, M-LAO predominantly inhibited the second aggregation, but with a marginal inhibition of the first. In SIPA, the inhibition was more dramatic under low-shear stress than high-shear stress, and was enhanced by the presence of L-leucine, a substrate of this enzyme. Catalase, a H2O2 scavenger, totally quenched such enhancement. These results suggest that M-LAO inhibits the interaction between activated platelet integrin alphaIIb/beta3 and fibrinogen through the continuous generation of H2O2, and may contribute to prolonged bleeding from the vessels at snake bite sites.     

Anticoagulant activity of M-LAO,L-amino acid oxidase purified from Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii,through selective inhibition of factor IX

One of haemorrhagic toxins present in snake venoms is L-amino acid oxidase (LAO), which catalyzes the oxidative deamination of L-amino acids with the generation of hydrogen peroxide. Although it is widely accepted that LAO alters platelet function, the effects of LAO on human blood coagulation remain largely unknown. The present study demonstrated, for the first time, that M-LAO, LAO purified from the venom of Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii (Japanese mamushi), possesses an anticoagulant activity. Thrombelastography (TEG) showed that M-LAO significantly delayed the onset and the progress of the coagulation process. In addition, the enzyme prolonged the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) dose-dependently, but had little effect on the prothrombin time (PT), suggesting that its principal activity was mediated in the intrinsic coagulation pathway. Furthermore, M-LAO reduced factor IX procoagulant activity in a dose-dependent manner and did not affect other coagulation factors. These results indicate that M-LAO has an anticoagulant activity that impairs the intrinsic clotting by inhibiting factor IX.     

Refined structure of basic phospholipase A2 from venom of Agkistrodon halys Pallas in orthorhombic crystal form I at 0.25 nm resolution

The basic phospholipase A2 from the venom of Agkistrodon halys Pallas is a potent hemolytic toxin and anticoagulant. The accurate rotation and translation parameters of the molecules in orthorhombic crystal form I were successfully obtained using the fitting refinement technique. The structure was refined in the resolution range of 0. 6-0.25 nm using least square refinement with non-crystallographic two fold symmetry restraint, and resulted in the final R factor of 20.1 % , and the rms deviations from ideal stereochemistry were 0. 001 3 nm for bond lengths and 1. 32° for bond angles. The overall architecture of the present structure was similar to that of the determined structure of the orthorhombic crystal form Ⅱ, with a few differences in the regions of the β-wing and Ca2 -binding loop. The dimers formed by the two molecules in the asymmetric unit in both crystal forms were also similar. However, one of the monomers showed an orientational difference of 5.5° along the dimer interface in the two cr     

Interaction of monodispersed and micellar phospholipids with an Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii phospholipase A2, in which the alpha-amino group had been modified to an alpha-keto group

The pH dependence of the binding constant of Ca2+ to a phospholipase A2 of Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii, in which the alpha-amino group had been selectively modified to an alpha-keto group, was studied at 25 degrees C and ionic strength 0.1 by the tryptophyl fluorescence method. The dependence was compared with the results for the intact enzyme (Ikeda et al. (1981) J. Biochem. 90, 1125-1130). The pH-dependence curve could be well interpreted in terms of the participation of the two ionizable groups Asp 49 and His 48, with pK values of 4.70 and 6.69, respectively. These values were slightly different from the respective pK values for the intact enzyme, 5.15 and 6.45. Ca2+ binding to the intact enzyme involves the participation of an additional ionizable group with a pK value of 7.30, which was thus assigned as alpha-amino group. The pH dependence of the binding constant of monodispersed n-dodecylphosphorylcholine (n-C12PC) to the alpha-NH2-modified enzyme was studied at 25 degrees C and ionic strength 0.1 by the aromatic circular dichroism (CD) method. The pH-dependence curve for the modified apoenzyme was interpreted as reflecting the participation of a single ionizable group with a pK value of 4.7, which was assigned to Asp 49 (to which a Ca2+ ion can coordinate) since the curve for the Ca2+ complex lacked this transition: the binding constant was independent of pH. The pH-dependence curves for the intact apoenzyme and its Ca2+ complex involve the participation of an additional ionizable group with pK values of 7.30 and 6.30, respectively (Ikeda & Samejima (1981) J. Biochem. 90, 799-804), which was assigned as the alpha-amino group. The hydrolysis of monodispersed 1,2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (diC6PC), catalyzed by the intact and the alpha-NH2-modified enzymes was studied by the pH stat method at 25 degrees C, pH 8.2, and ionic strength 0.1 in the presence of 3 mM Ca2+. The Km value for the modified enzyme was found to be very similar to that for the intact enzyme: this was compatible with the results of the direct binding study on the monodispersed n-C12PC under the same conditions. However, the kcat value was about 43% of the value for the intact enzyme, suggesting that the alpha-keto group introduced by the chemical modification perturbed the network of hydrogen bonds in the active site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Non-crystallographic symmetry of crystal of neutral phospholipase A_2 from Agkistrodon halys Pallas

Agkistrodotoxin, a neutral phospholipase A2 with high presynaptic neurotoxicity from the venom of Agkistrodon halys Pallas, has been crystallized by hanging drop vapor diffusion method. The crystal belongs to P21 space group with the cell dimensions a = 10.836 nm, b=8.486nm, c = 7.082nm, β=109.87$ showing C2 pseu-do-symmetry. Diffraction data to 0. 26 nm resolution have been collected on a Siemens X-200B area detector. C2 pseu-do-symmetry suggests that there exists a non-crystallographic two-fold axis parallel to crystallographic b axis. Self-rotation function calculation with different integrated radius and resolution ranges using the program POLARRFN yields four stable high peaks corresponding to three more non-crystallographic two-fold axis and one special non-crystal-lographic symmetry. The molecules in the asymmetric unit are suggested to be arranged in a manner of "dimer of dimers" by inference.