A novel disintegrin, jerdonatin, inhibits platelet aggregation and sperm-egg binding

A novel disintegrin, jerdonatin, was purified to homogeneity from Trimeresurus jerdonii venom by gel filtration and reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography. We isolated the cDNA encoding jerdonatin from the snake venom gland. Jerdonatin cDNA precursor encoded pre-peptide, metalloprotease and disintegrin domain. Jerdonatin is composed of 72 amino acid residues including 12 cysteines and the tripeptide sequence Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD), a well-known characteristic of the disintegrin family. Molecular mass of jerdonatin was determined to be 8011 Da by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Jerdonatin inhibited ADP- and collagen-induced human platelet aggregation with IC50 of 123 and 135 nM, respectively. We also investigated the effect of jerdonatin on the binding of B6D2F1 hybrid mice spermatozoa to mice zona-free eggs and their subsequent fusion. Jerdonatin significantly inhibited sperm-egg binding in a concentration-dependent manner, but had no effect on the fusion of sperm-egg. These results indicate that integrins on the egg play a role in mammalian fertilization.     

五步蛇毒血小板聚集抑制因子cDNA的克隆及表达

采用一步法抽提五步蛇毒腺总ＲＮＡ,通过ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ的扩增出低分子量金属蛋白酶酶原的ｃＤＮＡ,克隆并测定了全序列。根据推导的氨基酸序列,发现其中一个ｃＤＮＡ除编码一个低分子量金属蛋白酶外,羧基端还包括一个血小板聚集抑制因子,这一结果证实了蛇毒金属蛋白酶和血小板聚集抑制因子起源于蛇毒金属蛋白酶酶原的前体。     

Purification, cloning, and molecular characterization of a high molecular weight hemorrhagic metalloprotease, jararhagin, from Bothrops jararaca venom. Insights into the disintegrin gene family.

A large hemorrhagin, jararhagin, has been cloned from a Bothrops jararaca venom gland cDNA expression library. The cDNA sequence predicts a 421-amino acid residue molecule with strong amino acid sequence homology and similar domain structure to HR1B, a high molecular weight hemorrhagic metalloprotease isolated from Trimeresurus flavoviridis (Habu) venom. Like HR1B, jararhagin contains enzyme, disintegrin, and cysteine-rich carboxyl-terminal regions. In the disintegrin region, the Arg-Gly-Asp sequence is replaced by Glu-Cys-Asp, as found in non-Arg-Gly-Asp disintegrin regions of HR1B and a guinea pig sperm fusion protein PH-30 beta. The cDNA sequence of jararhagin predicts a precursor protein (proprotein) with striking similarity to cryptic regions in precursors of the disintegrin peptides trigramin and rhodostomin. Comparison of jararhagin with disintegrin precursors highlights the modular arrangement of proprotein, metalloprotease, and disintegrin domains in the metalloprotease/disintegrin family and provides an insight into their biosynthesis and evolution.     

中国长白山乌苏里蝮蛇金属蛋白酶解整合蛋白Ussurin基因克隆和序列分析

采用Clontech链转换建库试剂盒 ,建立了中国长白山乌苏里蝮蛇毒腺cDNA文库 ,从中克隆了金属蛋白酶 解整合蛋白Ussurin ,并进行了序列分析。结果显示 ,Ussurin开框读码序列由 14 34bp组成 ,编码 4 78个氨基酸。由核苷酸顺序推导的氨基酸序列可以看出 ,Ussurin最初的翻译产物是酶原前体 ;依次含有 18氨基酸组成的信号肽 ,171氨基酸组成的酶原区和由 2 89氨基酸组成的Ussurin(2 0 0氨基酸组成的金属蛋白酶结构域、16氨基酸组成的间隔区和 73氨基酸组成的解整合蛋白结构域 )。Ussurin的金属蛋白酶结构域含有 3对二硫键 ;解整合蛋白结构域含有 6对二硫键和特征性RGD(精氨酸 甘氨酸 天冬氨酸 )结构。其基因序列和结构域组成与GenBank中蛇毒金属蛋白酶 解整合蛋白呈现高度同源性属于P Ⅱ。氨基酸序列blast比对发现 ,酶原区和解整链蛋白结构域呈现极高的同源性 ,而金属蛋白酶结构域却出现了极高的变异 ,推测这些变异结构区是为了适应不同的底物、不同受体或同一受体的不同结构域     

皖南尖吻蝮蛇毒中类去整合蛋白/富含半胱氨酸两结构域cDNA的克隆和表达

为了探讨出血毒金属蛋白酶结构功能关系 ,通过 RT- PCR方法 ,从皖南尖吻蝮蛇( Agkistrodon acutus)毒腺总 RNA中扩增得到编码 P- 型出血毒金属蛋白酶的完整类去整合蛋白和富含半胱氨酸两个结构域 c DNA( AA/DC) .它全长 964bp的 c DNA,开放阅读框架编码 2 1 6个氨基酸残基 ,序列比较分析表明它同来自 Bothrops jararaca的 jararhagin- C、来自 Crotalus atrox的 catrocollastatin- C有很高的同源性 .在类去整合蛋白结构域中 ,Ser- Glu- Cys- Asp( SECD)代替了去整合蛋白中相应部位的 Arg- Gly- Asp( RGD)三肽序列 .将编码区基因克隆入 p GEX- 2 T载体中 ,转化大肠杆菌 TG- 1 ,用 IPTG诱导表达 ,表达产物具有抑制胶原诱导的血小板凝集活性 ,但不抑制ADP诱导的血小板凝集 .该研究为进一步阐述蛇毒金属蛋白酶结构功能关系和药物开发奠定了基础 .     

Primary structure and functional characterization of bilitoxin-1, a novel dimeric P-II snake venom metalloproteinase from Agkistrodon bilineatus venom

The amino acid sequence of the hemorrhagic toxin, bilitoxin-1, isolated from the venom of Agkistrodon bilineatus was determined by the Edman sequencing procedure of peptides derived from digests utilizing cyanogen bromide, clostripain, lysyl endopeptidase, and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease. A molecular mass of 80,000 Da was observed in the nonreduced state and 48,000 Da was observed in the reduced state, as demonstrated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Each subunit consists of 291 amino acid residues and has a calculated molecular mass of 32,276 Da. The toxin contains fucose, galactosamine, glucosamine, galactose, mannose, and N-acetylneuraminic acid and three N-linked glycosylation consensus sites. Hydrazinolysis and ESI mass spectrometry revealed that asparagine was the carboxyl-terminal amino acid. The disintegrin-like domain of bilitoxin-1 lacks the RGD cell-binding sequence, which is substituted by the MGD sequence. Under certain conditions, the disintegrin domain is autoproteolytically processed from the native protein. Studies with the bilitoxin disintegrin demonstrated that it lacks platelet aggregation inhibitory activity, probably reflecting the substitution of RGD by MGD. The hemorrhagic activity of the asialobilitoxin-1 was only 25% of bilitoxin-1, while proteolytic activity was unaffected. The three-dimensional structure of this toxin was modeled and was shown to likely possess a structure similar to that of adamalysin II (Gomis-Rüth et al., EMBO J. 12, 151-157 (1993)) and the disintegrin kistrin (Adler et al., Biochemistry 32, 282-289 (1993)). In summary, here we report the first primary structure of a dimeric, P-II snake venom metalloproteinase and the biological role of bilitoxin-1 glycosylation and the disintegrin domain.     

Nucleotide sequence of a cDNA encoding a common precursor of disintegrin flavostatin and hemorrhagic factor HR2a from the venom of Trimeresurus flavoviridis.

The venom of Trimeresurus flavoviridis has three disintegrins that act as platelet aggregation inhibitors by binding to integrin alphaIIb beta3 on platelets through its Arg-Gly-Asp sequence. We isolated the cDNA encoding the flavostatin precursor that is one of the disintegrins in T. flavoviridis venom. The open reading frame consisted of four regions, a pre-peptide region, a metalloprotease region, a spacer region and a disintegrin region, indicating that the flavostatin precursor belongs to the metalloprotease/disintegrin family. Surprisingly, the deduced amino acid sequence of the metalloprotease region was completely consistent with that of hemorrhagic metalloprotease HR2a, which indicated that this metalloprotease released from the flavostatin precursor functions as a hemorrhagic factor. These observations indicated that a disintegrin and a hemorrhagic metalloprotease were synthesized as a common precursor. Thus, our results support the hypothesis that a disintegrin is synthesized as a metalloprotease/disintegrin precursor and matures by cleavage from the precursor molecule.     

A new gene structure of the disintegrin family: a subunit of dimeric disintegrin has a short coding region

Disintegrin is a potent platelet aggregation inhibitor isolated from various snake venoms. The cDNA of the snake venom disintegrin family precursor is well-known to encode pre-peptide, metalloprotease, spacer, and disintegrin domains. Recently, new types of disintegrins, dimeric disintegrins, have been isolated, and their amino acid sequences were determined to be approximately 65 amino acid residues in each subunit. We isolated a novel heterodimeric disintegrin, acostatin, from the venom of Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix, which consisted of 63 and 64 amino acid residues in the alpha chain and beta chain, and both chains had the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence for binding platelet GPIIb/IIIa. The cDNA lengths of the alpha chain and the beta chain of acostatin were 902 bp and 2031 bp, respectively. The acostatin alpha chain precursor, surprisingly, has the only disintegrin domain alone and lacked almost all of the pre-peptide and metalloprotease domains. The precursor of the acostatin beta chain belongs to a well-known motif of disintegrin precursors. Furthermore, both precursors of alpha and beta chains of another heterodimeric disintegrin, piscivostatin, also have the same domain structures as those of acostatin subunits. These results indicate that the cDNAs of heterodimeric disintegrin subunits have quite a different length of coding region and their precursors have a novel domain structure of disintegrin-family proteins.     

cDNA cloning and characterization of Agkistin,a new metalloproteinase from Agkistrodon halys

Agkistin was a new snake venom metalloproteinase (SVMP) gene which was cloned from Agkistrodon halys. Its deduced amino acid sequence has two additional cysteines (Cys407 and Cys426) in the disintegrin domain compared to other RGD containing SVMPs. The full-length gene (Agkistin) and its disintegrin region (named Agkistin-s) were expressed by baculovirus expression system (pFastBac-Htb vector) with His-tag, and their platelet aggregation-inhibition activity was evaluated. The expressed protein Agkistin can also induce apoptosis of HMEC cells in the basal medium after incubated at 37 degrees C for 20 h.     

Cloning and characterization of Adinbitor, a novel disintegrin from the snake venom of Agkistrodon halys brevicaudus stejneger

Disintegrin is a family of small proteins mainly derivedfrom snake venoms. Most of the disintegrins containRGD or KGD sequence which is the structural motif re-cognized by the platelet fibrinogen receptor α2bβ3, andthey also act as potent antagonists of several integrinsincluding αvβ3 and α5β1 which are expressed on vascularendothelial cells and some tumor cells. In addition todisintegrins’ potent antiplatelet activity, studies ondisintegrins have revealed their new applications in in…     

Complete amino acid sequence of kaouthiagin, a novel cobra venom metalloproteinase with two disintegrin-like sequences

The primary structure of kaouthiagin, a metalloproteinase from the venom of the cobra snake Naja kaouthia which specifically cleaves human von Willebrand factor (VWF), was determined by amino acid sequencing. Kaouthiagin is composed of 401 amino acid residues and one Asn-linked sugar chain. The sequence is highly similar to those of high-molecular mass snake venom metalloproteinases from viperid and crotalid venoms comprised of metalloproteinase, disintegrin-like, and Cys-rich domains. The metalloproteinase domain had a zinc-binding motif (HEXXHXXGXXH), which is highly conserved in the metzincin family. Kaouthiagin had an HDCD sequence in the disintegrin-like domain and uniquely had an RGD sequence in the Cys-rich domain. Metalloproteinase-inactivated kaouthiagin had no effect on VWF-induced platelet aggregation but still had an inhibitory effect on the collagen-induced platelet aggregation with an IC(50) of 0.2 microM, suggesting the presence of disintegrin-like activity in kaouthiagin. To examine the effects of these HDCD and RGD sequences, we prepared synthetic peptides cyclized by an S-S linkage. Both the synthetic cyclized peptides from the disintegrin-like domain and from the Cys-rich domain) had an inhibitory effect on collagen-induced platelet aggregation with IC(50) values of approximately 90 and approximately 4.5 microM, respectively. The linear peptide (RAAKHDCDLPELC) and the cyclized peptide had little effect on collagen-induced platelet aggregation. These results suggest that kaouthiagin not only inhibits VWF-induced platelet aggregation by cleaving VWF but also disturbs the agonist-induced platelet aggregation by both the disintegrin-like domain and the RGD sequence in the Cys-rich domain. Furthermore, our results imply that the corresponding part of the Cys-rich domain in other snake venom metalloproteinases also has a synergistic disturbing effect on platelet aggregation, serving as a second disintegrin-like domain. This is the first report of an elapid venom metalloproteinase with two disintegrin-like sequences.     

Cloning, expression, and characterization of a cDNA encoding snake venom metalloprotease

A cDNA clone, MT-c, encoding metalloprotease was isolated from snake (Agkistrodon halys brevicadus) venom gland cDNA library. Deduced amino acid sequence indicated that MT-c is composed of a signal sequence, amino-terminal propeptide, a central metalloprotease domain, and a Lys-Gly-Asp (KGD) disintegrin domain. The partial cDNA encoding metalloprotease and disintegrin domain was subcloned and expressed in E. coli. The expressed MT-c protein was purified and successfully refolded into functional form retaining the enzyme activity. Analyses of the purified recombinant protease activity revealed that the enzyme hydrolyzes extracellular matrix proteins including type I gelatin, type IV and type V collagen, while type I, II, III collagens and fibronectin were insensitive to the proteolytic digestion. The recombinant enzyme was also able to degrade fibrinogen by specifically cleaving A alpha chain of the protein.     

Sequence of a cDNA clone encoding the zinc metalloproteinase hemorrhagic toxin e from Crotalus atrox: evidence for signal, zymogen, and disintegrin-like structures.

The sequence of two overlapping cDNA clones for the zinc metalloproteinase hemorrhagic toxin e (also known as atrolysin e, EC 3.4.24.44) from the venom gland of Crotalus atrox, the Western diamondback rattlesnake, is presented. The assembled cDNA sequence is 1975 nucleotides in length and encodes an open reading frame of 478 amino acids. The mature hemorrhagic toxin e protein as isolated from the crude venom has a molecular weight of approximately 24,000 and thus represents the processed product of this open reading frame. From the deduced amino acid sequence, it can be hypothesized that the enzyme is translated with a signal sequence of 18 amino acids, an amino-terminal propeptide of 169 amino acids, a central hemorrhagic proteinase domain of 202 amino acids, and a carboxy-terminal sequence of 89 amino acids. The propeptide has a short region similar to the region involved in the activation of matrix metalloproteinase zymogens. The proteinase domain is similar to other snake venom metalloproteinases, with over 57% identity to the low molecular weight proteinases HR2a and H2-proteinase from the Habu snake Trimeresurus flavoviridis. The carboxy-terminal region, which is not observed in the mature protein, strongly resembles the protein sequence immediately following the proteinase domain of HR1B (a high molecular weight hemorrhagic proteinase from the venom of T. flavoviridis) and the members of a different family of snake venom polypeptides known for their platelet aggregation inhibitory activity, the disintegrins. The cDNA sequence bears striking similarity to a previously reported sequence for a disintegrin cDNA. This report is evidence that this subfamily of venom metalloproteinases is synthesized in a proenzyme form which must be proteolytically activated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Isolation and characterization of an apoptotic and platelet aggregation inhibiting L-amino acid oxidase from Vipera berus berus (common viper) venom

An L-amino acid oxidase was isolated from the venom of the common viper Vipera berus berus by a three-step procedure combining gel filtration, ion exchange and hydrophobic chromatography. The enzyme is a non-covalently bound homodimer with a monomeric molecular mass of 57.7 kDa. The N-terminal amino acid sequence and the internal peptide sequences show close structural homology with other snake venom L-amino acid oxidases. The purified protein catalyzed oxidative desamination of L-amino acids, the most specific substrate is L-Phe. The best substrates among the studied 20 amino acids were: L-Met, L-Leu, L-Phe, L-Ile, L-Arg and L-His. Five amino acids, L-Ser, L-Pro, Gly, L-Thr and L-Cys, were not oxidized. The enzyme inhibited ADP-induced platelet aggregation dose-dependently with an IC50 of 0.07 microM. The effect was neutralized by catalase. V. berus berus LAAO induced apoptosis in cultured HeLa and K562 cells as shown by DNA fragmentation gel pattern. The induction of apoptosis was inhibited by catalase.     

cDNA cloning and characterization of vascular apoptosis-inducing protein 1

Hemorrhagic snake venom induces apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells (VEC). In previous reports, we described the purification from crude venom of Crotalus atrox of two vascular apoptosis-inducing proteins (VAP1 and VAP2) that specifically induce apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells. We report here the cDNA cloning and characterization of VAP1. VAP1 cDNA encoded a protein with 610 amino acid residues. The amino acid sequence predicted from the cDNA indicated that VAP1 belongs to the metalloprotease/disintegrin family and that it is a multidomain polypeptide with a proprotein domain, a metalloprotease domain, a disintegrin-like domain, and a cysteine-rich domain. In the disintegrin-like domain, the sequence DECD replaces the RGD sequence that has frequently been found in such domains. We demonstrated that VAP1 has Zn(2+)-dependent metalloprotease activity and degrades fibrinogen. After incubation in the presence of either EDTA or EGTA, VAP1 was hardly able to degrade fibrinogen and to induce apoptosis in VEC. Our results indicated that VAP1 is a new type of snake venom metalloprotease/disintegrin and suggest that the metalloprotease activity of VAP1 might be involved in the induction of apoptosis by VAP1 in VEC.     

Discrepin, a new peptide of the sub-family alpha-ktx15, isolated from the scorpion Tityus discrepans irreversibly blocks K+ -channels (IA currents) of cerebellum granular cells

A new peptide was purified from the venom of the Venezuelan scorpion Tityus discrepans, by high-performance liquid chromatography and its amino acid sequence was completed by Edman degradation and mass spectrometry analysis. It contains 38 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 4177.7 atomic mass units, tightly folded by three disulfide bridges, and has a pyroglutamic acid at the N-terminal region. This peptide, named Discrepin, was shown to block preferentially the IA currents of the voltage-dependent K+ -channel of rat cerebellum granular cells in culture. The K+ -currents are inhibited in an apparently irreversible manner, whose 50% inhibitory effect is reached with a 190 nM toxin concentration. The systematic nomenclature proposed for this toxin is alpha-KTx15.6.     

Purification, characterization and primary structure of a chymotrypsin inhibitor from Naja atra venom

A chymotrypsin inhibitor, designated NA-CI, was isolated from the venom of the Chinese cobra Naja atra by three-step chromatography. It inhibited bovine alpha-chymotrypsin with a Ki of 25 nM. The molecular mass of NA-CI was determined to be 6403.8 Da by matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) analysis. The complete amino acid sequence was determined after digestion of S-carboxymethylated inhibitor with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease and porcine trypsin. NA-CI was a single polypeptide chain composed of 57 amino acid residues. The main contact site with the protease (P1) has a Phe, showing the specificity of the inhibitor. NA-CI shared great similarity with the chymotrypsin inhibitor from Naja naja venom (identities=89.5%) and other snake venom protease inhibitors.     

管氏肿腿蜂毒液过敏原3基因的克隆及表达分析

为研究管氏肿腿蜂Scleroderma guani毒液过敏原3基因SgA3的功能,通过RT-PCR克隆SgA3基因,采用荧光定量PCR分析其在不同发育阶段和组织中的表达特征,并利用载体pSUMO-Mut对其进行原核表达。克隆获得SgA3基因开放阅读框长699 bp,编码233个氨基酸,其中信号肽位于N端第1~23位氨基酸。多序列比对分析发现,SgA3与丽蝇蛹集金小蜂Nasonia vitripennis、粉蝶盘绒茧蜂Cotesia glomerata、红火蚁Solenopsis invicta和常见黄胡蜂Vespula vulgaris过敏原3的氨基酸序列一致性分别为50.44%、50%、48.89%和47.83%。荧光定量PCR结果表明,SgA3基因在雌成虫中高表达,且在毒液器官中的表达量显著高于雌成虫其他组织和雄成虫中的表达量。利用pSUMO-Mut表达载体,成功表达并纯化得到高纯度的SgA3重组蛋白。该研究结果为进一步研究SgA3基因的功能奠定了基础。     

Purification, gene cloning and expression of an acidic phospholipase A2 from Agkistrodon shedaoensis Zhao

A protein with the activity of phospholipase A2 named asAPLA2 was purified to homogeneity from the venom of Agkistrodon shedaoensis Zhao through DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B anion exchange column, Source S and Mono Q FPLC. Its molecular weight was estimated as 19 kD by SDS-PAGE and its pI was about 3.5 by IEF analysis. It inhibits the platelet aggregation that was induced by 1 μmol/ L ADP, and the IC50 was determined to be 6 μmol/L. Degenerate primer was designed and synthesized according to the N-terminal amino acid sequence of asAPLA2. Its full-length cDNA was cloned by RT-PCR from the total RNA extracted from the snake venom gland. According to the deduced amino acid sequence, its molecular weight and pI are determined to be 13,649 and 4.39 respectively as calculated by DNAclub and DNAstar softwares. The gene was then cloned into the expression plasmid pET-40b( ) and expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3). Western blot analysis indicated that the expressed protein cross-reacted with the antibody against the native