RESUMO
Cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRiSPs) are widespread in reptile venoms, but most have functions that remain unknown. In the present study we describe the purification and characterization of a CRiSP (patagonin) from the venom of the rear-fanged snake Philodryas patagoniensis, and demonstrate its biological activity. Patagonin is a single-chain protein, exhibiting a molecular mass of 24,858.6 Da, whose NH(2)-terminal and MS/MS-derived sequences are nearly identical to other snake venom CRiSPs. The purified protein hydrolyzed neither azocasein nor fibrinogen, and it could induce no edema, hemorrhage or inhibition of platelet adhesion and aggregation. In addition, patagonin did not inhibit contractions of rat aortic smooth muscle induced by high K(+). However, it caused muscular damage to murine gastrocnemius muscle, an action that has not been previously described for any snake venom CRiSPs. Thus, patagonin will be important for studies of the structure-function and evolutionary relationships of this family of proteins that are widely distributed among snake venoms.
Assuntos
Glicoproteínas de Membrana/genética , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/isolamento & purificação , Venenos de Serpentes/genética , Venenos de Serpentes/isolamento & purificação , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Masculino , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/toxicidade , Camundongos , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Músculo Esquelético/efeitos dos fármacos , Músculo Esquelético/patologia , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Venenos de Serpentes/toxicidadeRESUMO
Cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRiSPs) are widespread in reptile venoms, but most have functions thatremain unknown. In the present study we describe the purification and characterization of a CRiSP(patagonin) from the venom of the rear-fanged snake Philodryas patagoniensis, and demonstrate itsbiological activity. Patagonin is a single-chain protein, exhibiting a molecular mass of 24,858.6 Da, whoseNH2-terminal and MS/MS-derived sequences are nearly identical to other snake venom CRiSPs. The purifiedprotein hydrolyzed neither azocasein nor fibrinogen, and it could induce no edema, hemorrhage or inhibitionof platelet adhesion and aggregation. In addition, patagonin did not inhibit contractions of rat aortic smoothmuscle induced by high K+. However, it caused muscular damage to murine gastrocnemius muscle, an actionthat has not been previously described for any snake venom CRiSPs. Thus, patagonin will be important forstudies of the structure-function and evolutionary relationships of this family of proteins that are widelydistributed among snake venoms.