The gene of the four disulfide-bridged defensin J1-1 from Capsicum was cloned into the expression vector pQE30 containing a 6His-tag as fusion protein. This construct was transfected into Origami strain of Escherichia coli and expressed after induction with isopropyl thiogalactoside (IPTG). The level of expression was 4 mg/L of culture medium, and the His-tagged recombinant defensin (HisXarJ1-1) was expressed exclusively into inclusion bodies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe genes of the five disulfide-bonded peptide toxins 1 and 2 (named Oxytoxins or Oxotoxins) from the spider Oxyopes lineatus were cloned into the expression vector pQE30 containing a 6His-tag and a Factor Xa proteolytic cleavage region. These two recombinant vectors were transfected into Escherichia coli BL21 cells and expressed under induction with isopropyl thiogalactoside (IPTG). The product of each gene was named HisrOxyTx1 or HisrOxyTx2, and the protein expression was ca 14 and 6 mg/L of culture medium, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe three-dimensional structures of the long-chain mammalian scorpion β-toxin CssII from Centruroides suffusus suffusus and of its recombinant form, HisrCssII, were determined by NMR. The neurotoxin CssII (nCssII) is a 66 amino acid long peptide with four disulfide bridges; it is the most abundant and deadly toxin from the venom of this scorpion. Both native and recombinant CssII structures were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance using a total of 828 sequential distance constraints derived from the volume integration of the cross peaks observed in 2D NOESY spectra.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis communication reports the identification and characterization of two new toxins from the venom of the scorpion Centruroides suffusus suffusus, named: CssVIII and CssIX, according to the original nomenclature of toxins previously described for this scorpion. The isolation was obtained by means of two chromatographic steps, and a cDNA library was used to fully identify their precursors. CssVIII and CssIX contain signal peptides of 19 and 17 amino acid residues, and mature peptides of 66 and 65 residues, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCssII is a β-scorpion peptide that modifies preferentially sodium currents of the voltage-dependent Na(+) channel (Nav) sub-type 1.6. Previously, we have found that the C-terminal amidation of CssII increases its affinity for Nav, which opens at more negative potentials in the presence of CssII.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTwo toxic and one non-toxic recombinant peptide variants of the mammalian neurotoxin CssII was cloned into the expression vector pQE30 containing a 6His-tag and a Factor Xa proteolytic cleavage site. The toxic recombinant peptides rCssII, HisrCssII and the non-toxic rCssIIE15R were expressed under induction with isopropyl thiogalactoside (IPTG), isolated using chromatographic techniques and folded correctly in vitro. The three recombinant variants showed similar secondary structures as the native CssII, but only the rCssIIE15R was not toxic to mice at concentrations up to 30microg/20g mouse body weight when injected intraperitoneally.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe gene of the four disulfide-bridged Centruroides suffusus suffusus toxin II was cloned into the expression vector pQE30 containing a 6His-tag and a FXa proteolytic cleavage region. This recombinant vector was transfected into Escherichia coli BL21 cells and expressed under induction with isopropyl thiogalactoside (IPTG). The level of expression was 24.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdvances in NMR and mass spectrometry as well as in peptide biochemistry coupled to modern methods in electrophysiology have permitted the isolation and identification of numerous products from spider venoms, previously explored due to technical limitations. The chemical composition of spider venoms is diverse, ranging from low molecular weight organic compounds such as acylpolyamines to complex peptides. First, acylpolyamines (< 1000 Da) have an aromatic moiety linked to a hydrophilic lateral chain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe profilin family consists of a group of ubiquitous highly conserved 12-15 kDa eukaryotic proteins that bind actin, phosphoinositides, poly-l-proline (PLP) and proteins with proline-rich motifs. Some proteins with proline-rich motifs form complexes that have been implicated in the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton and processes such as vesicular trafficking. A major unanswered question in the field is how profilin achieves the required specificity to bind such an array of proteins.
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