Cloning of cDNAS encoding neurotoxic peptides from the spider Phoneutria nigriventer.
A cDNA library made from venom glands of the spider Phoneutria nigriventer was constructed and used to clone neurotoxic peptides. A cDNA of about 360 nucleotides encoding the precursor for the toxin Tx2-1 active on mammals has been isolated. The deduced amino acid sequence for the mature polypeptide confirms the polypeptide sequence previously published. In addition, two new putative toxins called Pn2-1A and Pn2-5A have been characterized and their complete amino acid sequence show 92% similarity to Tx2-1 and 94% similarity to Tx2-5 respectively. The cDNAs revealed that the precursors contain signal peptides characterized by a very hydrophobic core and a propeptide interposed between the signal sequence and the peptide toxin.
Kalapothakis
E
E
Departamento de Farmacologia Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Penaforte
C L
CL
Beirão
P S
PS
Romano-Silva
M A
MA
Cruz
J S
JS
Prado
M A
MA
Guimarães
P E
PE
Gomez
M V
MV
Prado
V F
VF
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular / Q000379:methods*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry*; D015723:Gene Library; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000737:chemistry*; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000737:chemistry; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000235:genetics*; D013112:Spiders
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D009498:Neurotoxins; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013111:Spider Venoms