Post-translational modification accounts for the presence of varied forms of nerve growth factor in Australian elapid snake venoms.
The Australian elapid snakes are amongst the most venomous snakes in the world, but much less is known about the overall venom composition in comparison to Asian and American snakes. We have used a combined approach of cDNA cloning and 2-DE with MS to identify nerve growth factor (NGF) in venoms of the Australian elapid snakes and demonstrate its neurite outgrowth activity. While a single 730 nucleotide ORF, coding for a 243 amino acid precursor protein was detected in all snakes, use of 2-DE identified NGF proteins with considerable variation in molecular size within and between the different snakes. The variation in size can be explained at least in part by N-linked glycosylation. It is possible that these modifications alter the stability, activity and other characteristics of the snake NGFs. Further characterisation is necessary to delineate the function of the individual NGF isoforms.
Earl
Stephen T H
ST
The Queensland Institute of Medical Research, PO Royal Brisbane Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
Birrell
Geoff W
GW
Wallis
Tristan P
TP
St Pierre
Liam D
LD
Masci
Paul P
PP
de Jersey
John
J
Gorman
Jeffrey J
JJ
Lavin
Martin F
MF
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D001483:Base Sequence; D001681:Biological Assay; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004546:Elapid Venoms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017815:Elapidae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D006031:Glycosylation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016716:PC12 Cells; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D040901:Proteomics; D051381:Rats; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004546:Elapid Venoms; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor