title: A toxin-like gene in rainbow trout: cloning, expression, and gene organization.
abstract: The 'three-finger' protein family consists of structurally related proteins which display a variety of biological functions. Snake venom alpha-neurotoxins, Ly-6 alloantigens, urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) and the complement regulatory protein CD59 are members of this protein family. Their characteristic feature is the disposition of four disulfide bridges forming a hydrophobic core. Here it is reported the cloning and characterization of a toxin-like gene (toxin-1) in the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Phylogenetic analysis showed that trout toxin-1 classified into the short-chain neurotoxins (60-65 residues), confining to a distinct group. Trout toxin-1 gene contains three exons interrupted by two introns, in line with the other toxin members of the 'three-finger' family. Trout liver, brain, and spleen express the toxin-1 gene and its encoded protein is identified in trout plasma. This is the first report of a toxin-like gene which has been described so far in teleost.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Rion 26500 Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Eleftheria
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Georgaka
authors.forename: Vassilios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nastopoulos
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eleftheriou
authors.forename: Ioannis K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Zarkadis
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005091:Exons; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007438:Introns; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017686:Oncorhynchus mykiss / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D029941:Fish Proteins; D009498:Neurotoxins