Wide distribution of cysteine-rich secretory proteins in snake venoms: isolation and cloning of novel snake venom cysteine-rich secretory proteins

Arch Biochem Biophys. 2003 Apr 1;412(1):133-41. doi: 10.1016/s0003-9861(03)00028-6.

Abstract

Cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs) are found in epididymis and granules of mammals, and they are thought to function in sperm maturation and in the immune system. Recently, we isolated and obtained clones for novel snake venom proteins that are classified as CRISP family proteins. To elucidate the distribution of snake venom CRISP family proteins, we evaluated a wide range of venoms for immuno-cross-reactivity. Then we isolated, characterized, and cloned genes for three novel CRISP family proteins (piscivorin, ophanin, and catrin) from the venom of eastern cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus), king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), and western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox). Our results show the wide distribution of snake venom CRISP family proteins among Viperidae and Elapidae from different continents, indicating that CRISP family proteins compose a new group of snake venom proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Amino Acids / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Arteries / drug effects
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Cysteine / metabolism*
  • DNA, Complementary / metabolism
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / chemistry
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / isolation & purification*
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Rats
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Snake Venoms / metabolism*
  • Sodium Chloride / pharmacology
  • Species Specificity
  • Tail / metabolism
  • Viperidae

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Crisp3 protein, rat
  • DNA, Complementary
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Snake Venoms
  • Sodium Chloride
  • Cysteine