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Thakur S, Yasmin R, Malhotra A, Lalremsanga HT, Santra V, Giri S, Doley R. Isolation and Functional Characterization of Erythrofibrase: An Alfa-Fibrinogenase Enzyme from Trimeresurus erythrurus Venom of North-East India. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:201. [PMID: 38668626 PMCID: PMC11054993 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16040201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Green pit viper bites induce mild toxicity with painful local swelling, blistering, cellulitis, necrosis, ecchymosis and consumptive coagulopathy. Several bite cases of green pit vipers have been reported in several south-east Asian countries including the north-eastern region of India. The present study describes isolation and characterization of a haemostatically active protein from Trimeresurus erythrurus venom responsible for coagulopathy. Using a two-step chromatographic method, a snake venom serine protease erythrofibrase was purified to homogeneity. SDS-PAGE of erythrofibrase showed a single band of ~30 kDa in both reducing and non-reducing conditions. The primary structure of erythrofibrase was determined by ESI LC-MS/MS, and the partial sequence obtained showed 77% sequence similarity with other snake venom thrombin-like enzymes (SVTLEs). The partial sequence obtained had the typical 12 conserved cysteine residues, as well as the active site residues (His57, Asp102 and Ser195). Functionally, erythrofibrase showed direct fibrinogenolytic activity by degrading the Aα chain of bovine fibrinogen at a slow rate, which might be responsible for causing hypofibrinogenemia and incoagulable blood for several days in envenomated patients. Moreover, the inability of Indian polyvalent antivenom (manufactured by Premium Serum Pvt. Ltd., Maharashtra, India) to neutralize the thrombin-like and plasmin-like activity of erythrofibrase can be correlated with the clinical inefficacy of antivenom therapy. This is the first study reporting an α-fibrinogenase enzyme erythrofibrase from T. erythrurus venom, which is crucial for the pathophysiological manifestations observed in envenomated victims.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susmita Thakur
- Molecular Toxinology Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Tezpur 784028, Assam, India; (S.T.); (R.Y.)
| | - Rafika Yasmin
- Molecular Toxinology Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Tezpur 784028, Assam, India; (S.T.); (R.Y.)
| | - Anita Malhotra
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution at Bangor, School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2UW, UK;
| | - Hmar Tlawmte Lalremsanga
- Developmental Biology and Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, Mizoram, India;
| | - Vishal Santra
- Society for Nature Conservation, Research and Community Engagement (CONCERN), Nalikul 712407, West Bengal, India;
- Captive and Field Herpetology, 13 Hirfron, Anglesey LL65 1YU, UK
- Shree Sainath Surgical and Maternity Hospital, Valsad 396050, Gujrat, India
| | - Surajit Giri
- Demow Government Community Health Centre, Raichai, Konwar Dihingia Gaon, Sivasagar 785662, Assam, India;
| | - Robin Doley
- Molecular Toxinology Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Tezpur 784028, Assam, India; (S.T.); (R.Y.)
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Wongdontri C, Jaree P, Somboonwiwat K. PmKuSPI is regulated by pmo-miR-bantam and contributes to hemocyte homeostasis and viral propagation in shrimp. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2023; 137:108738. [PMID: 37031922 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2023.108738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor (KuSPI) is a low molecular weight protein that plays a role in modulating a range of biological processes. In Penaeus monodon, the PmKuSPI gene has been found to be highly expressed in the white spot syndrome virus (WSSV)-infected shrimp and is predicted to be regulated by a conserved microRNA, pmo-miR-bantam. We reported that, despite being upregulated at the transcriptional level, the PmKuSPI protein was also upregulated after WSSV infection. Silencing the PmKuSPI gene in healthy shrimp had no effect on phenoloxidase activity or apoptosis but resulted in a delay in the mortality of WSSV-infected shrimp as well as a reduction in the total hemocyte number and WSSV copies. According to an in vitro luciferase reporter assay, the pmo-miR-bantam bound to the 3'UTR of the PmKuSPI gene as predicted. In accordance with the loss of function studies using dsRNA-mediated RNA interference, the administration of the pmo-miR-bantam mimic into WSSV-infected shrimp lowered the expression of the PmKuSPI transcript and the PmKuSPI protein, as well as the WSSV copy number. According to these results, the protease inhibitor PmKuSPI is posttranscriptionally controlled by pmo-miR-bantam and plays a role in hemocyte homeostasis, which in turn affects shrimp susceptibility to WSSV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantaka Wongdontri
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Biology and Genomics of Shrimp, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Phayathai Rd., Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Phattarunda Jaree
- Center of Applied Shrimp Research and Innovation, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Kunlaya Somboonwiwat
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Biology and Genomics of Shrimp, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Phayathai Rd., Bangkok, Thailand.
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Expression of the First Recombinant Anti-Tumoral Snake Venom Kunitz-Type Serine Protease Inhibitor. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14030170. [PMID: 35324668 PMCID: PMC8955015 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14030170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
PIVL is a Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor that was previously characterized from Tunisian snake venom, Macrovipera lebetina transmediterranea. It reduced glioblastoma cells’ development and significantly blocked angiogenesis in in-vitro and ex-vivo models. PIVL exerted these effects by interfering with αvβ3 integrin. In order to produce a biological active recombinant, the cDNA cloning and expression of PIVL was performed in Escherichia coli (BL21)-DE3 cells using pET-22b (+) vector. The recombinant PIVL protein (rPIVL) was purified by nickel affinity chromatography and has recognized monoclonal anti-His antibody. Functionally, rPIVL exhibited potent anti-tumor cell effects as well as anti-angiogenesis properties. Interestingly, we found that both native PIVL (nPIVL) and rPIVL modulated PI3/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways. In all, our results showed that we have successfully expressed the first active anti-oncogenic snake venom Kunitz-type protease inhibitor that can be a potential therapeutic drug against glioblastoma, in its native or recombinant form.
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Rivera-de-Torre E, Rimbault C, Jenkins TP, Sørensen CV, Damsbo A, Saez NJ, Duhoo Y, Hackney CM, Ellgaard L, Laustsen AH. Strategies for Heterologous Expression, Synthesis, and Purification of Animal Venom Toxins. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 9:811905. [PMID: 35127675 PMCID: PMC8811309 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.811905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal venoms are complex mixtures containing peptides and proteins known as toxins, which are responsible for the deleterious effect of envenomations. Across the animal Kingdom, toxin diversity is enormous, and the ability to understand the biochemical mechanisms governing toxicity is not only relevant for the development of better envenomation therapies, but also for exploiting toxin bioactivities for therapeutic or biotechnological purposes. Most of toxinology research has relied on obtaining the toxins from crude venoms; however, some toxins are difficult to obtain because the venomous animal is endangered, does not thrive in captivity, produces only a small amount of venom, is difficult to milk, or only produces low amounts of the toxin of interest. Heterologous expression of toxins enables the production of sufficient amounts to unlock the biotechnological potential of these bioactive proteins. Moreover, heterologous expression ensures homogeneity, avoids cross-contamination with other venom components, and circumvents the use of crude venom. Heterologous expression is also not only restricted to natural toxins, but allows for the design of toxins with special properties or can take advantage of the increasing amount of transcriptomics and genomics data, enabling the expression of dormant toxin genes. The main challenge when producing toxins is obtaining properly folded proteins with a correct disulfide pattern that ensures the activity of the toxin of interest. This review presents the strategies that can be used to express toxins in bacteria, yeast, insect cells, or mammalian cells, as well as synthetic approaches that do not involve cells, such as cell-free biosynthesis and peptide synthesis. This is accompanied by an overview of the main advantages and drawbacks of these different systems for producing toxins, as well as a discussion of the biosafety considerations that need to be made when working with highly bioactive proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esperanza Rivera-de-Torre
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- *Correspondence: Esperanza Rivera-de-Torre, ; Andreas H. Laustsen,
| | - Charlotte Rimbault
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Timothy P. Jenkins
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Christoffer V. Sørensen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anna Damsbo
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Natalie J. Saez
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Yoan Duhoo
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Celeste Menuet Hackney
- Department of Biology, Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lars Ellgaard
- Department of Biology, Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andreas H. Laustsen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- *Correspondence: Esperanza Rivera-de-Torre, ; Andreas H. Laustsen,
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