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Coronado MA, Gabdulkhakov A, Georgieva D, Sankaran B, Murakami MT, Arni RK, Betzel C. Structure of the polypeptide crotamine from the Brazilian rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA. SECTION D, BIOLOGICAL CRYSTALLOGRAPHY 2013; 69:1958-64. [PMID: 24100315 PMCID: PMC3792641 DOI: 10.1107/s0907444913018003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2013] [Accepted: 06/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The crystal structure of the myotoxic, cell-penetrating, basic polypeptide crotamine isolated from the venom of Crotalus durissus terrificus has been determined by single-wavelength anomalous dispersion techniques and refined at 1.7 Å resolution. The structure reveals distinct cationic and hydrophobic surface regions that are located on opposite sides of the molecule. This surface-charge distribution indicates its possible mode of interaction with negatively charged phospholipids and other molecular targets to account for its diverse pharmacological activities. Although the sequence identity between crotamine and human β-defensins is low, the three-dimensional structures of these functionally related peptides are similar. Since crotamine is a leading member of a large family of myotoxic peptides, its structure will provide a basis for the design of novel cell-penetrating molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika A. Coronado
- Multi User Center for Biomolecular Innovation, Department of Physics, São Paulo State University, UNESP/IBILCE, C. Postal 136, 15054-000 São José do Rio Preto-SP, Brazil
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hamburg University, Martin-Luther-King Platz 6, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Azat Gabdulkhakov
- Institute of Protein Research, RAS, Pushchino, Moscow Region 142290, Russian Federation
| | - Dessislava Georgieva
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hamburg University, Martin-Luther-King Platz 6, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Banumathi Sankaran
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94702, USA
| | - Mario T. Murakami
- Biosciences National Laboratory, National Center for Energy and Materials Research, Giuseppe Maximo Scolfaro 10000, 13083-970 Campinas-SP, Brazil
| | - Raghuvir K. Arni
- Multi User Center for Biomolecular Innovation, Department of Physics, São Paulo State University, UNESP/IBILCE, C. Postal 136, 15054-000 São José do Rio Preto-SP, Brazil
| | - Christian Betzel
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hamburg University, Martin-Luther-King Platz 6, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
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Structural and pharmacological characterization of the crotamine isoforms III-4 (MYX4_CROCu) and III-7 (MYX7_CROCu) isolated from the Crotalus durissus cumanensis venom. Toxicon 2010; 55:1443-52. [PMID: 20206199 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2010.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2009] [Revised: 02/20/2010] [Accepted: 02/23/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Two major crotamine isoforms (III-4 and III-7) were obtained combining two chromatographic steps on molecular exclusion chromatography (Sephadex G-75) and ion-exchange column (Protein Pack SP 5PW) of the rattlesnake Crotalus durissus cumanensis venom. The "in vivo" myotoxic effect of the venom, its "in vitro" cytotoxicity in myoblasts and myotubes (C2C12) and the neurotoxic and edema-forming activity were characterized. The molecular masses of the crotamine isoforms were 4907.94 Da (III-4) and 4985.02 Da (III-7) and, as determined by mass spectrometry, both contained six Cys residues. Enzymatic hydrolysis followed by de novo sequencing through tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine the primary structure of both isoforms. III-4 and III-7 isoforms presented a 42-amino acid residues sequence and showed high molecular amino acid sequence identity with other crotamine-like proteins from Crotalus durissus terrificus. In vivo, both crotamine isoforms induced myotoxicty and a systemic interleukin-6 response upon intramuscular injection. These new crotamine isoforms induced low cytotoxicity in skeletal muscle myoblasts and myotubes (C2C12) and both induced a facilitatory effect on neuromuscular transmission in young chick biventer cervicis preparation. Edema-forming activity was also analyzed by injection of the crotamine isoforms into the right paw, since both crotamine isoforms exert a strong pro-inflammatory effect.
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Bieber AL, Nedelkov D. Structural, Biological and Biochemical Studies of MyotoxinaAnd Homologous Myotoxins. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.3109/15569549709064092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Rizzi CT, Carvalho-de-Souza JL, Schiavon E, Cassola AC, Wanke E, Troncone LRP. Crotamine inhibits preferentially fast-twitching muscles but is inactive on sodium channels. Toxicon 2007; 50:553-62. [PMID: 17588630 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2007.04.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2007] [Revised: 04/27/2007] [Accepted: 04/30/2007] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Crotamine is a peptide toxin from the venom of the rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus that induces a typical hind-limb paralysis of unknown nature. Hind limbs have a predominance of fast-twitching muscles that bear a higher density of sodium channels believed until now to be the primary target of crotamine. Hypothetically, this makes these muscles more sensitive to crotamine and would explain such hind-limb paralysis. To challenge this hypothesis, we performed concentration vs. response curves on fast (extensor digitorum longus (EDL)) and slow (soleus) muscles of adult male rats. Crotamine was tested on various human Na+ channel isoforms (Na(v)1.1-Na(v)1.6 alpha-subunits) expressed in HEK293 cells in patch-clamp experiments, as well as in acutely dissociated dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Also, the behavioral effects of crotamine intoxication were compared with those of a muscle-selective sodium channel antagonist mu-CgTx-GIIIA, and other sodium-acting toxins such as tetrodotoxin alpha- and beta-pompilidotoxins, sea anemone toxin BcIII, spider toxin Tx2-6. Results pointed out that EDL was more susceptible to crotamine than soleus under direct electrical stimulation. Surprisingly, electrophysiological experiments in human Na(v)1.1 to Na(v)1.6 Na+ channels failed to show any significant change in channel characteristics, in a clear contrast with former studies. DRG neurons did not respond to crotamine. The behavioral effects of the toxins were described in detail and showed remarkable differences. We conclude that, although differences in the physiology of fast and slow muscles may cause the typical crotamine syndrome, sodium channels are not the primary target of crotamine and therefore, the real mechanism of action of this toxin is still unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina T Rizzi
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Instituto Butantan, Av Vital Brasil 1500, Sao Paulo SP-05503-900, Brazil
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Fadel V, Bettendorff P, Herrmann T, de Azevedo WF, Oliveira EB, Yamane T, Wüthrich K. Automated NMR structure determination and disulfide bond identification of the myotoxin crotamine from Crotalus durissus terrificus. Toxicon 2005; 46:759-67. [PMID: 16185738 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2005.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2005] [Accepted: 07/28/2005] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Crotamine is one of four major components of the venom of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus. Similar to its counterparts in the family of the myotoxins, it induces myonecrosis of skeletal muscle cells. This paper describes a new NMR structure determination of crotamine in aqueous solution at pH 5.8 and 20 degrees C, using standard homonuclear 1H NMR spectroscopy at 900MHz and the automated structure calculation software ATNOS/CANDID/DYANA. The automatic NOESY spectral analysis included the identification of a most likely combination of the six cysteines into three disulfide bonds, i.e. Cys4-Cys36, Cys11-Cys30 and Cys18-Cys37; thereby a generally applicable new computational protocol is introduced to determine unknown disulfide bond connectivities in globular proteins. A previous NMR structure determination was thus confirmed and the structure refined. Crotamine contains an alpha-helix with residues 1-7 and a two-stranded anti-parallel beta-sheet with residues 9-13 and 34-38 as the only regular secondary structures. These are connected with each other and the remainder of the polypeptide chain by the three disulfide bonds, which also form part of a central hydrophobic core. A single conformation was observed, with Pro13 and Pro21 in the trans and Pro20 in the cis-form. The global fold and the cysteine-pairing pattern of crotamine are similar to the beta-defensin fold, although the two proteins have low sequence homology, and display different biological activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valmir Fadel
- Institut für Molekularbiologie und Biophysik, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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Oguiura N, Boni-Mitake M, Rádis-Baptista G. New view on crotamine, a small basic polypeptide myotoxin from South American rattlesnake venom. Toxicon 2005; 46:363-70. [PMID: 16115660 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2005.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2005] [Revised: 05/10/2005] [Accepted: 06/08/2005] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Crotamine is a toxin from the Crotalus durissus terrificus venom, composed of 42 amino acid residues and three disulfide bridges. It belongs to a toxin family previously called Small Basic Polypeptide Myotoxins (SBPM) whose members are widely distributed through the Crotalus snake venoms. Comparison of SBPM amino acid sequences shows high similarities. Crotamine induces skeletal muscle spasms, leading to spastic paralysis of the hind limbs of mice, by interacting with sodium channels on muscle cells. The crotamine gene with 1.8 kbp is organized into three exons, which are separated by a long phase-1 and short phase-2 introns and mapped to chromosome 2. The three-dimensional structure of crotamine was recently solved and shares a structural topology with other three disulfide bond-containing peptide similar to human beta-defensins and scorpion Na+ channel toxin. Novel biological activities have been reported, such as the capacity to penetrate undifferentiated cells, to localize in the nucleus, and to serve as a marker of actively proliferating living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Oguiura
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500, São Paulo 05503-900, SP-Brazil.
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Nicastro G, Franzoni L, de Chiara C, Mancin AC, Giglio JR, Spisni A. Solution structure of crotamine, a Na+ channel affecting toxin from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY 2003; 270:1969-79. [PMID: 12709056 DOI: 10.1046/j.1432-1033.2003.03563.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Crotamine is a component of the venom of the snake Crotalus durissus terrificus and it belongs to the myotoxin protein family. It is a 42 amino acid toxin cross-linked by three disulfide bridges and characterized by a mild toxicity (LD50 = 820 micro g per 25 g body weight, i.p. injection) when compared to other members of the same family. Nonetheless, it possesses a wide spectrum of biological functions. In fact, besides being able to specifically modify voltage-sensitive Na+ channel, it has been suggested to exhibit analgesic activity and to be myonecrotic. Here we report its solution structure determined by proton NMR spectroscopy. The secondary structure comprises a short N-terminal alpha-helix and a small antiparallel triple-stranded beta-sheet arranged in an alphabeta1beta2beta3 topology never found among toxins active on ion channels. Interestingly, some scorpion toxins characterized by a biological activity on Na+ channels similar to the one reported for crotamine, exhibit an alpha/beta fold, though with a beta1alphabeta2beta3 topology. In addition, as the antibacterial beta-defensins, crotamine interacts with lipid membranes. A comparison of crotamine with human beta-defensins shows a similar fold and a comparable net positive potential surface. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the structure of a toxin from snake venom active on Na+ channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Nicastro
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Chemistry and Structural Biochemistry, University of Parma, Italy
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Siqueira AM, Martins NF, De Lima ME, Diniz CR, Cartier A, Brown D, Maigret B. A proposed 3D structure for crotamine based on homology building, molecular simulations and circular dichroism. J Mol Graph Model 2002; 20:389-98. [PMID: 11887801 DOI: 10.1016/s1093-3263(01)00139-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Crotamine, isolated from the venom of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus is a strongly basic 42-amino acid polypeptide belonging to the small basic myotoxin family. As no tridimensional structure is available for this myotoxin subfamily, despite its important pharmacological interest, we propose in this paper a theoretical 3D model for crotamine. Starting from a homology modelling procedure, followed by intensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in water and complementary CD experiments, the designed 3D model is the first example of a tridimensional structure in this family of small basic myotoxins. Crotamine, therefore, belongs to a newly identified structural family presenting a common fold also found in beta-defensin and antopleurine-B. The proposed 3D model will be used for future calculations about crotamine aggregation and interaction with membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Siqueira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Nedelkov D, Bieber AL. Characterization of the two myotoxin a isomers from the prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis viridis) by capillary zone electrophoresis and fluorescence quenching studies. Toxicon 1997; 35:689-98. [PMID: 9203293 DOI: 10.1016/s0041-0101(96)00175-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The two myotoxin a isomers from the venom of the prairie rattlesnake Crotalus viridis viridis have different isoelectric points, as determined by capillary zone electrophoresis. The pI values are 10.50 and 10.57, respectively, and both are higher than the previously reported pI value for myotoxin a. The difference in the isoelectric points between the two isomers is attributed to altered surface charge as a result of the conformational change in myotoxin a. Both isomers exist in crude venom, discounting the possibility that they are artifacts formed during the purification process. Fluorescence quenching of myotoxin a reveals heterogeneity of the tryptophans, possibly due to different environments. The fraction of the total tryptophan fluorescence quenched by iodide is 81% and is attributed to solvent-accessible tryptophan residues at the protein surface. The 19% non-quenchable tryptophans probably represent residues that are shielded from the solvent exposure. The ratio of buried to exposed tryptophans is similar to the ratio of isomers seen by capillary zone electrophoresis and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (c. 1 : 4).
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Affiliation(s)
- D Nedelkov
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe 85287-1604, USA
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Muszkat KA, Preygerzon V, Tu AT. CIDNP study of the aromatic side chain interactions in myotoxin alpha. JOURNAL OF PROTEIN CHEMISTRY 1994; 13:333-7. [PMID: 7945796 DOI: 10.1007/bf01901566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
CIDNP and COSY measurements were applied to study aromatic side chain interactions and conformations in myotoxin alpha, a Crotalus venom toxin which acts as blocker of the Ca2+ influx in the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pump. New evidence for the existence of a hydrophobic aromatic cluster at the amino terminus was obtained. This cluster consists of Tyr1, His5, His10, and (possibly) F12. The CIDNP data clearly establish that the usual order of the tyrosine 2, 6 and 3, 5 proton signals of Tyr1 is inverted, because of the large diamagnetic shielding effects of one ring on the other. The lines of the 2, 6 ring protons of Tyr1 and proton 4 in each of His5 and His10 are significantly broadened, an outcome of the side-chain hydrophobic interaction. The aromatic cluster could possibly present a hydrophobic sticky patch for binding of toxin by Ca2+ ATPase.
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Affiliation(s)
- K A Muszkat
- Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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