RESUMO
Every year in Mexico, around 300,000 people suffer from accidents related to scorpion stings. Among the scorpion species dangerous to human is Centruroides ornatus, whose venom characterization is described here. From this venom, a total of 114 components were found using chromatographic separation and mass spectrometry analysis. The most abundant ones have molecular masses between 3000-4000 Da and 6000-8000 Da respectively, similar to other known K+ and Na+-channel specific scorpion peptides. Using intraperitoneal injections into CD1 mice, we were able to identify and fully sequenced three new lethal toxins. We propose to name them Co1, Co2 and Co3 toxins, which correspond to toxins 1 to 3 of the abbreviated species name (Co). Electrophysiology analysis of these peptides using heterologously expressed human Na+-channels revealed a typical ß-toxin effect. Peptide Co52 (the most abundant peptide in the venom) showed no activity in our in vivo and in vitro model assays. A phylogenetic analysis groups the Co1, Co2 and Co3 among other ß-toxins from Centruroides scorpions. Peptide Co52 segregates among peptides of unknown defined functions.
Assuntos
Venenos de Escorpião/química , Escorpiões , Animais , Humanos , Espectrometria de Massas , México , Camundongos , Peptídeos/química , Picadas de EscorpiãoRESUMO
A glycosylated lectin (CTL) with specificity for mannose and glucose has been detected and purified from seeds of Centrolobium tomentosum, a legume plant from Dalbergieae tribe. It was isolated by mannose-sepharose affinity chromatography. The primary structure was determined by tandem mass spectrometry and consists of 245 amino acids, similar to other Dalbergieae lectins. CTL structures were solved from two crystal forms, a monoclinic and a tetragonal, diffracted at 2.25 and 1.9 Å, respectively. The carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD), metal-binding site and glycosylation site were characterized, and the structural basis for mannose/glucose-binding was elucidated. The lectin adopts the canonical dimeric organization of legume lectins. CTL showed acute inflammatory effect in paw edema model. The protein was subjected to ligand screening (dimannosides and trimannoside) by molecular docking, and interactions were compared with similar lectins possessing the same ligand specificity. This is the first crystal structure of mannose/glucose native seed lectin with proinflammatory activity isolated from the Centrolobium genus.
Assuntos
Edema/induzido quimicamente , Fabaceae/química , Lectina de Ligação a Manose , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Lectinas de Plantas , Sementes/química , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Edema/patologia , Feminino , Glicosilação , Inflamação/induzido quimicamente , Inflamação/patologia , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/química , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/toxicidade , Espectrometria de Massas , Lectinas de Plantas/química , Lectinas de Plantas/toxicidade , Pegadas de Proteínas , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Relação Estrutura-AtividadeRESUMO
A new peptide with 61 amino acids cross-linked by 4 disulfide bridges, with molecular weight of 6938.12Da, and an amidated C-terminal amino acid residue was purified and characterized. The primary structure was obtained by direct Edman degradation and sequencing its gene. The peptide is lethal to mammals and was shown to be similar (95% identity) to toxin Ts1 (gamma toxin) from the Brazilian scorpion Tityus serrulatus; it was named Tt1g (from T. trivittatus toxin 1 gamma-like). Tt1g was assayed on several sub-types of Na(+)-channels showing displacement of the currents to more negative voltages, being the hNav1.3 the most affected channel. This toxin displays characteristics typical to the ß-type sodium scorpion toxins. Lethality tests and physiological assays indicate that this peptide is probably the most important toxic component of this species of scorpion, known for causing human fatalities in the South American continent.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Artrópodes/farmacologia , Venenos de Escorpião/química , Escorpiões/química , Bloqueadores dos Canais de Sódio/farmacologia , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Argentina , Proteínas de Artrópodes/química , Proteínas de Artrópodes/isolamento & purificação , Sequência de Bases , Células HEK293 , Humanos , Dose Letal Mediana , Camundongos , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Canal de Sódio Disparado por Voltagem NAV1.3/metabolismo , Bloqueadores dos Canais de Sódio/química , Bloqueadores dos Canais de Sódio/isolamento & purificação , Canais de Sódio/metabolismoRESUMO
Obtained from leguminous seeds, various plant proteins inhibit animal proteinases, including human, and can be considered for the development of compounds with biological activity. Inhibitors from the Bowman-Birk and plant Kunitz-type family have been characterized by proteinase specificity, primary structure and reactive site. Our group mostly studies the genus Bauhinia, mainly the species bauhinioides, rufa, ungulata and variegata. In some species, more than one inhibitor was characterized, exhibiting different properties. Although proteins from this group share high structural similarity, they present differences in proteinase inhibition, explored in studies using diverse biological models.
Obtidas de sementes leguminosas, várias proteínas inibem proteinases de origem animal, incluindo humanas, e podem ser consideradas para o desenvolvimento de compostos com atividade biológica. Inibidores da família Bowman-Birk e da família Kunitz vegetal tem sido caracterizados em relação a especificidade para proteinase, estrutura primária e sitio reativo. O nosso grupo majoritariamente vem estudando o gênero Bauhinia, principalmente as espécies bauhinioides, rufa, ungulatae variegata. Em algumas espécies, mais de um inibidor com propriedades diferentes foi caracterizado. Embora tais proteínas apresentem alta similaridade estrutural, diferem quanto à inibição de proteinases, e foram exploradas em estudos utilizando diversos modelos biológicos.