Molecular cloning and genomic analysis of TsNTxp: an immunogenic protein from Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom

A non-toxic protein (TsNTxP) from Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom has been shown to be an efficient immunogen and anti-TsNTxP antibodies recognize an d neutralize the effect of Tityus serrulatus venom [Chavez-Olortegui et al. , 1997. Toxicon 35, 213 221]. With the purpose of studying the organization of the gene that code for this protein, we have isolated a full length cDN A clone for TsNTxP from a cDNA expression library using anti-TsNTxP antibod ies. The nucleotide sequence of the gene that encodes TsNTxP was also obtai ned and it reveals the presence of an intron within the signal peptide sequ ence. The TsNTxP gene showed high degree of similarity with genes encoding toxins from scorpions of the genus Tityus. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. A ll rights reserved.