Ld. Possani et al., FROM NOXIUSTOXIN TO SHIVA-3, A PEPTIDE TOXIC TO THE SPOROGONIC DEVELOPMENT OF PLASMODIUM-BERGHEI, Toxicon (Oxford), 36(11), 1998, pp. 1683-1692
This communication reviews shortly the main structural and functional
characteristics of Noxiustoxin, a 39 amino acid residue peptide, maint
ained closely packed by three-disulfide bridges and its effects on exc
itable membranes. Shiva-3, a cecropin like-peptide composed of 38 amin
o acid residues is also briefly reviewed. Its design and synthesis was
made possible by the expertise gained through the work previously per
formed with Noxiustoxin. One of the most prominent functional characte
ristics of Shiva-3 is the toxic effect upon the sporogonic development
of Plasmodium berghei (responsible for a murine version of malaria).
A synthetic Shiva-3 gene was constructed by recursive polymerase-chain
reaction (PCR) methodology and expressed using the vector pGEX2T as a
hybrid protein between the glutathione-S-transferase at the N-termina
l and Shiva-3 in the C-terminal part of the hybrid. The recombinant pr
otein kills bacteria and Plasmodium berghei. The future aim of this wo
rk is to produce a transgenic mosquito that carries the message for sy
nthesis and excretion of Shiva-3 and similar peptides, in the midgut o
f mosquitoes, in an attempt to control the spreading of human malaria.
(C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.