CLONING AND EXPRESSION OF A CYSTEINE-RICH VENOM PROTEIN FROM TRIMERESURUS-MUCROSQUAMATUS (TAIWAN HABU)

A full-length cDNA for cysteine-rich venom protein (CRVP) was construc ted by immunoscreening and 5'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends from a cDNA library of venom gland of Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus. The predic ted CRVP consisted of 183 amino acid residues including a putative sig nal peptide of 21 residues, Northern blot hybridization suggested the tissue-specific expression in venom gland and its corresponding length of cDNA, The predicted amino acid sequence of CRVP was homologous to a rat epididymal metalloprotein and a lizard helothermine. Amino acid sequence analysis suggested that CRVP may be a venom metalloprotein ta rgeted against ryanodine receptors and Ca2+ release, Moreover, CRVP ex pressed in Escherichia coli exhibited the same antigenicity as their n ative venom forms of T. mucrosquamatus. This is the first report in th e cloning and expression of a CRVP from the venom gland of T, mucrosqu amatus. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science.