Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of bucain, a novel toxin from the Malayan krait Bungarus candidus

Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr. 2002 Oct;58(Pt 10 Pt 2):1879-81. doi: 10.1107/s0907444902011022. Epub 2002 Sep 28.

Abstract

Bucain is a three-finger toxin, structurally homologous to snake-venom muscarinic toxins, from the venom of the Malayan krait Bungarus candidus. These proteins have molecular masses of approximately 6000-8000 Da and encompass the potent curaremimetic neurotoxins which confer lethality to Elapidae and Hydrophidae venoms. Bucain was crystallized in two crystal forms by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique in 0.1 M sodium citrate pH 5.6, 15% PEG 4000 and 0.15 M ammonium acetate. Form I crystals belong to the monoclinic system space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 93.73, b = 49.02, c = 74.09 A, beta = 111.32 degrees, and diffract to a nominal resolution of 1.61 A. Form II crystals also belong to the space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 165.04, b = 49.44, c = 127.60 A, beta = 125.55 degrees, and diffract to a nominal resolution of 2.78 A. The self-rotation function indicates the presence of four and eight molecules in the crystallographic asymmetric unit of the form I and form II crystals, respectively. Attempts to solve these structures by molecular-replacement methods have not been successful and a heavy-atom derivative search has been initiated.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Bungarus*
  • Chromatography, Gel
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Crystallization
  • Crystallography, X-Ray / methods
  • Elapid Venoms / chemistry*
  • Elapid Venoms / isolation & purification
  • Elapid Venoms / toxicity*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Molecular Weight
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Toxins, Biological / chemistry*
  • Toxins, Biological / isolation & purification
  • Toxins, Biological / toxicity*

Substances

  • Elapid Venoms
  • Toxins, Biological
  • bucain