Sequence of a cDNA encoding bothropstoxin I, a myotoxin from the venom of Bothrops jararacussu.

With the aim of further understanding the structure/function relationships in the membrane-damaging activity of the Lys49 phospholipase A2 (Lys49-PLA2) sub-family, we used PCR (polymerase chain reaction) on total venom gland cDNAs from Bothrops jararacussu with degenerate oligodeoxyribonucleotides encoding the N- and C-termini of myotoxin II, a Lys49-PLA2 from Bothrops asper. A 350-bp cDNA coding for bothropstoxin I (BtxtxI) was amplified. Sequencing of the amplified fragment shows that BtxtxI has a Lys49, and comparison with the known structure of myotoxin II showed that the amino acids involved in the formation of a novel dimeric structure in this protein were also conserved.