cDNA sequence analysis of a novel cardiotoxin-like protein from Taiwan banded krait.

The cDNAs encoding a novel protein was constructed from the cellular RNA isolated from the venom glands of Bungarus multicinctus by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The deduced amino acid sequence of this novel protein contained 65 amino acid residues with 8 cysteine residues. Comparative sequence analysis showed that it was structurally related to cardiotoxin rather than neurotoxins. These results suggest that the venom of Bungarus multicinctus may contain cardiotoxin(s) which was not noticed before.