The venom of the nose-horned viper (Vipera ammodytes ammodytes) is a complex mixture of pharmacologically active molecules. Among the most abundant venom proteins are metalloproteinases. VaaMPIII-3 is the first member of a new subclass, P-IIIe, of metalloproteinases. It consists of two non-catalytic domains – the truncated disintegrin like domain (D') and the Cys-rich domain (C). Toxins with similar domain structure affect blood coagulation. The properties and functions of VaaMPIII-3 are yet unexplored. Our aim was to isolate and characterize this protein and discover its effect on blood.
In this work, we developed and optimized the procedure to isolate VaaMPIII-3 from the nose-horned viper venom. We confirmed that VaaMPIII-3 has a free Cys that enables its binding to thiol sepharose and isolation by covalent chromatography. We adjusted the isolation conditions according to our findings on the optimal buffer solutions for storage of VaaMPIII-3 to avoid loss of the protein by aggregation. We isolated a mixture of six isoforms of VaaMPIII-3 with isoelectric points between 4.5 and 5.1, and also purified the predominant isoform with isoelectric point 4.5. We localized the free Cys at position 6, while a small portion of the protein had a free cysteine at position 19. We demonstrated that the disulfide pattern of the VaaMPIII-3's D' domain is distinct from that of class P-IIIa metalloproteinases. We constructed a 3D homology model of the structure of VaaMPIII-3 to predict its key structural features. We showed that VaaMPIII-3 affects blood coagulation in a similar manner to other proteins with similar domain structure. It inhibited ADP-, collagen-, or arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation. However, it had no effect on ristocetin-induced platelet agglutination. We produced a recombinant VaaMPIII-3 in E. coli, determined its properties, and compared them with its natural form. Their molecular masses differ by about 4 kDa, as the natural protein is highly
N-glycosylated. The non-glycosylated recombinant VaaMPIII-3 has an isoelectric point of 5.1 and is correctly folded. Its inhibitory effect on ADP-induced platelet aggregation is equal to that of its natural form. Therefore, recombinant VaaMPIII-3 is suitable for use in the discovery of other biological activities of VaaMPIII-3. These studies will help to understand its role in snake venom and determine its potential for therapeutic use.
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