Structure of presynaptic toxins: Crystallization and preliminary x-ray diffraction data on Notechis II-5, a presynaptic toxin phospholipase.

ABSTRACT

The presynaptic neutrotoxin-phospholipase, Notechis II-5 from the venom of Notechis Scutatus scutatus (Australian tiger snake) has been crystallized in a form suited for xray diffraction analysis. The crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group P21 21,21, with unit cell dimensions, a=146.1, b =43.5 and c=39.0 A. There are two molecules of Notechis II- 5 in the asymmetric unit. The molecular weight is about 13,500. Notechis II-5 is highly homologous to Notexin, another presynaptic toxin from the venom of the Australian tiger snake, to bovine and porcine pancreatic phospholipases A and other venom phospholipases.