PMID: 12217659

Authors:

Zhang HL, Xu SJ, Wang QY, Song SY, Shu YY, Lin ZJ

Title:

Structure of a cardiotoxic phospholipase A(2) from Ophiophagus hannah with the "pancreatic loop".

Journal:

J Struct Biol. 2002 Jun;138(3):207-15.

Abstract:

The crystal structure of an acidic phospholipase A(2) from Ophiophagus hannah (king cobra) has been determined by molecular replacement at 2.6-A resolution to a crystallographic R factor of 20.5% (R(free)=23.3%) with reasonable stereochemistry. The venom enzyme contains an unusual "pancreatic loop." The conformation of the loop is well defined and different from those in pancreas PLA(2), showing its structural variability. This analysis provides the first structure of a PLA(2)-type cardiotoxin. The sites related to the cardiotoxic and myotoxic activities are explored and the oligomer observed in the crystalline state is described.