cDNA Cloning and Functional Expression of Jerdostatin, a Novel RTS-disintegrin from Trimeresurus jerdonii and a Specific Antagonist of the α1β1 Integrin

Jerdostatin represents a novel RTS-containing short disintegrin cloned by reverse transcriptase-PCR from the venom gland mRNA of the Chinese Jerdons pit viper Trimeresurus jerdonii. The jerdostatins precursor cDNA contained a 333-bp open reading frame encoding a signal peptide, a pre-peptide, and a 43-amino acid disintegrin domain, whose amino acid sequence displayed 80% identity with that of the KTS-disintegrins obtustatin and viperistatin. The jerdostatin cDNA structure represents the first complete open reading frame of a short disintegrin and points to the emergence of jerdostatin from a short-coding gene. The different residues between jerdostatin and obtustatin/viperistatin are segreg…