SAXS study of the snake toxin ?-crotamine

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Abstract
α-crotamine is a small toxic protein (42 amino acid residues with three disulphide bridges) present in the venom of Crotallus durissus terrificus. Molecular parameters (R g=13.7 Å, S=3,000 Å2, V=9,200 Å3 and D max=40 Å) were derived from SAXS curves obtained from a solution of this protein at pH=4.5. An excellent agreement between the experimental distance distribution curve and that calculated from a model consisting of two lobes linked by the Cys(18)-Cys(30) disulphide bridge.