In collaboration with Zhaoke Pharmaceutical Co., Hefei, a team at the University of Science and Technology of China has expressed the gene for this venom with high anti-platelat adhesion aggregation activity in Pichia pastoris, obtaining yields of > 100 mg/L. Agkisacucetin is a heterodimeric protein of 29 kDa that is composed of α- and β-subunits7. Three intramolecular disulphide bonds are present in each subunit, and one intermolecular disulphide bridge exists between the α- and β-subunits. Engineered variants of this venom protein are now being investigated as anti-thrombolytic agents.
CAS news release, July 14, 2015