BaP1 is a 22.7-kDa P-I class snake venom metalloproteinase (SVMP) isolated from Bothrops asper venom, a medically significant species in Central America. It induces severe tissue damage, including hemorrhage, myonecrosis, and inflammation, through proteolytic activity and cytokine modulation . To address the limitations of traditional antivenom production (e.g., batch variability, animal immunization), recombinant antibody technologies have been developed to neutralize BaP1. This article focuses on the recombinant single-chain variable fragment (scFvBaP1) engineered against BaP1, its structural and functional properties, and its therapeutic potential.
Active Site: Zinc-dependent, with a consensus sequence H142E143XXH146XXGXXH152 and a Met-turn motif (C164I165M166) .
Disulfide Bridges: Three bridges (Cys117-Cys197, Cys159-Cys181, Cys157-Cys164) stabilize the structure .
Subdomains: Major (residues 1–152) and minor (residues 153–202) domains linked by a shallow active-site cleft .
Format: Single-chain variable fragment (VH-VL linked by a (G4S)3 peptide) fused to a SUMO tag (13.6 kDa) .
Expression: Expressed in E. coli C43(DE3) as a cytoplasmic protein .
Advantages Over Traditional Antivenoms:
Future Directions: