Production, Purification, and Characterization of a Novel Cysteine-Rich Anticoagulant from the Medicinal Leech and the Functional Role of Its C-Terminal Motif.

ABSTRACT: The saliva of the medicinal leech Hirudo medicinalis contains a wide range of biologically active compounds, including multiple anticoagulants. Previously, we identified a novel cysteine-rich anticoagulant protein (CRA) from leech saliva and produced it recombinantly in Escherichia coli, demonstrating its potential as a basis for new anticoagulant drugs. In this study, we developed an optimized procedure for scalable production and purification of recombinant CRA. The purified protein was analyzed for common contaminants originating from E. coli, such as endotoxins, bacterial proteins, and DNA, and its anticoagulant properties were evaluated using standard clotting assays. Across three independent experiments, the yield of purified CRA ranged from 3.7 to 5.5 mg per lit

SUBMITTER: Manuvera VA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12731043 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature