Abstract
Martentoxin (MarTX), a 37-residue peptide purified from the venom of East-Asian scorpion (Buthus martensi Karsch), was capable of blocking large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channels. Here, we report an effective expression and purification approach for this toxin. The cDNA encoding martentoxin was expressed by the prokaryotic expression system pGEX-4T-3 which was added an enterokinase cleavage site by PCR. The fusion protein (GST-rMarTX) was digested by enterokinase to release hetero-expressed toxin and further purified via reverse-phase HPLC. The molecular weight of the hetero-expressed rMarTX was 4059.06 Da, which is identical to that of the natural peptide isolated from scorpion venom. Functional characterization through whole-cell patch clamp showed that rMarTX selectively and potently inhibited the currents of neuronal BK channels (α + β4) (IC50 = 186 nM), partly inhibited mKv1.3, but hardly having any significant effect on hKv4.2 and hKv3.1a even at 10 μM. Successful expression of martentoxin lays basis for further studies of structure-function relationship underlying martentoxin or other potassium-channel specific blockers.
Publication types
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
-
Amino Acid Sequence
-
HEK293 Cells
-
Humans
-
Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel alpha Subunits / antagonists & inhibitors*
-
Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel alpha Subunits / genetics
-
Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel alpha Subunits / metabolism
-
Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel beta Subunits / antagonists & inhibitors*
-
Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel beta Subunits / genetics
-
Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel beta Subunits / metabolism
-
Membrane Potentials
-
Models, Molecular
-
Molecular Sequence Data
-
Molecular Weight
-
Nerve Tissue Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
-
Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
-
Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
-
Potassium Channel Blockers / metabolism
-
Potassium Channel Blockers / pharmacology*
-
Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology
-
Scorpion Venoms / chemistry
-
Scorpion Venoms / genetics
-
Scorpion Venoms / metabolism
-
Scorpion Venoms / pharmacology*
-
Transfection
Substances
-
KCNMA1 protein, human
-
KCNMB4 protein, human
-
Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel alpha Subunits
-
Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel beta Subunits
-
Nerve Tissue Proteins
-
Potassium Channel Blockers
-
Recombinant Proteins
-
Scorpion Venoms
-
martentoxin, Buthus martensi