Solution structure of BmBKTx1, a new BKCa1 channel blocker from the Chinese scorpion Buthus martensi Karsch

Biochemistry. 2004 Apr 6;43(13):3764-71. doi: 10.1021/bi035412+.

Abstract

BmBKTx1 is a 31-amino acid peptide identified from the venom of the Chinese scorpion Buthus martensi Karsch, blocking high-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels. Sequence homology analysis indicates that BmBKTx1 is a new subfamily of short-chain alpha-KTx toxins of the potassium channel, which we term alpha-KTx19. Synthetic BmBKTx1 was prepared by using solid-phase peptide synthesis. Two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy techniques were used to determine the solution structure of BmBKTx1. The results show that the BmBKTx1 forms a typical cysteine-stabilized alpha/beta scaffold adopted by most short-chain scorpion toxins. The structure of BmBKTx1 consists of a two-stranded antiparallel beta-sheet (residues 20-29) and an alpha-helix (residues 5-15). The three-dimensional structure of BmBKTx1 was also compared with those of two function-related scorpion toxins, charybdotoxin (ChTx) and BmTx1, and their structural and functional implications are discussed.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Conserved Sequence
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
  • Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Scorpion Venoms / chemistry*
  • Scorpion Venoms / classification
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Solutions
  • Stereoisomerism

Substances

  • Buthus toxin I
  • Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated
  • Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated
  • Scorpion Venoms
  • Solutions

Associated data

  • PDB/1Q2K