title: Thymopoietins and long postsynaptic neurotoxins share common information in their primary structures.
abstract: The informational content of the primary structure of thymopoietin (TP) is investigated using the informational spectrum method (ISM). We show that the sequence of TP shares common information with the sequences of long postsynaptic snake neurotoxins, although no apparent similarity was found among their primary structures. The most sensitive point in the sequence of TP, concerning this information, is D-34, previously determined as being the residue responsible for TP's effect on neuromuscular transmission. Our results suggest that TP and long toxins recognize the neuromuscular nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) and/or bind to the AChR in a different mode than the short toxins do.
authors.affiliation: Boris Kidric Institute, Vinca Laboratory for Multidisciplinary Research 180/02, Beograd, Yugoslavia.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Skerl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pavlović
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013946:Thymopoietins; D013951:Thymus Hormones
chemical_list: D009498:Neurotoxins; D013946:Thymopoietins; D013951:Thymus Hormones