title: Cloning and characterization of a cDNA sequence encoding the precursor of a chlorotoxin-like peptide from the Chinese scorpion Buthus martensii Karsch.
abstract: A full-length cDNA sequence encoding the precursor of a venom peptide with homology to chlorotoxin (named BmKCT) was isolated from a cDNA library made from the venom glands of the Chinese Scorpion Buthus martensii Karsch. The encoded precursor of BmKCT was 59 amino acid residues long including a signal peptide of 24 residues and a mature toxin of 35 residues with four disulfide bridges. The sequence of BmKCT is similar (68% identities) to that of chlorotoxin isolated from Leiurus quinguestriatus quinquestriatus. BmKCT is the first report of the cDNA sequences encoding four-disulfide-bridged short-chain toxins from Buthus martensuii Karsch so far.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. xianchun_zeng@hotmail.com
authors.forename: X C
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: W X
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Yiang
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D015723:Gene Library; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000235:genetics*; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics*; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000235:genetics*; D012605:Scorpions / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D009498:Neurotoxins; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D010455:Peptides; D012604:Scorpion Venoms; C091539:Chlorotoxin; D004247:DNA