title: Molecular cloning and characterization of four scorpion K(+)-toxin-like peptides: a new subfamily of venom peptides (alpha-KTx14) and genomic analysis of a member.
abstract: Four full-length cDNAs encoding the precursors of four K(+)-toxin-like peptides (named BmKK(1), BmKK(2), BmKK(3) and BmmKK(4), respectively) were first isolated from a venom gland cDNA library of the Chinese scorpion Buthus martensii Karsch. The deduced precursors of BmKK(1), BmKK(2) and BmKK(3) are all made of 54 amino acid residues including a signal peptide of 23 residues, and a mature toxin of 31 residues with three disulfide bridges. The precursor of BmKK(4) is composed of 55 amino acid residues including a signal peptide of 23 residues, a mature toxin of 30 residues cross-linked by three disulfide bridges, and an extra Gly-Lys tail which should be removed in the processing step. The four peptides displayed 24-97% sequence identity with each other, and less than 27% homology with any other scorpion toxins described. However, they shared a common disulfide bridge pattern, which was consistent with that of most short-chain K(+)-toxins, suggesting they represent a new class of scorpion toxins and their target receptors may be a subfamily of K(+) channels. We classified the BmKK toxin subfamily as alpha-KTx14 according to the classification rules. The genomic sequence of BmKK(2) was also cloned and sequenced. It consisted of two exons, disrupted by an intron of 79 bp inserted in the region encoding the C-terminal part of the signal peptide. This structure was very similar to that of other K(+)-toxins described previously.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, PR China.
authors.forename: X C
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: W X
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions / Q000737:chemistry; D020121:5' Untranslated Regions / Q000737:chemistry; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004220:Disulfides / Q000737:chemistry; D005091:Exons; D007438:Introns; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000235:genetics; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers / Q000378:metabolism; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics*; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000235:genetics; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000235:genetics*; D012605:Scorpions; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D004220:Disulfides; C445369:KK toxin, Buthus martensi; C109066:KTX toxin, Buthus; D009498:Neurotoxins; D010455:Peptides; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D011498:Protein Precursors; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D012604:Scorpion Venoms