title: Evidence for the existence of a common ancestor of scorpion toxins affecting ion channels.
abstract: All scorpion toxins from different 30 species are simply reviewed. A new classification system of scorpion toxins is first proposed: scorpion toxins are classified into three families (long-chain scorpion toxins with 4 disulfide bridges, short-chain scorpion toxins with 3 disulfide bridges, and intermediate-type scorpion toxins with 3 or 4 disulfide bridges). Intermediate-type scorpion toxins provide a strong proof for the conclusion that channel toxins from scorpion venoms evolve from a common ancestor. Common organization of precursor nucleotides and genomic sequence, similar 3-dimensional structure, and the existence of intermediate type scorpion toxins and functionally intercrossing scorpion toxins show that all scorpion toxins affecting ion channels evolve from the common ancestor, which produce millions of scorpion toxins with function-diversity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Cao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhijian
authors.forename: Wu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yingliang
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiqun
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wanhong
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Mao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dahe
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wenxin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004220:Disulfides / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004220:Disulfides; D007473:Ion Channels; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012604:Scorpion Venoms