title: Isolation and molecular cloning of beta-neurotoxins from the venom of the scorpion Centruroides suffusus suffusus.
abstract: This communication reports the identification and characterization of two new toxins from the venom of the scorpion Centruroides suffusus suffusus, named: CssVIII and CssIX, according to the original nomenclature of toxins previously described for this scorpion. The isolation was obtained by means of two chromatographic steps, and a cDNA library was used to fully identify their precursors. CssVIII and CssIX contain signal peptides of 19 and 17 amino acid residues, and mature peptides of 66 and 65 residues, respectively. Intracranial injections into mice of both purified toxins showed toxicity results similar to those found for toxins CssII and CssIV. Additionally, they compete with the parent toxin CssIV, in binding and displacement experiments, conducted with brain synaptosomes showing nanomolar affinities. These results strongly support the conclusion that they are new β-neurotoxins and certainly would be of the interest of researchers in the field of venomics for studying sodium channels.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca, Morelos 61500, Mexico.
authors.forename: Gerardo Pavel
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Espino-Solis
authors.forename: Georgina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Estrada
authors.forename: Timoteo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Olamendi-Portugal
authors.forename: Elba
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Villegas
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zamudio
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cestele
authors.forename: Lourival D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Possani
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corzo
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D015723:Gene Library; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000235:genetics*; D012605:Scorpions / Q000737:chemistry*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000737:chemistry*; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D009498:Neurotoxins; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D013111:Spider Venoms