title: Shal-type (Kv4.x) potassium channel pore blockers from scorpion venoms.
abstract: Voltage-gated potassium channels (Kv4.1, Kv4.2 and Kv4.3) encoded by the members of the KCND/Kv4 (Shal) channel family mediate the native, fast inactivating (A-type) K(+) current (IA) described both in heart and neurons. This IA current is specifically blocked by short scorpion toxins that belong to the α-KTx15 subfamily and which act as pore blockers, a different mode of action by comparison to spider toxins known as gating modifiers. This review summarizes our present chemical and pharmacological knowledge on the α-KTx15 toxins.
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille University, The National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Research Center for Neurobiology and Neurophysiology of Marseille UMR7286, 13344, Marseille, France. pierre-edouard.bougis@univ-amu.fr.
authors.forename: Pierre Edouard
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Bougis
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille University, The National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Research Center for Neurobiology and Neurophysiology of Marseille UMR7286, 13344, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Marie-France
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Martin-Eauclaire
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000737:chemistry*; D012605:Scorpions; D051672:Shal Potassium Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D012604:Scorpion Venoms; D051672:Shal Potassium Channels