title: Diversity of Potassium Channel Ligands: Focus on Scorpion Toxins.
abstract: Potassium (K+) channels are a widespread superfamily of integral membrane proteins that mediate selective transport of K+ ions through the cell membrane. They have been found in all living organisms from bacteria to higher multicellular animals, including humans. Not surprisingly, K+ channels bind ligands of different nature, such as metal ions, low molecular mass compounds, venom-derived peptides, and antibodies. Functionally these substances can be K+ channel pore blockers or modulators. Representatives of the first group occlude the channel pore, like a cork in a bottle, while the second group of ligands alters the operation of channels without physically blocking the ion current. A rich source of K+ channel ligands is venom of different animals: snakes, sea anemones, cone snails, bees, spiders, and scorpions. More than a half of the known K+ channel ligands of polypeptide nature are scorpion toxins (KTx), all of which are pore blockers. These compounds have become an indispensable molecular tool for the study of K+ channel structure and function. A recent special interest is the possibility of toxin application as drugs to treat diseases involving K+ channels or related to their dysfunction (channelopathies).
authors.affiliation: Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117997, Russia. aleksey.kuzmenkov@gmail.com.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Kuzmenkov
authors.forename: E V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Grishin
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Vassilevski
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012605:Scorpions / Q000378:metabolism*; D014118:Toxins, Biological
chemical_list: D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels; D014118:Toxins, Biological