Novel structural class of four disulfide-bridged peptides from Tityus serrulatus venom

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2003 Feb 21;301(4):1086-92. doi: 10.1016/s0006-291x(03)00082-2.

Abstract

A new structural class of short peptides folded by four disulfide-bridges was found in the venom of the Brazilian scorpion Tityus serrulatus. Peptides were put on evidence independently by means of two different approaches of structurally guided prospection. First, a cDNA sequence was obtained using a degenerate primer constructed according to the C-terminal sequence of kaliotoxin (KTx2), from the Androctonus australis venom. Second, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry analyses of toxic fraction FIII from T. serrulatus venom revealed a family of molecules ranging approximately from 2900 to 3000 Da. Three new peptides were isolated and named TsPep1, TsPep2, and TsPep3. Biochemical characterization showed that they are 29 amino acids long, constrained by a new pattern of four disulfide-bridges. These results enable us to classify these new molecules as part of a novel structural class of short peptides from scorpion venoms.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA, Complementary / genetics
  • Disulfides / chemistry
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Peptides / genetics
  • Potassium Channel Blockers / chemistry
  • Scorpion Venoms / chemistry*
  • Scorpion Venoms / genetics
  • Scorpions
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization

Substances

  • DNA, Complementary
  • Disulfides
  • Peptides
  • Potassium Channel Blockers
  • Scorpion Venoms