Novel peptide toxins from the sea anemone Stichodactyla haddoni

Peptides. 2008 Apr;29(4):536-44. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2007.12.010. Epub 2008 Feb 19.

Abstract

Four peptide toxins, SHTX I-III with crab-paralyzing activity and SHTX IV with crab lethality, were isolated from the sea anemone Stichodactyla haddoni and their primary structures elucidated by protein sequencing and cDNA cloning. SHTX I (new toxin, 28 residues), II (analogue of SHTX I, 28 residues) and III (Kunitz-type protease inhibitor, 62 residues) are potassium channel toxins and SHTX IV (48 residues) is a member of the type 2 sea anemone sodium channel toxins. The precursor protein of SHTX IV is composed of a signal peptide, propart and mature peptide, while the propart is missing in that of SHTX III. In addition to these four toxins, an epidermal growth factor-like peptide was detected in S. haddoni by RT-PCR.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA, Complementary / metabolism
  • Marine Toxins / chemistry*
  • Marine Toxins / isolation & purification
  • Marine Toxins / toxicity*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Peptides / toxicity*
  • Potassium Channels / metabolism
  • Sea Anemones / chemistry*
  • Sequence Alignment

Substances

  • DNA, Complementary
  • Marine Toxins
  • Peptides
  • Potassium Channels
  • SHTX-I toxin, Stichodactyla haddoni
  • SHTX-II toxin, Stichodactyla haddoni
  • SHTX-III toxin, Stichodactyla haddoni