A maurotoxin with constrained standard disulfide bridging: innovative strategy of chemical synthesis, pharmacology, and docking on K+ channels

J Biol Chem. 2003 Aug 15;278(33):31095-104. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M304271200. Epub 2003 Jun 3.

Abstract

Maurotoxin (MTX) is a 34-residue toxin that has been isolated initially from the venom of the scorpion Scorpio maurus palmatus. It presents a large number of pharmacological targets, including small conductance Ca2+-activated and voltage-gated K+ channels. Contrary to other toxins of the alpha-KTx6 family (Pi1, Pi4, Pi7, and HsTx1), MTX exhibits a unique disulfide bridge organization of the type C1-C5, C2-C6, C3-C4, and C7-C8 (instead of the conventional C1-C5, C2-C6, C3-C7, and C4-C8, herein referred to as Pi1-like) that does not prevent its folding along the classic alpha/beta scaffold of scorpion toxins. Here, we developed an innovative strategy of chemical peptide synthesis to produce an MTX variant (MTXPi1) with a conventional pattern of disulfide bridging without any alteration of the toxin chemical structure. This strategy was used solely to address the impact of half-cystine pairings on MTX structural properties and pharmacology. The data indicate that MTXPi1 displays some marked changes in affinities toward the target K+ channels. Computed docking analyses using molecular models of both MTXPi1 and the various voltage-gated K+ channel subtypes (Shaker B, Kv1.2, and Kv1.3) were found to correlate with MTXPi1 pharmacology. A functional map detailing the interaction between MTXPi1 and Shaker B channel was generated in line with docking experiments.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Apamin / metabolism
  • Apamin / pharmacology
  • Binding Sites
  • Binding, Competitive
  • Disulfides / chemistry*
  • Iodine Radioisotopes
  • Membrane Potentials / drug effects
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oocytes / physiology
  • Potassium Channels / chemistry
  • Potassium Channels / metabolism
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Rats
  • Scorpion Venoms / chemistry*
  • Scorpion Venoms / metabolism
  • Scorpion Venoms / toxicity*
  • Scorpions / chemistry*
  • Sequence Analysis, Protein
  • Shaker Superfamily of Potassium Channels
  • Synaptosomes / drug effects
  • Xenopus

Substances

  • Disulfides
  • Iodine Radioisotopes
  • Pi1 toxin
  • Potassium Channels
  • Scorpion Venoms
  • Shaker Superfamily of Potassium Channels
  • maurotoxin
  • Apamin