Download MendeleyNMR solution structure of BmK-betaIT, an excitatory scorpion beta-toxin without a 'hot spot' at the relevant position
Tong, X., Yao, J., He, F., Chen, X., Zheng, X., Xie, C., Wu, G., Zhang, N., Ding, J., Wu, H.(2006) Biochem Biophys Res Commun 349: 890-899
- PubMed: 16970911 Search on PubMed
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2006.08.131
- Primary Citation Related Structures:
1WWN - PubMed Abstract:
BmK-betaIT (previously named as Bm32-VI in the literature), an excitatory scorpion beta-toxin, is purified from the venom of the Chinese scorpion Buthus martensii Karsch. It features a primary sequence typical of the excitatory anti-insect toxins: two contiguous Cys residues (Cys37-Cys38) and a shifted location of the fourth disulfide bridges (Cys38-Cys64), and demonstrates bioactivity characteristic of the excitatory beta-toxins. However, it is noteworthy that BmK-betaIT is not conserved with a glutamate residue at the preceding position of the third Cys residue, and is the first example having a non-glutamate residue at the relevant position in the excitatory scorpion beta-toxin subfamily. The 3D structure of BmK-betaIT is determined with 2D NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling. The solution structure of BmK-betaIT is closely similar to those of BmK IT-AP and Bj-xtrIT, only distinct from the latter by lack of an alpha(0)-helix. The surface functional patch comparison with those of BmK IT-AP and Bj-xtrIT reveals their striking similarity in the spatial arrangement. These results infer that the functional surface of beta-toxins is composed of two binding regions and a functional site. The main binding site is consisted of hydrophobic residues surrounding the alpha(1)-helix and its preceding loop, which is common to all beta-type scorpion toxins affecting Na(+) channels. The second binding site, which determines the specificity of the toxin, locates at the C-terminus for excitatory insect beta-toxin, while rests at the beta-sheet and its linking loop for anti-mammal toxins. The functional site involved in the voltage sensor-trapping model, which characterizes the function of all beta-toxins, is the negatively charged residue Glu15.
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-organic and Natural Products Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China.
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