Chemical synthesis and 1H-NMR 3D structure determination of AgTx2-MTX chimera, a new potential blocker for Kv1.2 channel, derived from MTX and AgTx2 scorpion toxins

Protein Sci. 2008 Jan;17(1):107-18. doi: 10.1110/ps.073122908. Epub 2007 Nov 27.

Abstract

Agitoxin 2 (AgTx2) is a 38-residue scorpion toxin, cross-linked by three disulfide bridges, which acts on voltage-gated K(+) (Kv) channels. Maurotoxin (MTX) is a 34-residue scorpion toxin with an uncommon four-disulfide bridge reticulation, acting on both Ca(2+)-activated and Kv channels. A 39-mer chimeric peptide, named AgTx2-MTX, was designed from the sequence of the two toxins and chemically synthesized. It encompasses residues 1-5 of AgTx2, followed by the complete sequence of MTX. As established by enzyme cleavage, the new AgTx2-MTX molecule displays half-cystine pairings of the type C1-C5, C2-C6, C3-C7, and C4-C8, which is different from that of MTX. The 3D structure of AgTx2-MTX solved by (1)H-NMR, revealed both alpha-helical and beta-sheet structures, consistent with a common alpha/beta scaffold of scorpion toxins. Pharmacological assays of AgTx2-MTX revealed that this new molecule is more potent than both original toxins in blocking rat Kv1.2 channel. Docking simulations, performed with the 3D structure of AgTx2-MTX, confirmed this result and demonstrated the participation of the N-terminal domain of AgTx2 in its increased affinity for Kv1.2 through additional molecular contacts. Altogether, the data indicated that replacement of the N-terminal domain of MTX by the one of AgTx2 in the AgTx2-MTX chimera results in a reorganization of the disulfide bridge arrangement and an increase of affinity to the Kv1.2 channel.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Binding Sites
  • Cell Line
  • Crotalid Venoms / chemical synthesis*
  • Crotalid Venoms / chemistry*
  • Crotalid Venoms / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Kinetics
  • Kv1.2 Potassium Channel / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / methods
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Conformation
  • Recombinant Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Scorpion Venoms / chemical synthesis*
  • Scorpion Venoms / chemistry*
  • Scorpion Venoms / pharmacology
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Crotalid Venoms
  • Kv1.2 Potassium Channel
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Scorpion Venoms
  • maurotoxin
  • beta-agkistrodotoxin