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1: J Biol Chem. 2006 Mar 31;281(13):8628-35. Epub 2006 Jan 26.
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Function and solution structure of Huwentoxin-X, a specific blocker of N-type calcium channels, from the Chinese bird spider Ornithoctonus huwena.

Liu Z, Dai J, Dai L, Deng M, Hu Z, Hu W, Liang S.

College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100087, China.

Huwentoxin-X (HWTX-X) is a novel peptide toxin, purified from the venom of the spider Ornithoctonus huwena. It comprises 28 amino acid residues including six cysteine residues as disulfide bridges linked in the pattern of I-IV, II-V, and III-VI. Its cDNA, determined by rapid amplification of 3' and 5' cDNA ends, encodes a 65-residue prepropeptide. HWTX-X shares low sequence homology with omega-conotoxins GVIA and MVIIA, two well known blockers of N-type Ca2+ channels. Nevertheless, whole cell studies indicate that it can block N-type Ca2+ channels in rat dorsal root ganglion cells (IC50 40 nm) and the blockage by HWTX-X is completely reversible. The rank order of specificity for N-type Ca2+ channels is GVIA approximately HWTX-X > MVIIA. In contrast to GVIA and MVIIA, HWTX-X had no detectable effect on the twitch response of rat vas deferens to low frequency electrical stimulation, indicating that HWTX-X has different selectivity for isoforms of N-type Ca2+ channels, compared with GVIA or MVIIA. A comparison of the structures of HWTX-X and GVIA reveals that they not only adopt a common structural motif (inhibitor cystine knot), but also have a similar functional motif, a binding surface formed by the critical residue Tyr, and several basic residues. However, the dissimilarities of their binding surfaces provide some insights into their different selectivities for isoforms of N-type Ca2+ channels.

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PMID: 16439354 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]