Abstract
The dendrotoxins are a homologous group of potassium channel-blocking polypeptides found in mamba snake venom. They are similar in sequence and structure to Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitors. Modified and native protease inhibitors were assayed for dendrotoxin-like activity using radioligand-binding and twitch tension-recording methods. Despite the large number and high concentration of compounds tested, no protease inhibitor displayed dendrotoxin-like activity. The results indicate that the protease-inhibiting and potassium channel-blocking activities of these two groups of polypeptides are not linked.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 707-714 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Biological chemistry Hoppe-Seyler |
Volume | 373 |
Issue number | 8 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1992 |
Keywords
- amino acid sequence
- animals
- chickens
- elapid venoms
- iodine radioisotopes
- kinetics
- membranes
- molecular sequence data
- muscle contraction
- neuromuscular junction
- potassium channels
- protease inhibitors
- radioligand assay
- rats
- cholinergic receptors
- structure-activity relationship
- synaptic transmission
- synaptosomes