Analysis of the interaction of tarantula toxin Jingzhaotoxin-III (β-TRTX-Cj1α) with the voltage sensor of Kv2.1 uncovers the molecular basis for cross-activities on Kv2.1 and Nav1.5 channels

Biochemistry. 2013 Oct 22;52(42):7439-48. doi: 10.1021/bi4006418. Epub 2013 Oct 7.

Abstract

Animal venoms contain a fascinating array of divergent peptide toxins that have cross-activities on different types of voltage-gated ion channels. However, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. Jingzhaotoxin-III (JZTX-III), a 36-residue peptide from the tarantula Chilobrachys jingzhao, is specific for Nav1.5 and Kv2.1 channels over the majority of other ion channel subtypes. JZTX-III traps the Nav1.5 DII voltage sensor at closed state by binding to the DIIS3-S4 linker. In this study, electrophysiological experiments showed that JZTX-III had no effect on five voltage-gated potassium channel subtypes (Kv1.4, Kv3.1, and Kv4.1-4.3), whereas it significantly inhibited Kv2.1 with an IC50 of 0.71 ± 0.01 μM. Mutagenesis and modeling data suggested that JZTX-III docks at the Kv2.1 voltage-sensor paddle. Alanine replacement of Phe274, Lys280, Ser281, Leu283, Gln284, and Val288 could decrease JZTX-III affinity by 7-, 9-, 34-, 12-, 9-, and 7-fold, respectively. Among them, S281 is the most crucial determinant, and the substitution with Thr only slightly reduced toxin sensitivity. In contrast, a single conversion of Ser281 to Ala, Phe, Ile, Val, or Glu increased the IC50 value by >34-fold. Alanine-scanning mutagenesis experiments indicated that the functional surface of JZTX-III bound to the Kv2.1 channel is composed of four hydrophobic residues (Trp8, Trp28, Trp30, and Val33) and three charged residues (Arg13, Lys15, and Glu34). The bioactive surfaces of JZTX-III interacting with Kv2.1 and Nav1.5 are only partially overlapping. These results strongly supported the hypothesis that animal toxins might use partially overlapping bioactive surfaces to target the voltage-sensor paddles of two different types of ion channels. Increasing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of toxins interacting with voltage-gated sodium and potassium channels may provide new molecular insights into the design of more potent ion channel inhibitors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Electrophysiology
  • Female
  • Ion Channel Gating / drug effects
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Mutation / genetics
  • NAV1.5 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel / chemistry
  • NAV1.5 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel / genetics
  • NAV1.5 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel / metabolism*
  • Oocytes / cytology
  • Oocytes / drug effects*
  • Oocytes / metabolism
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Shab Potassium Channels / chemistry
  • Shab Potassium Channels / genetics
  • Shab Potassium Channels / metabolism*
  • Spider Venoms / pharmacology*
  • Spiders / metabolism
  • Xenopus laevis

Substances

  • NAV1.5 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel
  • Peptides
  • Shab Potassium Channels
  • Spider Venoms
  • jingzhaotoxin-III, Chilobrachys jingzhao