The tarantula toxin β/δ-TRTX-Pre1a highlights the importance of the S1-S2 voltage-sensor region for sodium channel subtype selectivity.

Voltage-gated sodium (Na) channels are essential for the transmission of pain signals in humans making them prime targets for the development of new analgesics. Spider venoms are a rich source of peptide modulators useful to study ion channel structure and function. Here we describe β/δ-TRTX-Pre1a, a 35-residue tarantula peptide that selectively interacts with neuronal Na channels inhibiting peak current of hNa1.

Synthesis, pharmacology, and biostructural characterization of novel α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists.

In our search for selective agonists for the α(4)β(2) subtype of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), we have synthesized and characterized a series of novel heterocyclic analogues of 3-(dimethylamino)butyl dimethylcarbamate (DMABC, 4). All new heterocyclic analogues, especially N,N-dimethyl-4-(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-2-yloxy)butan-2-amine (7), showed an improved binding selectivity profile in favor of α(4)β(2) over other nAChR subtypes, primarily due to impaired binding at β(4) containing receptors. This observation can be rationalized based on cocrystal structures of (R)-4 and (R)-7 bound to acetylcholine binding protein from Lymnaea stagnalis.