Characterization of a Family of Scorpion Toxins Modulating Ca-Activated Cl Current in Vascular Myocytes.

The pharmacology of calcium-activated chloride current is not well developed. Peptides from scorpion venom present potent pharmacological actions on ionic conductance used to characterize the function of channels but can also be helpful to develop organic pharmacological tools. Using electrophysiological recording coupled with calcium measurement, we tested the potent effect of peptides extracted from venom on the calcium-activated chloride current expressed in smooth muscle cells freshly dissociated from rat portal veins.

Characterization of scorpion alpha-like toxin group using two new toxins from the scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus hebraeus.

Two novel toxins, Lqh6 and Lqh7, isolated from the venom of the scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus hebraeus, have in their sequence a molecular signature (8Q/KPE10) associated with a recently defined group of alpha-toxins that target Na channels, namely the alpha-like toxins [reviewed in Gordon, D., Savarin, P., Gurevitz, M.

Chromatin condensation, cysteine-rich protamine, and establishment of disulphide interprotamine bonds during spermiogenesis of Eledone cirrhosa (Cephalopoda).

During spermiogenesis in Eledone cirrhosa a single protamine substitutes for histones in nuclei of developing spermatids. This protein displays a peculiar primary structure. It contains 22.