An ERG channel inhibitor from the scorpion Buthus eupeus

The isolation of the peptide inhibitor of M-type K+ current, BeKm-1, from the venom of the Central Asian scorpion Buthus eupeus has been described previously (Fillipov A. K,, Kozlov, S, A, Pluzhnikov, K. A., Grishin, E. V., and Brown, D, A (1996) FEBS Lett, 384, 277-280). Here we report the cloning, expression, and selectivity of BeKm-1. A full-length cDNA of 365 nucleotides encoding the precursor of BeKm-1 was isolated using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends polymerase chain reaction technique from mRNA obtained from scorpion telsons, Sequence analysis of the cDNA revealed that the precursor contains a signal peptide of 21 amino acid residues. The mature toxin consists of 36 amino acid residues. BeKm-1 belongs to the family of scorpion venom potassium channel blockers and represents a new subgroup of these toxins. The recombinant BeKm-1 was produced as a Protein A fusion product in the periplasm of Escherichia coli. After cleavage and high performance liquid chromatography purification, recombinant BeKm-1 displayed the same properties as the native toxin, Three BeKm-1 mutants (R27K, F32K, and R27K/F32K) were generated, purified, and characterized. Recombinant wild-type BeKm-1 and the three mutants partly inhibited the native M-like current in NG108-15 at 100 nM. The effect of the recombinant BeKm-1 on different K+ channels was also studied. BeKm-1 inhibited hERG1 channels with an IC50 of 3.3 nM, but had no effect at 100 nM on hEAG, hSK1, rSK2, hIK, hBK, KCNQ1/KCNE1, KCNQ2/KCNQ3, KCNQ4 channels, and minimal effect on rELK1. Thus, BeKm-1 was shown to be a novel specific blocker of hERG1 potassium channels.