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The amino acid sequence of toxin Rp III from the sea anemone, Radianthus paumotensis
Author(s) -
Metrione Robert M.,
Schweitz Hugues,
Walsh Kenneth A.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(87)81018-9
Subject(s) - sea anemone , anemone , toxin , biology , amino acid , peptide sequence , sodium channel , homologous chromosome , biochemistry , arginine , sequence (biology) , chemistry , sodium , botany , gene , organic chemistry
The amino acid sequence of the sodium channel toxin Rp III from the sea anemone Radianthus paumotensis has been determined. The protein is homologous with five analogous toxins from three anemone species and is most similar to a less toxic protein, Rp II , from the same organism. Twelve residues are conserved in all six toxins, one of which is an arginine residue thought to be essential for toxicity. The others (Cys, Gly, Pro and Trp) tend to be conserved in other sets of homologous proteins to maintain functional folds. Comparisons of the sequences suggest the existence of two separate but related classes of toxins cumon the three species of anemone.