Department of Molecular Medicine and Bioprocesses, Institute of Biotechnology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Av. Universidad 2001, P.O. Box 501-3, Cuernavaca 62210, Mexico.
Toxicon. 2012 Sep 15;60(4):492-501. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2012.03.024. Epub 2012 Apr 5.
The K(+) channel encoded by the Ether-á-go-go-Related Gene (ERG) is expressed in different tissues of different animal species. There are at least three subtypes of this channel, being the sub-type 1 (ERG1) crucial in the repolarization phase of the cardiac action potential. Mutations in this gene can affect the properties of the channel producing the type II long QT syndrome (LQTS2) and many drugs are also known to affect this channel with a similar side effect. Various scorpion, spider and sea anemone toxins affect the ERG currents by blocking the ion-conducting pore from the external side or by modulating channel gating through binding to the voltage-sensor domain. By doing so, these toxins become very useful tools for better understanding the structural and functional characteristics of these ion channels. This review discusses the interaction between the ERG channels and the peptides isolated from venoms of these animals. Special emphasis is placed on scorpion toxins, although the effects of several spider venom toxins and anemone toxins will be also revised.
Ether-á-go-go-Related Gene (ERG) 编码的 K(+) 通道在不同动物物种的不同组织中表达。该通道至少有三种亚型，其中亚型 1（ERG1）在心脏动作电位的复极化阶段至关重要。该基因的突变会影响通道的特性，导致 II 型长 QT 综合征（LQTS2），并且许多药物也已知会通过类似的副作用影响该通道。各种蝎子、蜘蛛和海葵毒素通过从外部阻塞离子通道或通过与电压传感器域结合来调节通道门控来影响 ERG 电流。通过这种方式，这些毒素成为更好地了解这些离子通道的结构和功能特征的非常有用的工具。本文综述了 ERG 通道与这些动物毒液中分离的肽之间的相互作用。特别强调了蝎子毒素，尽管还会回顾几种蜘蛛毒液毒素和海葵毒素的作用。
