The cDNA sequence of a depressant insect selective neurotoxin from the scorpion Buthotus judaicus. |
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Authors: | N Zilberberg E Zlotkin M Gurevitz |
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Institution: | Department of Botany, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Israel. |
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Abstract: | A 400 nucleotide cDNA clone encoding the depressant insect toxin of the scorpion Buthotus judaicus (BjIT2), was isolated. DNA sequence analysis suggests that the toxin is a processed product of a precursor composed of: (1) a 21 amino acid residue signal peptide; (2) a 61 amino acid region of the mature toxin; and (3) an additional Arg-Lys-Lys tail at the carboxy terminus prior to a termination codon. Comparison between the precursor polypeptides of BjIT2 and another depressant insect toxin derived from the scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus hebraeus (LqhIT2) shows similarities in their hydropathic profiles. |
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