| Abstract: | 1H NMR spectroscopy has been used to collect data related to the spatial structure of insectotoxin I5A Buthus eupeus: pH-dependence of the chemical shifts, deuterium exchange rates of individual amide hydrogens, spin-spin coupling of the H-N-C alpha-H and H-C alpha-C beta-H protons, and nuclear Overhauser effect between distinct protons belonging to amino acid residues remote in the sequence. Molecular conformation in the regions from Asp9 to Cys19 (beta-turn 9-12 and right-hand alpha-helix 12-19) and from Asn23 to Asn34 (antiparallel beta-sheet with the beta-turn 27-30) directly follows from the observed parameters. Pseudoatomic approach of distance geometry algorithm was used to solve the overall folding of the molecule and propose the most probable set of disulfide bridges: Cys2-Cys19, Cys5-Cys31, Cys16-Cys26 and Cys20-Cys33. The spatial structure of insectotoxin I5A B. eupeus demonstrates remarkable similarity with that of a "long" type scorpion neurotoxin V-3 Centruroides sculpturatus. |
