To obtain a new scorpion toxin-related peptide having a specific amino acid sequence, containing plural disulfide bonds in the molecule, acting on K+ channel and contributing to application as medicine, etc., from poison gland of Buthus martensi in People's Republic of China.
This scorpion toxin-related paptide has an amino acid sequence represented by formula I, formula II, etc., and has ≤3 disulfide bonds in the molecule and acts on various K+ channels. Since the peptide hardly exhibits toxicity, the peptide suggests a possibility capable of separating activity against K+ channel from lethal toxicity, and useful as a biochemical reagent, a medicine, an animal medicine, etc., in neuro-physiological region. The peptide is obtained by homogenizing a frozen dried material of a poison gland of Buthus martensi with 0.5M acetic acid, centrifuging the frozen dried material to collect supernasant, succesively subjecting the resultant crude extracted solution to reverse phase column chromatography, cation exchange chromatography and reverse phase column chromatography and fractionating in this order to purify the fraction.
NAMIKATA HIROYUKI
NAKAJIMA TERUMI
