This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Scorpion venom is a remarkable cocktail that contains many bioactive agents. Many different macromolecules are represented with peptides as the best characterized. This summer fellowship will provide preliminary data for a larger proposal to be resubmitted to NIH. Our larger project examines intraspecific variability in toxin peptides. This larger project focuses upon a genomics approach that characterizes venom toxin peptides from several populations of a non toxic similar species to the medically important Centruroides sculpturatus. This approach will allow the determination of toxin peptide variability and provide insight into how amino acid substitutions in toxin peptides can produce venoms with reduced medical effects. To complete this work, we require a robust means of producing scorpion toxin proteins. Thus, we will focus this INBRE project on the objectives of subcloning and toxin peptide expression. This project can lead to further work to 1) identify key nucleotide and amino acid differences in sodium beta toxin DNA and protein sequence;2) determine if intraspecific variability in sodium beta toxin from a non-toxic species (Centruroides vittatus) is also seen in toxin variability in a more toxic species (Centruroides exilicauda);3) conduct molecular modeling of peptide and protein structures. This project may also provide details that eventually better illustrate membrane channel regulation in neurons and may show how scorpion toxin peptides can be artificially altered for medicinal purposes.
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