Computational Studies of Venom Peptides Targeting Potassium Channels

Toxins

Rong Chen¹  Shin-Ho Chung² 

[1] Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton ACT 2601, Australia

关键词: potassium channels;    peptide toxins;    molecular modeling;    molecular dynamics;   

DOI  :  10.3390/toxins7124877

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Small peptides isolated from the venom of animals are potential scaffolds for ion channel drug discovery. This review article mainly focuses on the computational studies that have advanced our understanding of how various toxins interfere with the function of K⁺ channels. We introduce the computational tools available for the study of toxin-channel interactions. We then discuss how these computational tools have been fruitfully applied to elucidate the mechanisms of action of a wide range of venom peptides from scorpions, spiders, and sea anemone.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.