Amino Acid Sequence

Met-Cys-Met-Pro-Cys-Phe-Thr-Thr-Asp-His-Gln-Met-Ala-Arg-Lys-Cys-Asp-Asp-Cys-Cys-Gly-Gly-Lys-Gly-Arg-Gly-Lys-Cys-Tyr-Gly-Pro-Gln-Cys-Leu-Cys-Arg

Biochem/physiol Actions

Chlorotoxin(CLTX) is a peptide isolated from the venom of scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus. It comprises three lysines at the N-terminal region and fourdisulfide bonds. It can traverse the blood-brain barrier and can associate specifically with cancer cells especially in neuroblastoma, glioma, and medulloblastoma. CLTX binds to chloride-gated channels (CLC30) and the matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) in glioma cells. It is exploited in the imaging probe preparations for aiding non-cancer and cancer cell differentiation.

Potent blocker of small-conductance Cl^- channels.

Features and Benefits

This compound is featured on the Chloride Channels page of the Handbook of Receptor Classification and Signal Transduction. To browse other handbook pages, click here.