Electrostatic resistance to alpha-neurotoxins conferred by charge reversal mutations in nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

ABSTRACT: The evolution of venom resistance through coevolutionary chemical arms races has arisen multiple times throughout animalia. Prior documentation of resistance to snake venom α-neurotoxins consists of the N-glycosylation motif or the hypothesized introduction of arginine at positions 187 at the α-1 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor orthosteric site. However, no further studies have investigated the possibility of other potential forms of resistance. Using a biolayer interferometry assay, we first confirm that the previously hypothesized resistance conferred by arginine at position 187 in the honey badger does reduce binding to α-neurotoxins, which has never been functionally tested. We further discovered a novel form of α-neurotoxin resistance conferred by charge reversal mutations, whereby a

SUBMITTER: Harris RJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7892412 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature