Comparative characterization of two scorpion toxins, BlTx1 and BlTx2, identifies BlTx2 as a Kv4.1-selective peptide

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  Comparative characterization of two scorpion toxins, BlTx1 and BlTx2, identifies BlTx2 as a Kv4.1-selective peptide Abstract Voltage-gated potassium channels of the Kv4 subfamily (Kv4.1, Kv4.2, and Kv4.3) mediate transient A-type potassium currents that regulate neuronal excitability, dendritic integration, and cardiac repolarization. Despite their importance, no pharmacological tool has been available to selectively dissect the role of Kv4.1, as existing peptide toxins from the α-KTx15 family display broad activity across Kv4 isoforms. Here, we report the discovery and characterization of two novel scorpion toxins, BlTx1 and BlTx2, isolated from the venom gland transcriptome of  Buthacus leptochelys . Both toxins were heterologously expressed in yeast and purified to homogeneity. Electrophysiological recordings from  Xenopus laevis  oocytes revealed that BlTx1 and BlTx2 potently inhibited Kv4.1 currents, while sparing Kv4.2 and Kv4.3. Among a panel of 20 tested po...

Description of two new huntsman spiders from Vietnam (Araneae, Sparassidae)

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Description of two new huntsman spiders from Vietnam (Araneae, Sparassidae)

Abstract

Two new species of the sparassid genera Heteropoda Latreille, 1804 and Pseudopoda Jäger, 2000 are described from Vietnam: Heteropoda taygiangensis sp. nov. (♂) from Quang Nam Province and Pseudopoda tadungensis sp. nov. (♀) from Dak Nong Province. The new Pseudopoda species is described and diagnosed based on both morphological characteristics and DNA barcoding. DNA barcode data (COI) are provided for both new species.

Zhang H, Hoang QD, Lei S (2025) Description of two new huntsman spiders from Vietnam (Araneae, Sparassidae). ZooKeys 1236: 129-140. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1236.145146 

Please access here while the DOI is resolved: https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/145146/list/9/