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Scorpine, an anti-malaria and anti-bacterial agent purified from scorpion venom
R Conde1, F Z Zamudio, M H Rodríguez
1Department of Molecular Recognition and Structural Biology, Institute of Biotechnology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Avenida Universidad, 2001, P.O. Box 510-3, Cuernavaca, Mexico.
Abstract:
A novel peptide, scorpine, was isolated from the venom of the scorpion Pandinus imperator, with anti-bacterial activity and a potent inhibitory effect on the ookinete (ED(50) 0.7 microM) and gamete (ED(50) 10 microM) stages of Plasmodium berghei development. It has 75 amino acids, three disulfide bridges with a molecular mass of 8350 Da. Scorpine has a unique amino acid sequence, similar only to some cecropins in its N-terminal segment and to some defensins in its C-terminal region. Its gene was cloned from a cDNA library.