Meeting Abstract
Toxins and other naturally derived products synthesized for predatory defense or prey capture can often be harmful to humans, but in some cases they may also present pharmaceutical potential. One toxin in particular, commonly referred to as ShK, has been isolated from the sea anemone Stichodactyla helianthus and is currently being tested to treat multiple sclerosis in humans. The currently existing ShK toxin as well as its analogs are not ideal in their target and treatment, exhibiting some flaws regarding effective transport and binding to the Kv1.3 channels. Toxins containing this domain are ubiquitous across sea anemones as they target potassium ion channels, potentially being used to immobilize prey or deter predators. We hypothesized that there may be variations of the toxin that are naturally produced by other species that may serve as better pharmaceuticals to combat multiple sclerosis or other autoimmune diseases. Our bioinformatic approach has found hundreds of other ShK toxins in other sea anemone species and tested hypotheses regarding ShK evolution by identifying homologous or convergent ShK products. Our results are the first step towards identifying toxin candidates similar to ShK proteins that could combat various types of autoimmune or even neurological diseases.
