Purification of binding protein for Tityus gamma toxin identified with the gating component of the voltage-sensitive Na+ channel.

The gating component associated with the voltage-sensitive Na+ channel from electroplax membranes of Electrophorus electricus has been purified by using toxin gamma from the venom of the scorpion Tityus serrulatus serrulatus. The toxin-binding site was efficiently solubilized with Lubrol PX, resulting in an extract of high initial specific activity. Purification was achieved by adsorption of the toxin-binding component to DEAE-Sephadex A-25 followed by desorption at high ionic strength and chromatography on either wheat germ agglutinin-Ultrogel or Sepharose 6B. Maximal final specific activities were at least 42% of the specific activity expected for a pure toxin-binding component. The purified material exhibited a Stokes radius of 85 A, and sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated a single polypeptide component of Mr 270,000. Furthermore, tetrodotoxin binding activity and Tityus gamma toxin binding activity copurified, suggesting that the selectivity filter and the gating component of the Na+ channel are carried by the same polypeptide chain.