Fig. 6.

α-scorpion toxins hamper Nav channel fast inactivation. The α-scorpion toxin AaHII is produced by the Androctonus australis Hector scorpion (silhouette on the left) and amino acids important to toxin functionality have been identified in both the hydrophobic patch as well as charged residues surrounding it (middle figure: protein backbone is shown together with the electrostatic surface of the protein). At 100 nM, AaHII inhibits fast inactivation of rNav1.2a currents evoked from a holding potential of −90 mV to a voltage of −20 mV when expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Black is control and red is after addition of 100 nM AaHII (right)