TY - JOUR T1 - Structure and Function of Snake Venom Curarimimetic Neurotoxins JF - Molecular Pharmacology JO - Mol Pharmacol SP - 710 LP - 716 VL - 14 IS - 4 AU - DEMETRIUS TSERNOGLOU AU - GREGORY A. PETSKO AU - RICHARD A. HUDSON Y1 - 1978/07/01 UR - http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/content/14/4/710.abstract N2 - A hydrogen-bonded ion pair between the guanidinium group of the arginine at position 37 and the side-chain carboxylate of the aspartic acid residue at position 31 of sea snake venom neurotoxin has stereochemical features resembling those of acetylcholine. The results of crystallographic determination of the structure of the neurotoxin suggest that such an ion pair can form at the tip of the "toxic loop" and may be involved in inhibition of the cholinergic receptor. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors thank M. S. Doscher, E. Karlsson, and D. Eaker for helpful discussions during the preparation of this manuscript, and M. E. Pique and M. Glick for assistance in the preparation of the figures. We have benefited greatly from talks with A. Rich, R. Bradshaw, E. Reich, and J. B. Cohen. ER -