Tertiapin

Key takeaways

Tertiapin belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Tertiapin to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Tertiapin from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Tertiapin is a 21-amino acid peptide isolated from venom of the European honey bee (Apis mellifera). It blocks two different types of potassium channels, inward rectifier potassium channels (Kir) and calcium activated large conductance potassium channels (BK).

Sources Tertiapin is a peptidic component of the venom of the European honey bee (Apis mellifera).

Chemistry Tertiapin peptide is composed of 21 amino acids with the sequence: Ala-Leu-Cys-Asn-Cys-Asn-Arg-Ile-Ile-Ile-Pro-His-Met-Cys-Trp-Lys-Lys-Cys-Gly-Lys-Lys. The methionine residue is sensitive to oxidation, reducing the ability to block the ionic channels. Methionine can be substituted by glutamine in order to prevent the oxidation. The new synthesized peptide is named Tertiapin-Q and does not show any functional change as compared to the original peptide, which makes it a more suitable research tool.

Target and mode of action Tertiapin has been described as a potent potassium channel blocker, acting on two different types of K+ channels.

Inward rectifier potassium channels Tertiapin binds specifically to different subunits of the inward rectifier potassium channel (Kir), namely GIRK1 (Kir 3.1), GIRK4 (Kir 3.4) and ROMK1 (Kir 1.1), inducing a dose-dependent block of the potassium current. It is thought that tertiapin binds to the Kir channel with its α-helix situated at the C-terminal of the peptide. This α-helix is plugged into the external end of the conduction pore, thereby blocking the channel. The N-terminal of the peptide sticks out of the extracellular side. Tertiapin has a high affinity for Kir channels with approximately Kd = 8 nM for GIRK1/4 channels and Kd = 2 nM for ROMK1 channels. In contrast to the voltage-gated K+ channels, Kir channels are more permeable to K+ during hyperpolarization than during depolarization. A voltage-dependent blockade by intracellular cations at voltages more positive than the K+ reversal potential is the mechanism underlying this feature. At more negative voltages the Kir channels are responsible for an inward K+ current. Therefore Kir channels contribute to the maintenance of the resting potential, the duration of the action potential and the neuronal excitability. GIRK1 and -4 are subunits of the muscarinic potassium channels (KACh) and have an important role in the slowing down of the heart rate in response to parasympathetic stimulation via acetylcholine. KAch channels activate during hyperpolarization, prolonging the cardiac action potential by inflow of potassium ions and reducing the frequency of action potential generation. An inhibition by tertiapin will result in a shorter cardiac action potential with loss of parasympathetic control, resulting in a faster heart rate ROMK is found in the kidneys where it contributes to K+ recycling. An inhibition will result in loss of potassium, as observed in Bartter syndrome, which can be caused by mutations in the ROMK channels.

BK channels The second type of potassium channel that tertiapin blocks is the calcium activated large conductance potassium channel (BK). The block of BK cells is voltage-, concentration- and use-dependent, meaning the blockage changes with different stimulation voltages and frequencies, different concentrations and with the duration of application of tertiapin. The IC50 for BK channels is 5.8 nM. The BK channels have a role in the onset of the afterhyperpolarization, thereby shortening the action potential and enhancing the speed of repolarization. Total blockage by tertiapin prolongs the duration of the action potential and inhibits the afterhyperpolarization amplitude, leading to an increase of the neuronal excitability. Tertiapin inhibits the BK channels only after a minimal stimulation of 15 minutes, in contrast with less than a minute for the GIRK channels. For this reason it is thought that the mode of action of tertiapin is different for each channel type.

Toxicity Tertiapin is a compound of the honey bee venom (apitoxin) that causes pain and signs of inflammation around the sting, but a great number of stings can be lethal (LD50 is 18-22 stings per kg for humans). An anaphylactic shock can develop if a person has an allergy to the venom. In that case even one sting can be lethal.

Therapeutic use As a paradox to the symptoms after a bee sting, bee venom is used for treatment of pain, inflammation (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis) and multiple sclerosis. Tertiapin may contribute to this effect by prolonging the depolarization phase by blocking the BK channels. Eventually this will lead to inactivation of the voltage-gated Na+ channels of the dorsal root ganglion neurons, reducing sensory transmission to the central nervous system. Excessive stimulation with acetylcholine can induce an AV-block in the heart as shown in guinea pigs, which can be prevented by blockage of the KAch channels by tertiapin. This suggests a possible therapeutic role in excessive parasympathetic innervation or inferior myocardial infarction.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Tertiapin

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Tertiapin claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Tertiapin before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Tertiapin ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Tertiapin

In research: Tertiapin appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Tertiapin in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Tertiapin is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Ion channel toxins, Neurotoxins, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Tertiapin outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

How to study Tertiapin in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Tertiapin means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Tertiapin out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Tertiapin in simple terms?

Tertiapin is a 21-amino acid peptide isolated from venom of the European honey bee (Apis mellifera). It blocks two different types of potassium channels, inward rectifier potassium channels (Kir) and calcium activated large conductance potassium channels (BK).

Why does Tertiapin matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Tertiapin?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Tertiapin.