Centre staff
Professor Peter Strong
Professor of biomedical sciences
Phone 0114 225 4932
Email p.strong@shu.ac.uk
Research interests
Signal transduction processes in the nervous system
Primary research interests focus on signal transduction processes in the nervous system, with particular reference to the structure and function of ion channels and inherited neuromuscular disorders associated with ion channel dysfunction. The identification, characterisation and use of venom neurotoxins as high affinity and highly selectively molecular probes of ion channel structure and function is a central theme.
Structure and regulation of ion channels
Specifically potassium channels activated by intracellular calcium ions and chloride channels are under investigation. Biochemical, molecular and cell biological approaches to characterise the oligomeric structure of native ion channels with a view to understanding ion channel regulation and assembly.
Ion channel neurotoxins
The characterisation of ion channel neurotoxins from scorpions, tarantulas, snakes and other venomous species and their use as molecular and pharmacological probes to study ion channel structure and function. An interest in toxins as models for the development of novel ion channel drugs. Recent published work includes the identification and characterisation of tamulustoxin as a novel Kv1.6 blocker and the identification of tamapin, the first selective blocker of KCa 2.2 channels. These studies have been a result of collaborative efforts with Professor Pedarzani and Dr Stocker (University College London). Professor Jeyaseelan, Professor Gopalakrishnakone and Professor Kini of the National University of Singapore and Dr Sapatnekar and Dr Gadre of the Haffkine Institute, Mumbai.
Molecular and cell basis of inherited neurological disorders
In particular muscular dystrophies and disorders associated with DNA expansions (triplet repeat disorders).
Myotonic dystrophy : The expression and processing of the myotonic dystrophy gene product and other genes implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease. Regulation of calcium-activated potassium channels as a basis for myotonia dystrophy is also an interest, this work is in collaboration with Dr Montagna of the University of Bologna, Italy.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy: The regulation and expression of dystrophin, including the development of gene therapy techniques for treating inherited muscle disease, using the dystrophin gene as a model system.
Anti-microbial peptides
The isolation and characterisation of defensin-like peptides with anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic properties from the haemolymph and venoms of scorpions and spiders. This project is in collaboration with Dr Tom Smith.
Recent publications
Newton KA, Clench MR, Deshmukh R, Jeyaseelan K, Strong PN (2007) Mass fingerprinting of toxic fractions from the venom of the Indian red scorpion, Mesobuthus tamulus: biotope-specific variation in the expression of venom peptides. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2007; 21 :3467-76.
Strong PN (2004). Cellular and molecular mechanisms of toxic action: pore-foming peptides and protein toxins. Int. J. Toxicol . 23: 73-75.
Pedarzani P, D'hoedt D, Doorty KB, Wadsworth JDF, Joseph JS, Jeyaseelan K, Kini RM, Gadre SV, Sapatnekar SM, Stocker M and Strong PN (2002) Tamapin, a venom peptide from the Indian red scorpion which targets SK channels and AHP currents in central neurones. J. Biol. Chem. 277: 46101-46109.
Montagna P, Liguri R, Cevoli S and Strong PN, Cipone M and Venturoli M (2001). Equine muscular dystrophy with myotonia. Clin. Neurol 112 : 294-299
Strong PN, Clark GS, Armugam A , De-Allie FA, Joseph JS, Yemul V, Deshpande JM, Kamat R, Gadre SV, Gopalakrishnakone P, Owen DG and Jeyaseelan K (2001) Tamulustoxin: a novel potassium channel blocker from the venom of the Indian red scorpion Mesobuthus tamulus. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 385: 138-144.
Book chapters
Strong PN and Jeyaseelan, K (in press) Arthropod toxins acting on calcium-activated potassium channels - applications to medicine and biotechnology. In: Animal Toxins: State of the Art. Perspectives in Health and Biotechnology (de Lima, M. Ed). Sao Paolo, Brazil, in press.
Book reviews
Strong PN (2005) Encyclopaedia of Supramolecular Chemistry (Eds. Atwood JL and Steed JW). Reference Reviews 2005, 19: 43-44
Strong PN (2004) Encyclopaedic reference of Molecular Pharmacology (Eds. Offermanns S and Rosenthal W). Reference Reviews 2004, 18: 36-37
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