On The Cover: The image shows a scorpion striking its molecular target, the brain voltage-gated Na+ channel. Scorpion venom contains β-toxins that bind with high affinity to the voltage-sensing domain of the Na+ channel and lock it in an activated state. Persistent activation of Na+ channels depolarizes nerve and muscle cells and paralyzes the nervous system. In this issue, Cestèle et al. present a kinetic analysis of the voltage sensor trapping process, map the toxin receptor site, and develop a molecular model of the toxin-voltage sensor complex. For details see the article by Cestèle et al., pages 21332–21344.
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