Omega-Agatoxin IVA
Venom Peptide / Ion ChannelAlso known as: ω-Agatoxin IVA, ω-Aga-IVA
Spider Venom PeptidesResearch phase: Preclinical (research tool)Regulatory: Not approved. Research tool compound.
Mechanism
Omega-agatoxin IVA is a spider venom peptide that selectively blocks P/Q-type calcium channels, which are critical for neurotransmitter release throughout the brain.
Technical detail
ω-Agatoxin IVA is a 48-amino acid peptide from Agelenopsis aperta (funnel web spider) venom. It selectively blocks P/Q-type voltage-gated calcium channels (Cav2.1) at nanomolar concentrations. It is the standard pharmacological tool for identifying P/Q-type calcium currents in neurons.