Two new arthropod toxins purified from the venom of the Mexican scorpion Centruroides nigrescens

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  Two new arthropod toxins purified from the venom of the Mexican scorpion Centruroides nigrescens Abstract The venom of the slender black scorpion Centruroides nigrescens , from the State of Guerrero México, was fractionated by Sephadex G–50 gel filtration, followed by carboxymethyl cellulose ion separation and high–performance liquid chromatography, permitting to obtain two new peptides toxic to arthropods. The estimate LD 50 of the soluble venom for the insect Acheta domesticus was 11.1 μg/g body weight, and for the arthropod Armadillidium vulgare was 61.1 μg body weight . The amino acid sequence of toxin Cnige1 (toxic to A. domesticus and A. vulgare ) contains 65 amino acids, with a molecular mass of 7273.37 mass units, whereas toxin Cnige2, toxic to A. domesticus , contains 68 amino acids, with a molecular mass of 7548.81 units. Both peptides are well packed, containing 8 cysteines, which in the native venoms are forming 4 disulfide bridges each. The amino acid sequences f...

Venom Diversity: Exploring the inter- and intra-specific variability of Androctonus scorpion venoms

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Venom Diversity: Exploring the inter- and intra-specific variability of Androctonus scorpion venoms


Abstract:

From its lethal sting to its medicinal potential, scorpion venom is a paradoxical elixir of nature. This venom contains a variety of molecules, including enzymes, molecules involved in allergic reactions, and, most notably, neurotoxins that exert a potent pharmacological activity on the membrane of ion channels of excitable cells. In this study, we conducted an exhaustive analysis of the venoms derived from Moroccan scorpions belonging to the Androctonus genera. Using electrospray mass spectrometry coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), we aimed to provide detailed information regarding the composition and molecular nature of these venoms. We initially fractionated the venoms using HPLC, and the fractions were subsequently analyzed via mass spectrometry to establish peptide maps and fingerprints for each venom. We obtained a wide range of molecular weights, varying between 236 and 622, depending on factors such as species, genus, geographical location, age, sex, and diet. Our analysis revealed that the molecular masses of the venoms were predominantly found between 2000 and 4000 Da and corresponded mainly to short toxins that blocked the K+ channels. Larger molecular weights exceeding 4000 Da were identified as long toxins modulating the Na+ channels. Moreover, we discovered other peptides below 2000 Da that were previously unknown. Our observations also indicated that the venom of the Androctonus genera contained higher quantities of masses corresponding to both long and short toxins. This study provides valuable insight into the complex composition of scorpion venoms and underscores the significance of understanding their composition in the development of novel therapeutic approaches.


HILAL, I.; KHOURCHA, S.; SAFI, A.; HMYENE, A.; STOCKLIN, R.; OUKKACHE, N. Venom Diversity: Exploring the inter- and intra-specific variability of Androctonus scorpion venoms., in Proceedings of the 2nd International Electronic Conference on Toxins, 14–28 July 2023, MDPI: Basel, Switzerland, doi:10.3390/IECT2023-14797