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Toxic water soluble polymeric 3-alkylpyridinium salts (poly APS; MW 18900 and 5520Da) were isolated from the marine sponge Raniera sarai. In vitro they strongly inhibited acetylcholinesterase. In order to evaluate the role of acetylcholinesterase inhibition in toxin lethality, and to assess other possible lethal effects, in vivo experiments were performed on male Wistar rats, and ECG, blood pressure...
This preclinical study compared the muscle weakening efficacy, duration, and safety margin of the recently approved botulinum toxin type B (BTX-B; Myobloc™/Neurobloc™) to botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A; BOTOX®). Mice received a single hind limb intramuscular injection of BTX-B (1–150U/kg) or BTX-A (1–120U/kg). An observer who was masked to treatment assessed the magnitude and duration of muscle weakening...
The amino acid sequence of a thrombin like enzyme, named elegaxobin, isolated from the venom of Trimeresurus elegans (Sakishima-habu) was determined by Edman sequencing of the peptides, derived from digests with cyanogen bromide, hydroxylamine, achromobacter protease I, trypsin, V8 protease, and chymotrypsin. Elegaxobin showed conservation of the catalytic amino acid residues (His, Asp, and Ser) of...
We isolated a cDNA of 2001bp encoding the full-length precursor of flavoridin, which is one of the four disintegrins in the venom of Trimeresurus flavoviridis, and analyzed the cDNA nucleotide sequence. The deduced amino acid sequence of the open reading frame consisted of a pro-domain (190 residues), a metalloproteinase domain (205 residues), a spacer domain (18 residues) and a disintegrin (flavoridin)...
Pectenotoxin-2 seco acid (PTX2sa) and 7-epi-pectenotoxin-2 seco acid (7-epi-PTX2sa) were found in Portuguese shellfish both by fluorescence detection after ADAM derivatisation and, liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry detection. Two time-series both with blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and common cockle (Cerastoderma edule) from Aveiro lagoon illustrate how PTX2sa has a strong association...
A comparative study of venoms from juvenile, sub-adult and adult wild Bothrops atrox specimens captured in Manaus region (Brazil) was performed. All venoms tested had acidic pH (5.5) and the human plasma coagulant activity was higher in venoms from juvenile and sub-adult specimens than in adults. Sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE) showed that the most intense bands...
Two metabolites of microcystin-LR glutathione conjugate and, microcystin–cysteine conjugate, as well as microcystin-RR (MCRR) are less toxic than microcystin-LR (MCLR). In the present study, we investigated why these compounds are weakly toxic in comparison with MCLR, as the reason is still unknown and no systematic study has so far been carried out for a clarification of this issue. Although they...
A new outbreak of human diarrhoeic poisonings (DSP) with esters of okadaic acid (OA) was confirmed after ingestion of razor clams (Solen marginatus) harvested at Aveiro lagoon (NW Portugal) in the summer of 2001. Accumulation of marine toxins in second order consumers was investigated in the edible parts of a shellfish predator abundant at Aveiro lagoon, the green crab Carcinus maenas. Okadaic acid...
From the venom of the American scorpion Centruroides sculpturatus Ewing we have isolated a minute peptide fraction (named CsEKerg1) which reversibly inhibits the current through ERG (ether-à-go-go-related gene) K+ channels. Isolation was done by CM-cellulose column chromatography and reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography. To test for an effect on ERG channels we used NG108-15 neuroblastoma×glioma...
Enzymes with gelatinolytic activity were detected in Tityus bahiensis and Tityus serrulatus venom. Their activity was optimal at pH 8.0 in SDS–PAGE–gelatin. They were inhibited by PMSF but not by iodoacetamide, pepstatin or phenantrolin in the assay conditions used. This suggests that these enzymes are serine proteases. The presence of metal ions did not affect the proteolytic activity of these enzymes...
A novel Conus peptide, conophysin-R, was purified from the venom of Conus radiatus. The distinctive disulfide framework and sequence indicates that it is a member of the neurophysin peptide family. The complete sequence of the peptide isHPTKPCMYCSFGQCVGPHICCGPTGCEMGTAEANMCSEEDEDPIPCQVFGSDCALNNPDNIHGHCVADGICCVDDTCTTHLGCLThis is the first time a neurophysin-like peptide has been found in any venom....
Azaspiracids have recently been identified as the toxins responsible for a series of human intoxications in Europe since 1995, following the consumption of cultured mussels (Mytilus edulis) from the west coast of Ireland. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometric (LC–MS) methods have been applied in the study reported here to investigate the new human toxic syndrome, azaspiracid poisoning. Separation...
Bradykinin is involved in hyperalgesia (pain hypersensitivity) induced by Bothrops jararaca venom—intraplantar injection of B. jararaca venom (5μg/paw) in rats caused hyperalgesia, which peaked 1h after venom injection. This phenomenon was not modified by promethazine (H1 receptor antagonist), methysergide (5-HT receptor antagonist), guanethidine (sympathetic function inhibitor), anti-TNF-α or anti-interleukin-1...
Professor Chen-Yuan Lee was born in Tainan, Taiwan. In 1940, he joined the staff of the Institute of Pharmacology of the university, now named National Taiwan University. Dr Lee began a study of Daboia russelli formosensis venom under the direction of Professor Tsungming Tu who, in the 1930s, initiated the pharmacological studies of Formosan snake venoms carried out at the Institute. Under Professor...
We report upon the isolation, characterization, and cDNA cloning of an anticoagulant protein, halyxin from Agkistrodon halys brevicaudus venom. The protein exists as a 29kDa protein, and is separated into three chains on SDS–PAGE under reducing conditions. However, we cloned only two cDNAs encoding halyxin from the cDNA library of the snake venom gland, on the basis of the determined amino acid sequences...
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