Preparation and properties of a neurotoxin purified from the venom of black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans tredecimguttatus)

Grasso, A.

doi:10.1016/0005-2795(76)90077-5

Cited by 81 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…This toxin has been purified either by a combination of gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography [11,12], or by immunoaffinity chromatography [ …”

Section: A-latrotoxin: the Mode Of Actionmentioning

confidence: 99%

α‐Latrotoxin receptor

Petrenko

1993

FEBS Letters

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a-Latrotoxin is a potent stimulator of neurotransmitter release from nerve terminals. High affinity membrane cl-latrotoxin receptor was purified in an active binding form. It is a membrane glycoprotein (M, 160,00~220,000) which may be complexed to a smaller polypeptide (M, 29,000). The structure of the receptor protein suggests that it may be a synapse-specific cell recognition molecule. Intracellularly, the tx-latrotoxin receptor interacts with synaptotagmin, a calcium-and phospholipid-binding protein specifically localized in the synaptic vesicle membrane. This interaction may be important for targeting of synaptic vesicles to presynaptic release sites.

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“…This toxin has been purified either by a combination of gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography [11,12], or by immunoaffinity chromatography [ …”

Section: A-latrotoxin: the Mode Of Actionmentioning

confidence: 99%

α‐Latrotoxin receptor

Petrenko

1993

FEBS Letters

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“…and showing most of the toxic effects of the crude venom preparation has been purified to apparent homogeneity [5,6]. It was also reported that the toxin was able to induce in synaptosomes depletion of previously accumulated radioactive norepinephrine [5].…”

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confidence: 99%

A Toxin Purified from the Venom of Black Widow Spider Affects the Uptake and Release of Radioactive γ‐Amino Butyrate and N‐Epinephrine from Rat Brain Synaptosomes

Grasso

Senni

1979

European Journal of Biochemistry

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A purified neurotoxin from the venom of black widow spider Latrodectus mactans tredecimguttatus, when tested on synaptosomes by means of a perfusion technique, stimulates the release of previously accumulated radioactive transmitters.Black widow spider toxin has also been shown to be a potent inhibitor of the uptake systems for y-aminobutyrate and N-epinephrine. The release from synaptosomes of radioactive N-epinephrine and y-aminobutyrate was rapidly increased by the presence of a low concentration of toxin (* 1 nM). The toxin does not appear to cause either non-specific membrane damage or the release of a non-transmitter substance like y-amin~['~C]isobutyric acid.The venom-induced release of y-aminobutyrate was shown not to be dependent on extracellular calcium concentration provided that sodium ions are present. By contrast, that of N-epinephrine appeared to be Ca-dependent. The release of y-aminobutyrate induced by the toxin is not modified by the presence in the perfusing fluid of tetrodotoxin, dithioerythritol and strontium ions, or by pretreatment of synaptosomes with diaminobutyrate. The mechanism of toxin-induced release is different from that of a depolarization-induced release.By correlating previous electrophysiological observations with the results obtained in this biochemical study it may be suggested that the toxin can be used in studies aimed at the identification of components specific to the presynaptic terminal membrane involved in neurotransmitter release.

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“…Initial studies with the venom of the Mediterranean black widow L. tredecimguttatus Rossi, 1790 (Theridiidae) (Figure 4) have indicated that the symptoms of the venom are mainly attributable to at least seven large acidic proteins (pI ~5.0-6.0; MW 110 -140 kDa) called latrotoxins [92,93]. As most of these compounds are targeted against insects, they are also referred to as latroinsectotoxins (α, β, γ, δ, and ε-LIT) [94].…”

Section: Antitoxins For Botulism: Black Widow Spiders (Genus Latrodectusmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As most of these compounds are targeted against insects, they are also referred to as latroinsectotoxins (α, β, γ, δ, and ε-LIT) [94]. α-Latrotoxin is the only known venom component that aims specifically at vertebrates [92]. These compounds are responsible for the above-mentioned massive release of neurotransmitters from the nerve terminals following envenomation by black widow spiders [95].…”

Section: Antitoxins For Botulism: Black Widow Spiders (Genus Latrodectusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the global animal biodiversity in the search for new drugs – Spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, sea spiders, centipedes, and millipedes

Mans¹

2017

J Transl Sci

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Drug discovery and development programs have historically mainly focused on plants with medicinal properties and the extensive knowledge of traditional healers about these plants. More recently, the vast array of marine invertebrates and insects throughout the world have been recognized as additional sources for identifying unusual lead compounds to obtain structurally novel and mechanistically unique therapeutics. The results from these efforts are encouraging and have yielded a number of clinically useful drugs. However, many arthropods other than insects -such as spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, sea spiders, centipedes, and millipedes -also produce hundreds of bioactive substances in their venom that may become useful in the clinic. Many of these chemicals are defensive and predatory weapons of these creatures and have been refined during millions of years of evolution to rapidly and with high specificity and high affinity shut down critical molecular targets in prey and predators. Exploration of these compounds may lead to the development of, among others, novel drugs for treating diseases caused by abnormalities in humans in the same (evolutionary conserved) molecular targets such as erectyle dysfunction, botulism, and autoimmune disorders, as well as the identification of novel antineoplastic, antimicrobial, and antiparasitic compounds. This paper addresses the importance of bioactive compounds from spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, sea spiders, centipedes, and millipedes to these advances.

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Preparation and properties of a neurotoxin purified from the venom of black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans tredecimguttatus)

Cited by 81 publications

References 13 publications

α‐Latrotoxin receptor

α‐Latrotoxin receptor

A Toxin Purified from the Venom of Black Widow Spider Affects the Uptake and Release of Radioactive γ‐Amino Butyrate and N‐Epinephrine from Rat Brain Synaptosomes

Exploring the global animal biodiversity in the search for new drugs – Spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, sea spiders, centipedes, and millipedes

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