Structures and biological activities of three synaptic antagonists from orb weaver spider venom

  • Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1987 Oct 29;148(2):678-83. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(87)90930-2.
M E Adams  1 ,  R L Carney ,  F E Enderlin ,  E T Fu ,  M A Jarema ,  J P Li ,  C A Miller ,  D A Schooley ,  M J Shapiro ,  V J Venema
Affiliations
  • 1. Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside 92521.
PMID: 3689366 DOI: 10.1016/0006-291x(87)90930-2
Abstract

The venom of Argiope aurantia, an orb weaver spider, contains a mixture of low molecular weight "argiotoxins", which block neuromuscular transmission in insects. Complete structure elucidation of three argiotoxins reveals common features; a hydrophilic, basic domain of arginine, a polyamine and asparagine is connected to an aromatic moiety contributed either by 4-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid or 2,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid. Structural assignments of two argiotoxins are verified by chemical synthesis. The argiotoxins cause reversible paralysis when injected into insects and this is correlated with a stimulus-dependent inhibition of skeletal neuromuscular transmission at submicromolar concentrations.

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