Hendon R A, Tu A T
Biochemistry. 1981 Jun 9;20(12):3517-22. doi: 10.1021/bi00515a033.
The Gila monster (genus Heloderma) is the only known lizard to produce and inject a venomous secretion. Little is known about the venom from these lizards, and none of the toxins have been isolated until this time. This paper reports the isolation and characterization of a major lethal toxin (gilatoxin) from the venoms of Heloderma suspectum and Heloderma horridum. Gilatoxins from both species were similar in amino acid composition, electrophoretic mobility, pI, and immunological reactivity. They are acidic proteins possessing molecular weights of 35 000-37 500 and isoelectric points of 4.25 and consist of a single polypeptide chain. Neither is antigenically related to the venoms of snakes. The toxins are devoid of phospholipase A2 activity and proteolytic, hemorrhagic, and hemolytic activities, with lethality being the only biological activity detectably expressed. The toxins appear to be unique and distinct from those of other venomous animals.
吉拉毒蜥（希拉毒蜥属）是已知唯一能产生并分泌有毒物质的蜥蜴。此前人们对这些蜥蜴的毒液了解甚少，且从未分离出其中的毒素。本文报道了从钝尾希拉毒蜥和中美希拉毒蜥毒液中分离出一种主要致命毒素（吉拉毒素）并对其进行表征的过程。两种毒蜥的吉拉毒素在氨基酸组成、电泳迁移率、等电点和免疫反应性方面相似。它们是酸性蛋白质，分子量为35000 - 37500，等电点为4.25，由一条多肽链组成。两者均与蛇毒无抗原相关性。这些毒素缺乏磷脂酶A2活性以及蛋白水解、出血和溶血活性，致死性是唯一可检测到的生物学活性。这些毒素似乎是独特的，与其他有毒动物的毒素不同。
