Debont T, Swerts A, Van der Walt J J, Müller G J, Verdonck F, Daenens P, Tytgat J
Laboratory of Toxicology, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Toxicon. 1998 Feb;36(2):341-52. doi: 10.1016/s0041-0101(97)00099-8.
Parabuthus transvaalicus, P. granulatus, and P. villosus are three medically important scorpion species occurring in southern Africa which can cause severe envenoming among people. In contrast to many other genera, no data is available on the venom composition of scorpions belonging to the genus Parabuthus. Here we have investigated the components which may contribute to the venomous potential. The constancy of venom composition within each of the three species and between the three species was investigated by means of gel filtration chromatography. The venoms of the three species each were characterized by a constant and typical elution pattern, resulting in a 'gel filtration fingerprint' which allows distinction between each species. It appears that certain components in the venoms are common to either all three species, or to two of the three species. This points to a clear interspecies relationship within the genus. We also describe the isolation and characterization of some of the polypeptide toxins present in the venoms of P. villosus, P. transvaalicus and P. granulatus by means of reversed phase chromatography and screening of the toxic components on voltage-activated potassium and sodium channels. Our results confirm that toxins which inhibit potassium channels and alter sodium channel gating are present in the venoms studied.
德兰士瓦肥尾蝎、粒突肥尾蝎和长毛肥尾蝎是在南非发现的三种具有医学重要性的蝎子物种，它们可导致人类严重中毒。与许多其他属不同，关于肥尾蝎属蝎子的毒液成分尚无数据。在此，我们研究了可能有助于其毒性的成分。通过凝胶过滤色谱法研究了这三个物种各自内部以及三个物种之间毒液成分的稳定性。这三个物种的毒液各自具有恒定且典型的洗脱模式，形成了一个“凝胶过滤指纹图谱”，可用于区分每个物种。似乎毒液中的某些成分在所有三个物种中都有，或者在三个物种中的两个中有。这表明该属内存在明显的种间关系。我们还描述了通过反相色谱法以及在电压激活的钾通道和钠通道上筛选有毒成分，从长毛肥尾蝎、德兰士瓦肥尾蝎和粒突肥尾蝎的毒液中分离和鉴定一些多肽毒素的过程。我们的结果证实，在所研究的毒液中存在抑制钾通道并改变钠通道门控的毒素。
