title: Purification and partial characterization of stonustoxin (lethal factor) from Synanceja horrida venom.
abstract: 1. The lethal factor of the stonefish (Synanceja horrida) venom, designated as the stonustoxin, was purified to homogeneity by a two-step procedure on Sephacryl S-200 High Resolution (HR) gel permeation and DEAE Bio-Gel A anion exchange chromatography. 2. Stonustoxin has a native mol. wt of 148,000 and an isoelectric point of 6.9. 3. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed two subunits (designated alpha and beta) with mol. wts of 71,000 and 79,000, respectively. 4. The amino acid composition of both subunits and the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the beta subunit were also determined. 5. Purified stonustoxin had an LD50 of 0.017 microgram/g which is 22-fold more potent than that of the crude venom. 6. The toxin exhibited potent haemolytic activity in vitro and edema-inducing activity with a minimum edema dose (MED) of 0.15 micrograms in mouse paw. The edema effect was not antagonized by diphenhydramine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Poh
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Khoo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gwee
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gopalakrishnakone
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005397:Fish Venoms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000633:toxicity; D005399:Fishes; D007526:Isoelectric Point; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D005397:Fish Venoms; C073228:stonustoxin