Amino acid sequence of versutoxin, a lethal neurotoxin from the venom of the funnel-web spider Atrax versutus.
The complete amino acid sequence of versutoxin, a lethal neurotoxic polypeptide isolated from the venom of male and female funnel-web spiders of the species Atrax versutus, was determined. Sequencing was performed in a gas-phase protein sequencer by automated Edman degradation of the S-carboxymethylated toxin and fragments of it produced by reaction with CNBr. Versutoxin consisted of a single chain of 42 amino acid residues. It was found to have a high proportion of basic residues and of cystine. The primary structure showed marked homology with that of robustoxin, a novel neurotoxin recently isolated from the venom of another funnel-web-spider species, Atrax robustus.
Brown
M R
MR
School of Chemistry, Macquarie University, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia.
Sheumack
D D
DD
Tyler
M I
MI
Howden
M E
ME
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001180:Arthropod Venoms / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000032:analysis; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000032:analysis*
D001180:Arthropod Venoms; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D013111:Spider Venoms; C055477:versutoxin