title: Isolation and partial characterization of three lethal and hemolytic toxins from the sea anemone Actinia cari.
abstract: Three lethal and hemolytic toxins, caritoxin I, II and III were isolated from the sea anemone Actinia cari. Following controlled autolysis, tentacles were strained through a nylon sieve and thus a crude extract was obtained. The toxins were further purified by Sephadex G-75 gel chromatography. All three toxins which were eluted at the same peak, were separated by ion-exchange chromatography on CM-cellulose. Disc-PAGE revealed electrophoretic homogeneity of caritoxin II. Caritoxin I was obtained in pure form following rechromatography on CM-cellulose. Purified toxins were stable in the pH range 3 - 8. The preliminary determined molecular weight of the toxins was 20 - 25000 daltons. All three toxins are basic proteins. Isoelectric point of caritoxin I was determined as 10.7. The isolated toxins are lethal (LD 5o of caritoxin I is 22 microgram/kg mice, i.v.) and indicate high hemolytic activity with a pH optimum between 8 and 9. Sphingomyelin specifically and irreversibly inhibits the hemolytic activity of caritoxins as well as some other sea anemone cytolytic toxins.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D012615:Sea Anemones; D013109:Sphingomyelins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D003064:Cnidarian Venoms; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D013109:Sphingomyelins