Mass fingerprinting of toxic fractions from the venom of the Indian red scorpion, Mesobuthus tamulus: biotope-specific variation in the expression of venom peptides.
The red scorpion, Mesobuthus tamulus, is found in two distinct biotopes within the Indian state of Maharastra-a tropical, sea-level biotope and a semi-arid biotope, up to 600 m. Scorpions from these two geographical areas show marked differences in toxicity. Using mass spectrometry, we have shown biotope-specific variation in the expression of peptides from scorpions collected from these two distinct areas. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) and reversed-phase liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS) were assessed as techniques for obtaining mass fingerprint data. On line LC/ESI-MS was judged to be the method of choice and unique biotope-specific mass fingerprints, with key diagnostic markers, were obtained.
Newton
Kirsti A
KA
Biosciences Division, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield S1 1WB, UK. k.newton@shu.ac.uk
Clench
Malcolm R
MR
Deshmukh
Ranjana
R
Jeyaseelan
Kandiah
K
Strong
Peter N
PN
D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D017753:Ecosystem; D014644:Genetic Variation; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry*; D010449:Peptide Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000737:chemistry*; D012605:Scorpions; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods*
D010446:Peptide Fragments; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012604:Scorpion Venoms