Partial characterization of the hemolytic activity of the nematocyst venom from the jellyfish Cyanea nozakii Kishinouye.
Using a recently developed technique to extract jellyfish venom from nematocysts, the present study investigated the hemolytic activity of Cyanea nozakii Kishinouye nematocyst venom on chicken erythrocytes. Venom extract caused a significant concentration-dependent hemolytic effect. The extract could retain its activity at -80 degrees C but was unstable when kept at 4 degrees C and -20 degrees C for 2 days. The hemolytic activity was inhibited by heating within the range of 37-100 degrees C. The extract was active over a pH range of 5.0-8.63 and the pH optima for the extract was 7.8. Incubation of the venom with sphingomyelin specially inhibited hemolytic activity by up to 70%. Cu(2+) and Mn(2+) greatly reduced the hemolytic activity while Mg(2+), Sr(2+) and Ba(2+) produced a relatively low inhibiting effect on the hemolytic activity. Treatment with Ca(2+) induced a concentration-dependent increase in the hemolytic activity. In the presence of 5 mM EDTA, all the hemolytic activity was lost, however, the venom containing 1.5 mM EDTA was stable in the long-term storage. PLA(2) activity was also found in the nematocyst venom of C. nozakii. These characteristics provide us a fundamental knowledge in the C. nozakii nematocyst venom which would benefit future research.
Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China. jinhuafeng81@126.com
Jinhua
J
Feng
Huahua
H
Yu
Ronge
R
Xing
Song
S
Liu
Lin
L
Wang
Shengbao
S
Cai
Pengcheng
P
Li
D000818:Animals; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000633:toxicity*; D004355:Drug Stability; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D058894:Nematocyst / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D054467:Phospholipases A2 / Q000378:metabolism; D037401:Scyphozoa / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
D003064:Cnidarian Venoms; D054467:Phospholipases A2