Purification and the partial amino acid sequence of an insect neurotoxin from the venom of scorpion Buthus martensi Karsch.

Abstract

1. A neurotoxic peptide was isolated from the venom of the scorpion Buthus martensi Karsch collected in Henan Province, China. 2. This toxin showed the highest neurotoxic potency to crickets amongst all components in the venom examined. 3. The amino acid composition of the toxin was similar to that of insect toxin 1 of Leiurus quinquestriatus quinquestriatus. 4. The partial primary sequence of the toxin at the N-terminal was very similar to that of an insect toxin of Androctonus australis Hector. 5. We conclude that the neurotoxin we isolated is indeed an insect toxin and thus named it as BmK IT.