VENOMS FROM SPIDERS OF THE GENUS Phoneutria

CORDEIRO, M.N.(1), DINIZ, C.R.(in memorian); RICHARDSON, M.(1), FERREIRA DE OLIVEIRA, R.(1), FIGUEIREDO, S.G.(2), DE LIMA, M.E.(3), CALEGARIO-OLIVEIRA, L.(1,3)

(1)Fundação Ezequiel Dias, BH, MG, (2)Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, UFES, Vitória, ES, (3)Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, ICB, UFMG, BH, MG.

Venoms of spiders, such as the genus Phoneutria are an important part of the rich biodiversity found in Brazil. We have shown that they are a source of potentially valuable biologically active proteins, such as lethal neurotoxins acting on Na+, K+ and Ca2+ ion channels and chemical receptors in the neuro-muscular systems of animals, priapic agents, novel proteolyticenzymes and insecticides. Various of these might be developed for use in medicine, or in agriculture (as defensive insecticides genetically engineered into crop plants), and/or as powerful laboratory tools. We are using reverse phase and ion-exchange chromatography (HPLC and FPLC) to purify these proteins from the venoms of Phoneutria nigriventer ,Phoneutriareidyi and Phoneutriaspp, and determining their biological activities by both in vivo and in vitro tests, using mice and various insects, and also using electro-physiological methods To date we have succeeded in obtaining about 280 of these protein components in a pure state. Our analyses of the venoms from these three different species of Phoneutria found in Brazil have revealed that whilst they are quite similar in overall composition, there are significant quantitative and qualitative differences between them. Most notable is the observation that the venoms from Phoneutriareidyi and Phoneutriaspp contain much higher concentrations of the proteins with insecticidal activity, and somewhat lower quantities of the proteins toxic for mammals, than the venom of Phoneutrianigriventer. We have also demonstrated that the forms ofTx1, one of the most neurotoxic and abundant proteins found in the venoms of all three species exhibit slightly different biochemical properties in each species.

Financial support: CNPq, FAPEMIG, FUNED.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

Marta do Nascimento Cordeiro, Rua Dom Silvério, 28, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP: 31530450, Brasil, Email: martanc@funed.mg.gov.br