COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON THE VENOMS FROM BRAZILIAN SPIDERS OF THE GENUS Phoneutria

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

(1)Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Belo Horizonte, MG, (2)Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Vitória, ES, (3)Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, ICB, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Belo Horizonte, MG

Studies on the spider Phoneutria nigriventer initiated by DINIZ (1963) led to the discovery of novel proteins and peptides with biological activity in mammals and insects, and this has stimulated us to carry out further comparative studies on the venoms from other species of the same genus. A study of possible geographical variation, within a single species, was also made possible by the collection of specimens of Phoneutria reidyi from three well separated localities. In addition to characterizing the groups of toxins found in each species, we have carried out a preliminary study on the proteolytic enzymes in each of the venoms. The biochemical characterization was performed using various techniques such as phase reverse and ion exchange chromatography on FPLC and HPLC systems, electrophoreses (PAGE) utilizing SDS-Tricine or Urea/Propionic acid, and biological assays in insects (flies) and mammals (mice). Proteolytic enzyme activity was studied using the Quanti Cleave^TM kit (Pierce Chemical Company). Amongst the many proteins obtained in pure and characterized form, several deserve mention because of their toxicity for mammals or insects, in which a number were lethal, in addition to provoking various reactions such as agitation, increasing tactile sensitivity, salivation, itching, flaccid and spastic paralysis.

Supported by CNPq, FAPEMIG and FUNED. 

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

Reginaldo Ferreira de Oliveira, Rua Célio Diniz, 39, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP: 31535-150, Brasil, Email: regifull@yahoo.com.br