PRELIMINARY TOXINOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE VENOM OF THE SCORPION Centruroides margaritatus (BUTHIDAE, GERVAIS, 1841) OF THE VALLE OF THE PATÍA, COLOMBIA

GUERRERO-VARGAS J.A. (1,2), AYERBE S. (2,5), RADA- MENDOZA M. (4), VÉLEZ P. (5), BELTRAN J. (5), D´SUZE G. (6),  FONTES W. (1), SOUSA M.V (1) AND CASTRO M.S. (1,3)

(1) Brazilian Center for Protein Research, University of Brasilia, Brasilia/DF, Brazil; (2) Group of Herpetological and Toxinological Research, Museum of Natural History University of Cauca, Colombia; (3) Laboratory of Toxinology, University of Brasilia Brasilia/DF, Brazil; (4) Chemistry Department, University of Cauca, Colombia; (5) Department of Biology, University of Cauca, Colombia; (6) Venezuelan Institute of Scientific Researches, Venezuela.

The venom of the scorpion Centruroides margaritatus of the Valle of the Patía Colombia is toxic to human and is able to engender serious complications. Venom components and its effects are not very well-known. In this study the scorpion venom was separated, in first instance, by HPLC using a Protein Pak exclusion column. Nine fractions were obtained and the fractions II, III, IV and V were tested in gastrocnemius muscle of Bufo marinus. The fractions II, IV and V inhibited the muscular contractions, whereas the fraction III did not cause any effect. Excitability, salivation, dyspnea and sialorrhea were observed after administration of the crude venom in mice. The venom production in milligrams of protein for this species is low and corresponds to 0.11 mg by individual. The LD50 determined by the method of Sevcik was 42.83 mg/kg. A proteomic approach was also applied to this scorpion venom: the crude venom was submitted to a reversed-phase chromatography (Vydac C8 4.6 x 250 mm) and 77 eluted fractions were collected and analyzed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (Reflex IV, Bruker). One eluted fraction with a molecular mass of 2,6 kDa was submitted to Edman degradation and its partial sequence exhibits similarities to other scorpion potassium blocking neurotoxins.

KEY WORDS: scorpion, Centruroides margaritatus, Patía, Colombia, biological assays, proteomic analysis.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT: FUB/UnB

CORRESPONDENCE TO:  Mariana S. Castro (E-mail: mscastro@unb.br) or Jimmy Alexander Guerrero Vargas (E-mail: guerrero@unb.br), Brazilian Center for Protein Research, University of Brasilia, Brasilia/DF, Brazil.