Received: May 6, 2008.

Accepted: July 1, 2008.

Abstract published online: July 11, 2008.

Full paper published online: February 28, 2009.

BIOCHEMICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDY OF VENOM OF THE WOLF SPIDER Lycosa singoriensis

Liu ZH (1), Qian W (2), Li J (1), Zhang Y (1), Liang S (1)

(1) College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China; (2) Administrative Center for Basic Research, Ministry of Science ant Technology, China.

ABSTRACT: The wolf spider Lycosa singoriensis is a large and venomous spider distributed throughout northwestern China. Like other spider venoms, the wolf spider venom is a chemical cocktail. Its protein content is 0.659 mg protein/mg crude venom as determined by the Lowry method. MALDI-TOF analysis revealed that the venom peptides are highly diverse and may be divided into three groups characterized by three independent molecular ranges: 2,000 to 2,500 Da, 4,800 to 5,500 Da and 7,000 to 8,000 Da, respectively. This molecular distribution differs substantially from those of most spider venoms studied so far. This wolf spider venom has low neurotoxic action on mice, but it can induce hemolysis of human erythrocytes. Furthermore, the venom shows antimicrobial activity against prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

KEY WORDS: spider, Lycosa singoriensis, crude venom, MALDI-TOF, antimicrobial activity.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: There is no conflict.

FINANCIAL SOURCE: National Science Foundation, China.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

SONGPING LIANG, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, China. Phone: +86 731 8872556. Fax: +86 731 8861304. Email: liangsp@hunnu.edu.cn.