Abstract
The venom of Argiope aurantia, an orb weaver spider, contains a mixture of low molecular weight "argiotoxins", which block neuromuscular transmission in insects. Complete structure elucidation of three argiotoxins reveals common features; a hydrophilic, basic domain of arginine, a polyamine and asparagine is connected to an aromatic moiety contributed either by 4-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid or 2,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid. Structural assignments of two argiotoxins are verified by chemical synthesis. The argiotoxins cause reversible paralysis when injected into insects and this is correlated with a stimulus-dependent inhibition of skeletal neuromuscular transmission at submicromolar concentrations.
Publication types
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Arthropod Venoms / toxicity*
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Houseflies
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Indoleacetic Acids / chemical synthesis
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Indoleacetic Acids / isolation & purification
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Indoleacetic Acids / toxicity*
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Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
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Neuromuscular Junction / drug effects
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Neuromuscular Junction / physiology*
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Phenylacetates / chemical synthesis
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Phenylacetates / isolation & purification
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Phenylacetates / toxicity*
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Polyamines / chemical synthesis
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Polyamines / isolation & purification
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Polyamines / toxicity*
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Spider Venoms / isolation & purification
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Spider Venoms / toxicity*
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Structure-Activity Relationship
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Synapses / drug effects
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Synapses / physiology*
Substances
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Arthropod Venoms
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Indoleacetic Acids
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Phenylacetates
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Polyamines
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Spider Venoms
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argiotoxin-636
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argiotoxin 673
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argiotoxin 659