Speedy milking of fresh venom from aculeate hymenopterans

Eduardo G P Fox; Meng Xu; Lei Wang; Li Chen; Yong-Yue Lu

doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.02.050

Speedy milking of fresh venom from aculeate hymenopterans

Toxicon. 2018 May:146:120-123. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.02.050. Epub 2018 Mar 3.

Authors

Eduardo G P Fox¹, Meng Xu², Lei Wang³, Li Chen², Yong-Yue Lu⁴

Affiliations

¹ Red Imported Fire Ant Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, PR China. Electronic address: ofoxofox@gmail.com.
² Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Zoology, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Beijing, 100101, PR China.
³ Red Imported Fire Ant Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, PR China.
⁴ Red Imported Fire Ant Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, PR China. Electronic address: luyongyue@scau.edu.cn.

PMID: 29510162
DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.02.050

Abstract

A straightforward method for extracting aculeate arthropod venoms by centrifugation is described, based on adapting a glass insert containing a piece of metal mesh or glass wool into a centrifuge tube. Venom apparatuses are centrifuged for 30 s intervals at ≈2000-6000 g, with samples being dislodged between cycles. Venom from fire ants, honeybees, and a social wasp were extracted within minutes. The method is suited for small-scale bioassays and allows for faithful descriptions of unmodified toxin cocktails.

Keywords: Asian hornet; Medical entomology; Melittin; Myrmecology; Natural products; RIFA; Toxinology.

MeSH terms

Animals
Ants
Arthropod Venoms / isolation & purification*
Bees
Centrifugation / methods*
Wasps

Substances

Arthropod Venoms