Identification of a novel melittin isoform from Africanized Apis mellifera venom
Peptides
; 31(8): 1473-1479, 2010.
Article
in English
| Sec. Est. Saúde SP, SESSP-IBPROD, Sec. Est. Saúde SP, SESSP-IBACERVO
| ID: biblio-1065277
Responsible library:
BR78.1
Localization: BR78.1
ABSTRACT
Apis mellifera, the European honey bee, is perhaps the most studied insect in the Apidae family. Its venom is comprised basically of melittin, phospholipase A2, histamine, hyaluronidase, cathecolamines and serotonin. Some of these components have been associated to allergic reactions, among several other symptoms. On the other hand, bee mass-stinging is increasingly becoming a serious public health issue; therefore, the development of efficient serum-therapies has become necessary, with a consequent better characterization of the venom. In this work, we report the isolation and biochemical characterization of melittin-S, an isoform of melittin comprising a Ser residue at the 10th position, from the venom of Africanized A. mellifera. This peptide demonstrated to be less hemolytic than melittin and to adopt a less organized secondary structure, as assessed by circular dichroism spectroscopy. Melittin-S venom contents varied seasonally, and the maximum secretion occurred during the (southern) winter months. Data on the variation of the honey bee venom composition are necessary to guide future immunological studies, aiming for the development of an efficient anti-serum against Africanized A. mellifera venom and, consequently, an effective treatment for the victims of mass-stinging.
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Collection:
National databases
/
Brazil
Database:
Sec. Est. Saúde SP
/
SESSP-IBACERVO
/
SESSP-IBPROD
Main subject:
Bees
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
Limits:
Animals
Language:
English
Journal:
Peptides
Year:
2010
Document type:
Article
Institution/Affiliation country:
Instituto Butantan/BR