Abstract
Two toxins have been purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from an extract of the venom apparatus of the brown recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa. Toxin 1 is the lesioncausing agent in rabbits and is also lethal to mice and rabbits. Toxin 2 which does not appear to be toxic to mice is lethal to rabbits but does not produce lesions. The molecular weight of both toxins is approximately 34,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. Amino acid compositions of both toxins have been obtained. Toxicities of the toxins are not directly associated with enzymatic activities of hyaluronidase, alkaline phosphatase and 5′-ribonucleotide phosphohydrolase although these enzymes are found in the whole extract. Nevertheless, the toxic activities of toxin 1 may be related to its plasma-coagulating activity. Antisera to toxin 1, toxin 2 and the whole extract have been prepared. Antiserum to toxin 1 is effective in protection of mice against the toxin effect of the extract. None of the antisera has been effective, as tested, in reducing lesion size in rabbits.
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