Polypeptides minimine and melittin from bee venom: Effects on Drosophila

Abstract

Bee venom was fractionated using methanol, acetone, polyacrylamide, and Sephadex gels, and anion exchangers. Two polypeptides were isolated and found to have unique physiological effects on Drosophila melanogaster larvae. One of these—minimine—has a molecular weight of about 6000, contains all of the usual amino acids, and has not been previously described. Third-instar larvae which survive the LD 50 dose of about 0.005 μg of minimine stop feeding and growing and are lethargic but not paralyzed. They develop into flies as small as one-fourth of normal but normal with regard to feeding and mobility. These reproduce, and their progeny are of normal size at the larval and adult stages. The main component of bee venom—melittin—was isolated in two very similar forms. Its in vivo physiological and in vitro anti acetylcholinesterase effects are described in the accompanying paper.