Toxins isolated from the venom of the brazilian coral snake ( Micrurus frontalis frontalis) include hemorrhagic type phospholipases A 2 and postsynaptic neurotoxins

Abstract

Two sets of proteins have been purified from the venom of the Brazilian coral snake, Micrurus frontalis frontalis. One set has mol. wts, as shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), in the 8000–13,000 range and includes some proteins which are toxic to mice and others which are not. These proteins appear to be isoforms of postsynaptic toxins. The other set shows phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2) activity and the toxic members of this set promote hemorrhage in mice in a manner closely resembling that produced by PLA 2s isolated from the venom of the Australian tiger snake ( Notechis scutatus scutatus). These PLA 2s migrate on SDS-PAGE with apparent mol. wts in the 18,000–22,000 range which is characteristic of PLA 2s that have an α-helix D similar to pancreatic PLA 2s. Elapid venom PLA 2s of the type which typically migrate on SDS-PAGE with mol. wts in the 13,000–16,000 range and do not have α-helix D have not been detected in M. f. frontalis venom.