A simplified procedure for the fractionation of Tityus serrulatus venom: isolation and partial characterization of TsTX-IV, a new neurotoxin.

Five toxins from the venom of the Brazilian scorpion Tityus serrulatus were purified to homogeneity by a combination of ion exchange chromatography with ammonium bicarbonate buffer (pH 7.8) on CM-cellulose-52 and rechromatography on the same resin equilibrated with ammonium acetate buffer (pH 4.7). Four of these proteins, obtained in one or two steps in high yield and lethality (named toxins IX3, IX5, and X4 and XIII) were shown to be identical with other toxins already described. A fifth one, TsTX-IV, is reported as a new toxin. Except for IX3, which showed Gly as the sole N-terminal residue, the other four toxins showed Lys. TsTX-IV has an approximate mol. wt of 6880, an i.v. LD50, in mice, of 826 +/- 156 micrograms/kg and an intracisternal LD50 of 11 +/- 9 micrograms/kg, compared to 375 +/- 45 and 4.9 +/- 0.8, respectively, for the whole venom extract. It has 61 amino acid residues and an amino acid composition different from that of any other toxin from Tityus serrulatus venom so far described. Toxins IX5, TsTX-IV and XIII induced a prejunctional type of supersensitivity on the guinea pig vas deferens, probably due to an increased release of noradrenaline.