Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of hymenoptera venom and venom sac extracts.

Hymenoptera venom and venom sac extracts were studied by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using non-equilibrium pH gradient electrophoresis in the first dimension and sodium sulfate electrophoresis in the second dimension. Pure Apis mellifera (honeybee) venom collected by electrical stimulation was resolved into five major and more than 20 minor components. Polistes (paper wasp), Vespula (yellow jacket), Dolichovespula (aerial hornet) and Vespa (old world hornet) venom sac extracts contained more than 40 components each. These results illustrate the complexity of the mixtures in current use for immunotherapy for stinging insect hypersensitivity. The degrees of similarity observed between the various aspects of Polistes and Vespula studied correlate with the phylogenetic classification of these species.