Partial purification of cytolytic venom proteins from the box jellyfish, Chironex fleckeri

Toxicon. 2008 Apr;51(5):853-63. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2007.12.017. Epub 2007 Dec 23.

Abstract

Venom proteins from the nematocysts of Chironex fleckeri were fractionated by size-exclusion and cation-exchange chromatography. Using sheep erythrocyte haemolysis as an indicator of cytolytic activity, two major cytolysins, with native molecular masses of approximately 370 and 145kDa, and one minor cytolysin ( approximately 70kDa) were isolated. SDS-PAGE and western blot protein profiles revealed that the 370kDa haemolysin is composed of CfTX-1 and CfTX-2 subunits ( approximately 43 and 45kDa, respectively); the most abundant proteins found in C. fleckeri nematocyst extracts. The 145kDa haemolysin predominately contains two other major proteins ( approximately 39 and 41kDa), which are not antigenic towards commercially available box jellyfish antivenom or rabbit polyclonal antibodies raised against whole C. fleckeri nematocyst extracts or CfTX-1 and -2. The kinetics of CfTX-1 and -2 haemolytic activities are temperature dependent and characterised by a pre-lytic lag phase ( approximately 6-7min) prior to initiation of haemolysis. Significant amino acid sequence homology between the CfTX proteins and other box jellyfish toxins suggest that CfTX-1 and -2 may also be lethal and dermonecrotic. Therefore, further in vivo and in vitro studies are required to investigate the potential roles of CfTX-1 and -2 in the lethal effects of C. fleckeri venom.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agar / chemistry
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Chromatography, Gel
  • Chromatography, Ion Exchange
  • Cnidarian Venoms / chemistry*
  • Cnidarian Venoms / metabolism
  • Cubozoa / metabolism*
  • Cytotoxins / chemistry*
  • Cytotoxins / isolation & purification
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Hemolysin Proteins / chemistry
  • Hemolysin Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Hemolysis
  • Proteins / chemistry*
  • Proteomics

Substances

  • Cnidarian Venoms
  • Cytotoxins
  • Hemolysin Proteins
  • Proteins
  • Agar