Mass spectrometric structure determination of spider toxins: arginine-containing acylpolyamines from venoms of Brazilian garden spider Nephilengys cruentata

Nat Toxins. 1997;5(2):47-57. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)(1997)5:2<47::AID-NT1>3.0.CO;2-X.

Abstract

A new strategy to characterize glutaminergic blocker acylpolymines stored in a spider venom with mass spectrometry is described. The crude spider venom extracts are amenable to direct MALDI mass spectrometry analysis which provides a rapid and accurate means of measuring the molecular weights of acylpolyamines without the isolation of individual samples. Compared with the previously developed mu-column HPLC/MS method, this procedure provides more efficient detection and identification of complex venom constituents. Twenty-five acylpolyamines were detected from Brazilian garden spider Nephilengys cruentata crude venom extracts by both HPLC/MS and MALDI-mass spectrometry. These acylpolyamine structures were determined by high-energy collision induced dissociation MS/MS method. Most of the compounds were classified into the previously reported generalized structures types A to D, which were found from the venom of Nephilengys borbonica. The structures of four acylpolyamines (M + H)+, m/z 623, 646, 688, and 745, which were not contained in the venom of Nephilengys borbonicare were determined to have arginine at the polyamine chain terminal and were named NPTX-622, -645, -687, and -744, respectively.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arginine / analysis
  • Arginine / chemistry*
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Polyamines / isolation & purification*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
  • Spider Venoms / analysis
  • Spider Venoms / chemistry*

Substances

  • Polyamines
  • Spider Venoms
  • Arginine