1P-41 PDF
Identification of fragment peptides derived from insecticidal toxins in the venom of the scorpion Liocheles australasiae
Scorpion venom contains many bioactive peptides. We previously identified insecticidal peptides (LaIT2 and LaIT3) from the venom of Liocheles australasiae. These peptides contain two structural domains, the α-helical structure at the N-terminal region and the disulfide-rich structure at the C-terminal region. In this study, we searched for N-terminal fragment peptides generated from LaIT2 or LaIT3 in the venom using molecular mass information obtained by LC/MS analysis. MS/MS analysis was performed for candidate peptides to confirm the sequence. As a result, two N-terminal fragment peptides from LaIT2 or LaIT3 were successfully identified. The result suggests that scorpions increase the structural diversity of the venom components by digestion in the venom.