Animal Toxins

by Rochat, Herve; Martin-Eauclaire, Marie-France

• ISBN13: 9783764360207
• ISBN10: 3764360208
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-06-01
• Publisher: Birkhauser

Summary

Natural toxins form a major component of the molecular tools used increasingly frequently by the ever growing number of laboratories of various kinds. Evidence for this is provided not only by the increasing number of firms including such toxins in their catalogues but also by the large number of demands received by those who discover new toxins. Twenty chapters survey important aspects of toxin origin, their structure and molecular mechanism, and their cellular and pathogenic effects. In addition, the text provides comprehensive and specific methodology for the application of these toxins in the research laboratory. This begins with the description of the method of extraction, biochemical and pharmacological characterization, and assessment of purity, and continues with methods for chemical modification, e.g. labelling, and eventually describes applications in pharmacological studies in vivo and/or in vitro. The length of this book has been kept reasonable by concentrating on animal toxins,...

Table of Contents

List of Contributors	vii
Abbreviations	x
Preface	xi
Assays for Dinoflagellate Toxins, Specifically Brevetoxin, Ciguatoxin, and Saxitoxin	1	(19)
V.L. Trainer
M.A. Poli
Maitotoxin, Okadaic Acid and Microcystins: Toxins That Disturb Signal Transduction and Phosphorylations	20	(11)
S. Puiseux-Dao
N. Bouaicha
G. Diogene
Sea Anemone Toxins Acting on Na+ Channels and K+ Channels: Isolation and Characterization	31	(26)
L. Beress
T. Bruhn
J. Sanchez-Rodriguez
E. Wachter
H. Schweitz
Nemertine Toxins	57	(17)
W.R. Kem
Conus Peptides and their Iodinated Derivatives as Probes for Ion Channels and Receptors	74	(16)
L.J. Cruz
J.M. McIntosh
J.S. Imperial
W.R. Gray
Ant Polypeptide Toxins	90	(9)
K.A. Pluzhnikov
L.V. Shevchenko
E.V. Grishin
Wasp Kinins and Kinin Analogues	99	(17)
T. Piek
Mastoparan as a G Protein Activator	116	(11)
T. Nakajima
K. Wakamatsu
H. Mukai
Pharmacologically Active Peptides and Proteins from Bee Venom	127	(25)
P.N. Strong
J.D.F. Wadsworth
Purification and Characterization of Scorpion Toxins Acting on Voltage-Sensitive Na+ Channels	152	(17)
M.-F. Martin-Eauclaire
H. Rochat
Immunological Properties of Scorpion Toxins	169	(14)
C. Devaux
M. El Ayeb
Scorpion Toxins and Potassium Channels	183	(13)
M.L. Garcia
M. Hanner
H.G. Knaus
R.S. Slaughter
G.J. Kaczorowski
Chemical Synthesis and Characterization of Small Proteins: Example of Scorpion Toxins	196	(21)
J.-M. Sabatier
Characterization of Animal Toxins Binding to Ionic Channels from Electrophysiological Recordings	217	(12)
M. Gola
M. Crest
``Three-Fingered'' Toxins from Hydrophid and Elapid Snakes: Artificial Procedures to Overproduce Wild-Type and Mutated Curaremimetic Toxins	229	(17)
J.-C. Boulain
F. Ducancel
G. Mourier
P. Drevet
A. Menez
Elapidae Toxins: The Fasciculins, and their Interaction with Acetylcholinesterase	246	(30)
P. Marchot
P.E. Bougis
Dendrotoxins and BPTI-like Proteins	276	(17)
A.L. Harvey
E.G. Rowan
Sarafotoxins: Cloning of mRNAs Encoding Sarafotoxin Precursors	293	(11)
F. Ducancel
J.-C. Boulain
A. Menez
Snake Venom Phospholipase A2 Enzymes in Cell Biology	304	(15)
R. Manjunatha Kini
Polypeptides and Proteins Active in the Coagulation Process	319	(28)
J. Siigur
E. Siigur
Guide to Solutions	347	(2)
Guide to Protocols	349	(2)
Troubleshooting Guide	351	(2)
Index	353