The isolation of cholinergic nerve terminals from fleshfly heads

Selective presynaptic insectotoxin (alpha-latroinsectotoxin) isolated from black widow spider venom

A homogenous protein of 120,000 mol. wt isolated from black widow spider (Lactrodectus mactans tredecimguttatus) venom and referred to as alpha-latroinsectotoxin was highly potent (4 nM) in the induction of an increase of the frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic potentials in blowfly (Calliphora vicina) larvae neuromuscular preparations. In the frog nerve ending, however, even 50 nM alpha-latroinsectotoxin failed to affect transmitter release. Pretreatment of insect preparations with alpha-latrotoxin or frog preparations with alpha-latroinsectotoxin did not prevent the specific effect of consequent applications of alpha-latroinsectotoxin (insect) and alpha-latrotoxin (frog), respectively. The binding of labelled [125I]alpha-latroinsectotoxin to insect and [125I]alpha-latrotoxin to bovine membrane preparations was saturable and highly specific. The presynaptic effect, but not the binding of alpha-latroinsectotoxin, was dependent on the presence of divalent cations in the external medium. Mg2+ could readily substitute for Ca2+ and increase of transmitter release induced by alpha-latroinsectotoxin also occurred in Ca(2+)-free solutions. Pretreatment of preparations with 300 micrograms/ml concanavalin A completely abolished both the presynaptic effect of alpha-latroinsectotoxin and its binding to insect membrane preparations. Thus, the phenomenology of alpha-latroinsectotoxin action on insects resembles in general that described for the action of alpha-latrotoxin on vertebrates. The selectivity of alpha-latrotoxin and alpha-latroinsectotoxin seems to be due to differences in the structure of neurotoxin receptors in nerve endings of vertebrates and insects, although the mode of presynaptic action has a great deal in common.