A LECTIN-LIKE PEPTIDE ISOLATED FROM THE VENOM OF THE CHINESE BIRD SPIDER SELENOCOSMIA-HUWENA

A peptide with haemagglutination activity was isolated from the venom of the Chinese bird spider Selenocosmia huwena by means of ion-exchange and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. This peptide, named SHLP-I, agglutinates human and mice erythrocytes at a minimum concentration of 125 mu g/ml and 31 mu g/ml, respectively. It consists of 32 amino acid residues including 3 Trp and 6 Cys residues, the latter of which form three disulfide bounds. The complete amino acid sequence was determined. The N-terminal and C-terminal residues were Gly and Trp, respectively. SHLP-I shows homology with a fragment of great nettle lectin and with huwentoxin-I from the venom of the same spider.