A new type of spider toxin, Nephilatoxin, in the venom of the Joro spider, Nephila clavata

Abstract
A new type of spider toxin with histamine-releasing activity was purified from the venom of the Joro spider, Nephila clavata, using high performance liquid chromatography. Three kinds of toxin (Nephilatoxins-7,-8 and -9) were isolated. They all possess the aromatic indole-3-acetyl group connected to N-termini of the hydrophilic and polycationic part constructed of basic amino acids and polyamines. The structural relation to the other spider toxins is discussed.