MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES AGAINST NOXIUSTOXIN

Noxiustoxin, a 39-amino acid residue peptide isolated from the venom o f the Mexican scorpion Centruroides noxius, has previously been shown to affect voltage-dependent K+ channels, Here we describe the isolatio n and characterization of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against this to xin and their use in structure-function relationship studies. Six hybr idoma clones (BNTX4, -12, -14, -16, -18, and -21) producing MAbs again st noxiustoxin were isolated, The epitopes defined by the MAbs are ove rlapping or in close proximity because no MAb pair could bind simultan eously to the toxin. All the MAbs inhibited to various degrees the bin ding of the toxin to its receptor sites on rat brain synaptosomal memb ranes. The venom from other Centruroides species was shown to contain components cross-reacting with the MAbs, suggesting the existence of o ther NTX-like toxins.