A SIMPLE BIOCHEMICAL METHOD IN THE SEARCH FOR BIOACTIVE POLYPEPTIDES IN A SEA-ANEMONE (ANEMONIA-SULCATA)

The sea anemone Anemonia sulcata is a well-known natural source of sup ply of biologically active polypeptides. So far, five toxins, ATX I, I I, III, IV and AS V, several polyvalent protease inhibitors, an elasta se inhibitor, two blood pressure-depressive polypeptides and very rece ntly peptides that inhibit competitively the binding of I-125-dendroto xin to rat brain membranes and block the voltage-sensitive K+ channels , have been isolated from it. The sea anemone toxins (especially toxin II of A. sulcata, ATX II) are very important tools in neurophysiologi cal and pharmacological research, and their structure-function relatio nship Ir;as been investigated. Because of the great scientific value o f the sea anemone toxins a simplification of their purification proced ure was elaborated.