ALPHA-POMPILIDOTOXIN (ALPHA-PMTX), A NOVEL NEUROTOXIN FROM THE VENOM OF A SOLITARY WASP, FACILITATES TRANSMISSION IN THE CRUSTACEAN NEUROMUSCULAR SYNAPSE

A new neurotoxin, named alpha-pompilidotoxin (alpha-PMTX) has been fou nd in the venom of the solitary wasp Anoplius safnariensis. In the neu romuscular synapse of the lobster walking leg preparation, alpha-PMTX (10-100 mu M) caused great enhancement of both the excitatory and inhi bitory postsynaptic potentials. Recordings of the excitatory post syna ptic currents (EPSCs) at the synaptic sites showed that alpha-PMTX rev ersibly and dose-dependently potentiates EPSCs. alpha-PMTX may act pri marily on the presynaptic membrane but the mode of action of the toxin is clearly different from other known facilitatory neurotoxins, such as alpha-latrotoxin, apamin or charybdotoxin. This novel toxin will se rve as a useful tool in the research field of neuroscience. (C) 1997 E lsevier Science Ireland Ltd.