Bio-Prospecting for Insecticidal Scorpion Venoms and Identification of Bioactive Toxins

Abstract

Scorpion venom contains insect and mammal selective toxins. However, despite their significance and potential application in insect-pest control, bioactivity of Kenyan scorpions is still unknown. As such this study initiated investigations on the inherent insecticidal activity of the venoms of scorpions collected in Kenya. Venom from four scorpion species namely Parabuthus leiosoma, Parabuthus pallidus, Hottentotta trilimeatus and Hottentotta eminii was collected upon stinging a parafilm ·membrane. Crude venom was extracted by homogenizatio and centrifugation then the supernatant was lyophilized. Bioassay guided purification was carried out by cation exchange chromatography and reverses-phase chromatography. Amino acid sequence of the active fractions was determined by N-terminal automated Edman degradation. The structure elucidation of pure fractions was confirmed using LC-MS and UV. ...(continue from the attached PDF)