Apomastus schlingeri

Apomastus schlingeri
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Suborder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Euctenizidae
Genus: Apomastus
Species: A. schlingeri
Binomial name
Apomastus schlingeri
Bond & Opell, 2002

Apomastus schlingeri (misnomer Aptostichus schlingeri) is a species of venomous spiders belonging to a family of trapdoor spiders. They produce a complex of neurotoxins called aptotoxins.[1]

Venom

Apomastus schlingeri have a venom that is highly neurotoxic in effect. The neurotoxin is actually a complex of proteins called aptotoxins (Aps for short), which in turn belong to a group of neurotoxins called cyrtautoxins. There are at least nine different peptides, and most of them are directly paralytic and lethal to insect larvae.[2] All of the peptides are voltage-gated sodium channel blockers. To date, Aps III is known to be the most potent peptide of all.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Bende NS, Kang E, Herzig V, Bosmans F, Nicholson GM, Mobli M, King GF (2013). "The insecticidal neurotoxin Aps III is an atypical knottin peptide that potently blocks insect voltage-gated sodium channels". Biochem Pharmacol 85 (10): 1541–1554. doi:10.1016/j.bcp.2013.02.030. PMID 23473802.
  2. Skinner WS, Dennis PA, Li JP, Quistad GB (1992). "Identification of insecticidal peptides from venom of the trap-door spider, Aptostichus schlingeri (Ctenizidae)". Toxicon 30 (9): 1040–1053. doi:10.1016/0041-0101(92)90049-b. PMID 1440641.

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