Heterologous expression is an efficient alternative to conventional extraction to produce a specific Buthus martensii Karsch (BmK) peptide. In this work, BmK1 was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli after genetic codon optimization, but BmK1 content was <6% of total cellular protein. To improve BmK1 expression, a trc promoter library with a wide relative strength was constructed, and thr...

In tropical and subtropical countries, envenomation by scorpions (so-called scorpionism) represents a serious public health problem. In the present study, the toxic effects of mice LD50 injections of Mesobuthus eupeus (Me) venom on the kidney and liver of anesthetized rabbits were investigated. Six rabbits were selected and ALT, AST, BUN and creatinine were measured at 0, 1 and 3 hours after...

this study evaluated the effects of mesobuthus eupeus (me) scorpion venom on inflammatory response following injection. additionally, the present study examined whether immunotherapy at specific time intervals would be effective on inflammatory response after me venom inoculation. animals were divided randomly into four groups: the first group received ld50 of venom and the second and third gro...

A primary cell culture was developed for efferent dorsal unpaired median (DUM) neurons of the locust. The isolated somata were able to generate Tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive action potentials in vitro. The alpha-like scorpion toxin BmK M1, from the Asian scorpion Buthus martensi Karsch, prolonged the duration of the action potential up to 50 times. To investigate the mechanism of action of BmK M...

Scorpions of the genus Mesobuthus represent a useful terrestrial model system for studying molecular evolution. They are distributed on several Aegean islands and the adjacent mainland, they are believed to have low rates of dispersal, and evolutionary divergence dates of taxa are available based on biogeographic events that separated islands from each other and the mainland. Here, we present d...

The crude venom of Mesobuthus gibbosus which is widely distributed in the Mediterranean region of Anatolia were investigated for its cytotoxic and gelatinolytic activities in vitro. Cytotoxic effects of the crude venom were examined in three different cell lines by MTT assay. 5RP7 is H-ras activated mouse fibroblasts, CO25 is N-ras activated mouse myoblasts and A549 is human adenocarcinomas cel...