Isolation, purification and biochemical characterization of conotoxin from Conus figulinus

Cone snails are remarkable for the extent and diversity of gene-encoded peptide neurotoxins that are expressed in their venom apparatus. The protein content of the crude toxin extract of Conus figulinus Linneaus was found to be 1900 μg/mL. The crude extract (dilution up to 10) expressed hemolytic activity. The crude extract subjected to gel filtration chromatography yielded 60 fractions; the fractions 7, 12 and 55 showed significant peaks at 280 nm. The fractionated toxin was then characterized by performing SDS-PAGE having the lower peptides ranging from 10 to 43 kDa; two lower peptides below 14 kDa have been identified. The total RNA and purified mRNA were characterized by Agarose gel electrophoresis and for total RNA two prominent bands of 18s and 28s were obtained of which 28s showed double intensity than the other. For mRNA a single band of 6000 base pairs was obtained.