Toxin Card

Toxin ID: AS305
Toxin Name: δ-hexatoxin-Ar1a
Source Species: Atrax robustus
Toxin Group: Hexatoxin
Description: Insecticidal and vertebrate-active toxin from the Sydney funnel-web spider <i>Atrax robustus</i>. <i>A. robustus</i> is one of the most dangerous spiders in the world and this toxin is responsible for the symptoms observed in humans following envenomation by this spider. δ-HXTX-Ar1a slows the inactivation of both vertebrate tetrodotoxin-sensitive voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels and insect para-type sodium channels by binding to site 3 of the channel. It is not known whether δ-HXTX-Ar1a is specific for particular vertebrate Nav subtypes.<br><br> An antivenom that neutralizes the effect of δ-HXTX-Ar1a was introduced in Australia in 1981 and there have been no recorded deaths due to bites from <i>Atrax robustus</i> or related funnel-web spiders since this time.
Discovered: 1985

Source Spider Image

Spider Image

Annotated Sequence Map

Sequence Image

Physicochemical Properties

Average Mass (Reduced) Average Mass (Oxidised) Isoelectric Point Extinction Coefficient
4856.7 4848.64 8.88 14480.0