LifEscozul™ Certifications
Wendy González,
PhD. Associate Professor Director of the Center for Bioinformatics and Molecular
Simulations (CBSM)
University of Talca, Chile Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channels-Associated Diseases (MiNICAD)
E-mail: wgonzalez@utalca.cl
Webpage: cbsm.utalca.cl
Phone:+56-71-2201674
Address: 1 Poniente 1141, Talca, Chile
March 29th, 2018
Dear Ariel,
Within the framework of Paola Ojeda's Fondecyt postdoctoral project, we have investigated the venom of the blue scorpion in order to elucidate, in the future, the effect of the same on some ion channels of interest.
In doing so, we received the samples of the Escozul™ product provided by your company LifEscozul™ Cia Ltda in accordance with the joint cooperation agreement.
The results of the study carried out on Escozul™ samples supplied by the company LifEscozul™ are described below.
Samples were analyzed to evaluate their peptide content. Samples of Vidatox were compared with those provided by LifEscozul™ (sometimes simply named Escozul in the report), through MALDI and HPLC.
In all the methods used, the Vidatox samples showed no evidence of the presence of peptides. It was not possible to determine the presence of any protein components in Vidatox indicating that there is blue scorpion venom dissolved therein.
The peptide composition of LifEscozul™ samples was then analyzed, using a peptide detection range of 700 to 5500 Da. Two uL were used for analysis.
It was demonstrated through the analysis of the different LifEscozul™ samples that the pattern and the peptide masses found do not show a significant difference between one sample and another.
The composition of LifEscozul™ samples is comparable to that described in the literature for blue scorpion venom. The variations found may be due to the use of different analysis.
LifEscozul™ venom samples were also evaluated against insect cells to study insecticidal activity. The result was negative, peptides in the sample did not affect the viability of insect cells. This may be because the complete venom sample was used without prior purification. On the other hand, its antimicrobial capacity against Klebsiella pneumoniae was evaluated, giving negative results. Bacteria were not affected by the presence of venom.
In conclusion:
- In Vidatox samples, we were unable to detect the presence of peptides, so one can conclude that it does not contain blue scorpion venom.
- The samples provided by LifEscozul™ are comparable to each other in terms of pattern and peptide masses and contain according to comparison venom of the blue scorpion Rhopalurus junceus.
- LifEscozul™ samples had no insecticidal or antimicrobial effect.
LifEscozul™ 's willingness to provide free samples of blue scorpion venom for scientific purposes is appreciated.
Sincerely,
