CDI offers an extensive catalog of Toxins purified from our library of Venom Products. Natural products are in high demand in both academia and industry for drug development and venoms provide a rich source for these lead compounds. However, for many researchers, toxin purification and characterization are beyond the scope of their mission. CDI offers the highest quality toxins that are validated for purity and primary structure. Each product can be traced with a lineage of processing from collection to final packaging. CDI leads the industry in toxin purification and synthetic production.
 

The isolation of a toxin is a complicated process that involves a variety of analytical approaches and is dependent upon the chemical nature of the toxin and the intended end use for the toxin. It is important to consider the following when requesting a toxin product: 

1. Can the toxin be synthesized (see Synthetic Products)? Many small molecules, e.g. alkaloids, can be synthesized and purified through well-established organic principles. Similarly, peptide toxins can be synthesized with any natural post translational modifications as well as designed modifications. However, proteins (>50 amino acids) typically need to be purified from a natural source (see below).

2. Is the source venom from CDI’s catalog or will it be supplied by the client? The composition of venoms varies significantly, and the toxin of interest may be a small substituent. Therefore, a large quantity of venom may be needed for purification and many species yield less than 1 uL per specimen each harvest. In addition, the remainder of the venom oftentimes has great potential value to the client for other investigations. 

3. Is the maintenance of biological activity important? If the native structure is necessary for bioactivity studies, a different scheme of purification may be required. Proteins can easily be denatured significantly ameliorating the observed bioactivity. This is especially true in enzyme investigations. In addition, even though small cysteine bridged peptides are considered “hyper stable,” isolation techniques may alter their native structure as well. Oxidation and deamidation are common artifacts observed in basic preparations. CDI will verify the primary structure with an advanced mass spectrometry technique to ensure toxin integrity (see Proteomic Services) and will work with the client to ensure the maintenance of a toxin's bioactivity.