Purification of a toxin from tentacles of the anemone Condylactis gigantea

A toxin from the tentacles of the anemone Condylactis gigantea has been partially purified. This toxin, which paralyzes crustacea, is a water-soluble protein. Recovery from an acetone powder is nearly total. High yields with large increases in specific activity are obtained using gel filtration and anion exchange resins. Partial purification reveals the existence of only one toxic component, with a mol. wt. of 10,000–15,000 and which appears to be basic. It is extremely potent with an ld 50 (crayfish) of under 1 μg per kg.