| melitten | <chemical> Basic polypeptide from the venom of the honey bee (apis mellifera); it contains 62 amino acids, has cytolytic properties, causes contracture of muscle, releases histamine and disrupts surface tension, probably due to lysis of cell and mitochondrial membranes. Synonym: melittin; melliten. Chemical name: Melittin (honeybee) (12 Dec 1998) |
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