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Prentis PJ, Pavasovic A, Norton RS. Sea Anemones: Quiet Achievers in the Field of Peptide Toxins. Toxins (Basel) 2018; 10:toxins10010036. [PMID: 29316700 PMCID: PMC5793123 DOI: 10.3390/toxins10010036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Revised: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Sea anemones have been understudied as a source of peptide and protein toxins, with relatively few examined as a source of new pharmacological tools or therapeutic leads. This is surprising given the success of some anemone peptides that have been tested, such as the potassium channel blocker from Stichodactyla helianthus known as ShK. An analogue of this peptide, ShK-186, which is now known as dalazatide, has successfully completed Phase 1 clinical trials and is about to enter Phase 2 trials for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. One of the impediments to the exploitation of sea anemone toxins in the pharmaceutical industry has been the difficulty associated with their high-throughput discovery and isolation. Recent developments in multiple ‘omic’ technologies, including genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics, coupled with advanced bioinformatics, have opened the way for large-scale discovery of novel sea anemone toxins from a range of species. Many of these toxins will be useful pharmacological tools and some will hopefully prove to be valuable therapeutic leads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Prentis
- School of Earth, Environmental and Biological Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia.
- Institute of Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia.
| | - Ana Pavasovic
- School of Earth, Environmental and Biological Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia.
- Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia.
| | - Raymond S Norton
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.
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Abstract
Medusae (aka jellyfish) have multiphasic life cycles and a propensity to adapt to, and proliferate in, a plethora of aquatic habitats, connecting them to a number of ecological and societal issues. Now, in the midst of the genomics era, affordable next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms coupled with publically available bioinformatics tools present the much-anticipated opportunity to explore medusa taxa as potential model systems. Genome-wide studies of medusae would provide a remarkable opportunity to address long-standing questions related to the biology, physiology, and nervous system of some of the earliest pelagic animals. Furthermore, medusae have become key targets in the exploration of marine natural products, in the development of marine biomarkers, and for their application to the biomedical and robotics fields. Presented here is a synopsis of the current state of medusa research, highlighting insights provided by multi-omics studies, as well as existing knowledge gaps, calling upon the scientific community to adopt a number of medusa taxa as model systems in forthcoming research endeavors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl Lewis Ames
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, NW, Washington, DC, USA.
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53
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Pore-forming toxins in Cnidaria. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 72:133-141. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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54
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Babenko VV, Mikov AN, Manuvera VA, Anikanov NA, Kovalchuk SI, Andreev YA, Logashina YA, Kornilov DA, Manolov AI, Sanamyan NP, Sanamyan KE, Kostryukova ES, Kozlov SA, Grishin EV, Govorun VM, Lazarev VN. Identification of unusual peptides with new Cys frameworks in the venom of the cold-water sea anemone Cnidopus japonicus. Sci Rep 2017; 7:14534. [PMID: 29109403 PMCID: PMC5673964 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-14961-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sea anemones (Actiniaria) are intensely popular objects of study in venomics. Order Actiniaria includes more than 1,000 species, thus presenting almost unlimited opportunities for the discovery of novel biologically active molecules. The venoms of cold-water sea anemones are studied far less than the venoms of tropical sea anemones. In this work, we analysed the molecular venom composition of the cold-water sea anemone Cnidopus japonicus. Two sets of NGS data from two species revealed molecules belonging to a variety of structural classes, including neurotoxins, toxin-like molecules, linear polypeptides (Cys-free), enzymes, and cytolytics. High-throughput proteomic analyses identified 27 compounds that were present in the venoms. Some of the toxin-like polypeptides exhibited novel Cys frameworks. To characterise their function in the venom, we heterologously expressed 3 polypeptides with unusual Cys frameworks (designated CjTL7, CjTL8, and AnmTx Cj 1c-1) in E. coli. Toxicity tests revealed that the CjTL8 polypeptide displays strong crustacean-specific toxicity, while AnmTx Cj 1c-1 is toxic to both crustaceans and insects. Thus, an improved NGS data analysis algorithm assisted in the identification of toxins with unusual Cys frameworks showing no homology according to BLAST. Our study shows the advantage of combining omics analysis with functional tests for active polypeptide discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladislav V Babenko
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia.
| | - Alexander N Mikov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Valentin A Manuvera
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - Nickolay A Anikanov
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Sergey I Kovalchuk
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Yaroslav A Andreev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Yulia A Logashina
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Daniil A Kornilov
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - Alexander I Manolov
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - Nadya P Sanamyan
- Kamchatka Branch of Pacific Geographical Institute, Far-Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 683000, Russia
| | - Karen E Sanamyan
- Kamchatka Branch of Pacific Geographical Institute, Far-Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 683000, Russia
| | - Elena S Kostryukova
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - Sergey A Kozlov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Eugene V Grishin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Vadim M Govorun
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - Vassili N Lazarev
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
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55
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Park S, Piriatinskiy G, Zeevi D, Ben-David J, Yossifon G, Shavit U, Lotan T. The nematocyst's sting is driven by the tubule moving front. J R Soc Interface 2017; 14:rsif.2016.0917. [PMID: 28250103 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2016.0917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The nematocyst is the explosive injection system of the phylum Cnidaria, and is one of the fastest delivery systems found in Nature. Exploring its injection mechanism is key for understanding predator-prey interactions and protection against jellyfish stinging. Here we analyse the injection of jellyfish nematocysts and ask how the build-up of the poly-γ-glutamate (pγGlu) osmotic potential inside the nematocyst drives its discharge. To control the osmotic potential, we used a two-channel microfluidic system to direct the elongating nematocyst tubule through oil, where no osmotic potential can develop, while keeping the nematocyst capsule in water at all times. In addition, the flow inside the tubule and the pγGlu concentration profiles were calculated by applying a one-dimensional mathematical model. We found that tubule elongation through oil is orders of magnitude slower than through water and that the injection rate of the nematocyst content is reduced. These results imply that the capsule's osmotic potential is not sufficient to drive the tubule beyond the initial stage. Our proposed model shows that the tubule is pulled by the high osmotic potential that develops at the tubule moving front. This new understanding is vital for future development of nematocyst-based systems such as osmotic nanotubes and transdermal drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinwook Park
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technion, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Gadi Piriatinskiy
- Marine Biology Department, The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905, Israel
| | - Dan Zeevi
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Jonathan Ben-David
- Marine Biology Department, The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905, Israel
| | - Gilad Yossifon
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technion, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Uri Shavit
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Tamar Lotan
- Marine Biology Department, The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905, Israel
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56
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Tracing the Evolutionary History of the CAP Superfamily of Proteins Using Amino Acid Sequence Homology and Conservation of Splice Sites. J Mol Evol 2017; 85:137-157. [DOI: 10.1007/s00239-017-9813-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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57
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Babonis LS, Martindale MQ. PaxA, but not PaxC, is required for cnidocyte development in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. EvoDevo 2017; 8:14. [PMID: 28878874 PMCID: PMC5584322 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-017-0077-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pax genes are a family of conserved transcription factors that regulate many aspects of developmental morphogenesis, notably the development of ectodermal sensory structures including eyes. Nematostella vectensis, the starlet sea anemone, has numerous Pax orthologs, many of which are expressed early during embryogenesis. The function of Pax genes in this eyeless cnidarian is unknown. Results Here, we show that PaxA, but not PaxC, plays a critical role in the development of cnidocytes in N. vectensis. Knockdown of PaxA results in a loss of developing cnidocytes and downregulation of numerous cnidocyte-specific genes, including a variant of the transcription factor Mef2. We also demonstrate that the co-expression of Mef2 in a subset of the PaxA-expressing cells is associated with the development with a second lineage of cnidocytes and show that knockdown of the neural progenitor gene SoxB2 results in downregulation of expression of PaxA, Mef2, and several cnidocyte-specific genes. Because PaxA is not co-expressed with SoxB2 at any time during cnidocyte development, we propose a simple model for cnidogenesis whereby a SoxB2-expressing progenitor cell population undergoes division to give rise to PaxA-expressing cnidocytes, some of which also express Mef2. Discussion The role of PaxA in cnidocyte development among hydrozoans has not been studied, but the conserved role of SoxB2 in regulating the fate of a progenitor cell that gives rise to neurons and cnidocytes in Nematostella and Hydractinia echinata suggests that this SoxB2/PaxA pathway may well be conserved across cnidarians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie S Babonis
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, 9505 Ocean Shore Blvd, St. Augustine, FL 32080 USA
| | - Mark Q Martindale
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, 9505 Ocean Shore Blvd, St. Augustine, FL 32080 USA.,Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA
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58
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Functional and proteomic analysis of Ceratonova shasta (Cnidaria: Myxozoa) polar capsules reveals adaptations to parasitism. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9010. [PMID: 28827642 PMCID: PMC5566210 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09955-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Myxozoa is a diverse, speciose group of microscopic parasites, recently placed within the phylum Cnidaria. Myxozoans are highly reduced in size and complexity relative to free-living cnidarians, yet they have retained specialized organelles known as polar capsules, akin to the nematocyst stinging capsules of free-living species. Whereas in free-living cnidarians the stinging capsules are used for prey capture or defense, in myxozoans they have the essential function of initiating the host infection process. To explore the evolutionary adaptation of polar capsules to parasitism, we used as a model organism Ceratonova shasta, which causes lethal disease in salmonids. Here, we report the first isolation of C. shasta myxospore polar capsules using a tailored dielectrophoresis-based microfluidic chip. Using electron microscopy and functional analysis we demonstrated that C. shasta tubules have no openings and are likely used to anchor the spore to the host. Proteomic analysis of C. shasta polar capsules suggested that they have retained typical structural and housekeeping proteins found in nematocysts of jellyfish, sea anemones and Hydra, but have lost the most important functional group in nematocysts, namely toxins. Our findings support the hypothesis that polar capsules and nematocysts are homologous organelles, which have adapted to their distinct functions.
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59
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Madio B, Undheim EAB, King GF. Revisiting venom of the sea anemone Stichodactyla haddoni: Omics techniques reveal the complete toxin arsenal of a well-studied sea anemone genus. J Proteomics 2017; 166:83-92. [PMID: 28739511 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2017.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
More than a century of research on sea anemone venoms has shown that they contain a diversity of biologically active proteins and peptides. However, recent omics studies have revealed that much of the venom proteome remains unexplored. We used, for the first time, a combination of proteomic and transcriptomic techniques to obtain a holistic overview of the venom arsenal of the well-studied sea anemone Stichodactyla haddoni. A purely search-based approach to identify putative toxins in a transcriptome from tentacles regenerating after venom extraction identified 508 unique toxin-like transcripts grouped into 63 families. However, proteomic analysis of venom revealed that 52 of these toxin families are likely false positives. In contrast, the combination of transcriptomic and proteomic data enabled positive identification of 23 families of putative toxins, 12 of which have no homology known proteins or peptides. Our data highlight the importance of using proteomics of milked venom to correctly identify venom proteins/peptides, both known and novel, while minimizing false positive identifications from non-toxin homologues identified in transcriptomes of venom-producing tissues. This work lays the foundation for uncovering the role of individual toxins in sea anemone venom and how they contribute to the envenomation of prey, predators, and competitors. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE Proteomic analysis of milked venom combined with analysis of a tentacle transcriptome revealed the full extent of the venom arsenal of the sea anemone Stichodactyla haddoni. This combined approach led to the discovery of 12 entirely new families of disulfide-rich peptides and proteins in a genus of anemones that have been studied for over a century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Madio
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Eivind A B Undheim
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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60
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Jaimes-Becerra A, Chung R, Morandini AC, Weston AJ, Padilla G, Gacesa R, Ward M, Long PF, Marques AC. Comparative proteomics reveals recruitment patterns of some protein families in the venoms of Cnidaria. Toxicon 2017; 137:19-26. [PMID: 28711466 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Revised: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Cnidarians are probably the oldest group of animals to be venomous, yet our current picture of cnidarian venom evolution is highly imbalanced due to limited taxon sampling. High-throughput tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine venom composition of the scyphozoan Chrysaora lactea and two cubozoans Tamoya haplonema and Chiropsalmus quadrumanus. Protein recruitment patterns were then compared against 5 other cnidarian venom proteomes taken from the literature. A total of 28 putative toxin protein families were identified, many for the first time in Cnidaria. Character mapping analysis revealed that 17 toxin protein families with predominantly cytolytic biological activities were likely recruited into the cnidarian venom proteome before the lineage split between Anthozoa and Medusozoa. Thereafter, venoms of Medusozoa and Anthozoa differed during subsequent divergence of cnidarian classes. Recruitment and loss of toxin protein families did not correlate with accepted phylogenetic patterns of Cnidaria. Selective pressures that drive toxin diversification independent of taxonomic positioning have yet to be identified in Cnidaria and now warrant experimental consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Jaimes-Becerra
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Matão, Trav. 14, 101, 05508-090 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Ray Chung
- Proteomics Facility, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom
| | - André C Morandini
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Matão, Trav. 14, 101, 05508-090 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Andrew J Weston
- Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29/39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriel Padilla
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Professor Lineu Prestes 1374, 05508-000 Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ranko Gacesa
- Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom
| | - Malcolm Ward
- Proteomics Facility, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom
| | - Paul F Long
- Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom; Brazil Institute, King's College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom; Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, B16, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Antonio C Marques
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Matão, Trav. 14, 101, 05508-090 São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Centro de Biologia Marinha, Universidade de São Paulo, Rodovia Manoel Hypólito do Rego, km. 131,5, 11600-000 São Sebastião, Brazil
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61
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Park S, Capelin D, Piriatinskiy G, Lotan T, Yossifon G. Dielectrophoretic characterization and isolation of jellyfish stinging capsules. Electrophoresis 2017; 38:1996-2003. [PMID: 28613387 DOI: 10.1002/elps.201700072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 06/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Jellyfish stinging capsules known as nematocysts are explosive, natural-injection systems with high potential as a natural drug-delivery system. These organelles consist of a capsule containing a highly folded thin needle-like tubule and a matrix highly concentrated with charged constituents that enable the tubule to fire and penetrate a target. For the purpose of using these nematocysts as drug delivery system it is first required to purify subpopulations from heterogeneous population of capsules and to investigate each subpopulation's distinct function and characteristics. Here, the nematocysts' dielectric properties were experimentally investigated using dielectrophoretic and electrorotational spectra with best fits derived from theoretical models. The dielectric characterization adds to our understanding of the nematocysts' structure and function and is necessary for the dielectrophoretic isolation and manipulation of populations. As expected, the effect of monovalent and divalent exchange cations resulted in higher inner conductivity for the NaCl treated capsules; this result stands in agreement with their relative higher osmotic pressure. In addition, an efficient dielectrophoretic isolation of different nematocyst subpopulations was demonstrated, paving the way to an understanding of nematocysts' functional diversity and the development of an efficient drug delivery platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinwook Park
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Micro- and Nanofluidics Laboratory, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Israel
| | - Daniel Capelin
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Micro- and Nanofluidics Laboratory, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Israel
| | - Gadi Piriatinskiy
- Marine Biology Department, The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Tamar Lotan
- Marine Biology Department, The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Gilad Yossifon
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Micro- and Nanofluidics Laboratory, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Israel
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62
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Neubauer EF, Poole AZ, Neubauer P, Detournay O, Tan K, Davy SK, Weis VM. A diverse host thrombospondin-type-1 repeat protein repertoire promotes symbiont colonization during establishment of cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28481198 PMCID: PMC5446238 DOI: 10.7554/elife.24494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The mutualistic endosymbiosis between cnidarians and dinoflagellates is mediated by complex inter-partner signaling events, where the host cnidarian innate immune system plays a crucial role in recognition and regulation of symbionts. To date, little is known about the diversity of thrombospondin-type-1 repeat (TSR) domain proteins in basal metazoans or their potential role in regulation of cnidarian-dinoflagellate mutualisms. We reveal a large and diverse repertoire of TSR proteins in seven anthozoan species, and show that in the model sea anemone Aiptasia pallida the TSR domain promotes colonization of the host by the symbiotic dinoflagellate Symbiodinium minutum. Blocking TSR domains led to decreased colonization success, while adding exogenous TSRs resulted in a ‘super colonization’. Furthermore, gene expression of TSR proteins was highest at early time-points during symbiosis establishment. Our work characterizes the diversity of cnidarian TSR proteins and provides evidence that these proteins play an important role in the establishment of cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.24494.001 Cnidarians, such as corals and sea anemones, often form a close relationship with microscopic algae that live inside their cells – a partnership, on which the entire coral reef ecosystem depends. These microalgae produce sugars and other compounds that the cnidarians need to survive, while the cnidarians protect the microalgae from the environment and provide the raw materials they need to harness energy from sunlight. However, very little is known about how the two partners are able to communicate with each other to form this close relationship, which is referred to as a symbiosis. Symbiotic relationships between a host and a microbe require a number of adaptations on both sides, and involve numerous signalling molecules. A host species is under constant pressure to develop mechanisms to recognize and tolerate the beneficial microbes without leaving itself vulnerable to attack by microbes that might cause disease. Similarly, the beneficial microbes need to be able to invade and survive inside their host. Previous research has shown that TSR proteins in hosts play a role in recognizing and controlling disease-causing microbes. Until now, however, it was unknown whether TSR proteins are involved in establishing a symbiosis between cnidarians and their algal partners. Neubauer et al. analysed six species of symbiotic cnidarians and discovered a diverse repertoire of TSR proteins. These proteins were found in the host genomes, rather than in the symbiotic algae, strongly suggesting that they originated from the host. Neubauer et al. next incubated a sea anemone species in a solution of TSR proteins and saw that it became ‘super-colonized’ with algae, meaning that over time, millions of the microalgae entered and stayed in the anemone’s tentacles. In contrast, when the TSR proteins were blocked, colonization was almost entirely stopped. This suggests that host TSR proteins play an important role for the microalgae when they colonialize corals and other cnidarians. The signals that enable microalgae to successfully colonialize cnidarians are unquestionably complex and there is still much to learn. These findings add another piece to the puzzle of how symbiotic algae bypass the cnidarian’s immune system to persist and flourish in their host. An important next step will be to test how blocking the genes that encode the TSR proteins will affect the symbiotic relationship between these species. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.24494.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie-Fleur Neubauer
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Angela Z Poole
- Department of Biology, Western Oregon University, Monmouth, United States.,Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, United States
| | | | | | - Kenneth Tan
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, United States
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Virginia M Weis
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, United States
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63
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Functional Elucidation of Nemopilema nomurai and Cyanea nozakii Nematocyst Venoms' Lytic Activity Using Mass Spectrometry and Zymography. Toxins (Basel) 2017; 9:toxins9020047. [PMID: 28134758 PMCID: PMC5331427 DOI: 10.3390/toxins9020047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Revised: 01/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Medusozoans utilize explosively discharging penetrant nematocysts to inject venom into prey. These venoms are composed of highly complex proteins and peptides with extensive bioactivities, as observed in vitro. Diverse enzymatic toxins have been putatively identified in the venom of jellyfish, Nemopilema nomurai and Cyanea nozakii, through examination of their proteomes and transcriptomes. However, functional examination of putative enzymatic components identified in proteomic approaches to elucidate potential bioactivities is critically needed. Methods: In this study, enzymatic toxins were functionally identified using a combined approach consisting of in gel zymography and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The potential roles of metalloproteinases and lipases in hemolytic activity were explored using specific inhibitors. Results: Zymography indicated that nematocyst venom possessed protease-, lipase- and hyaluronidase-class activities. Further, proteomic approaches using LC-MS/MS indicated sequence homology of proteolytic bands observed in zymography to extant zinc metalloproteinase-disintegrins and astacin metalloproteinases. Moreover, pre-incubation of the metalloproteinase inhibitor batimastat with N. nomurai nematocyst venom resulted in an approximate 62% reduction of hemolysis compared to venom exposed sheep erythrocytes, suggesting that metalloproteinases contribute to hemolytic activity. Additionally, species within the molecular mass range of 14–18 kDa exhibited both egg yolk and erythrocyte lytic activities in gel overlay assays. Conclusion: For the first time, our findings demonstrate the contribution of jellyfish venom metalloproteinase and suggest the involvement of lipase species to hemolytic activity. Investigations of this relationship will facilitate a better understanding of the constituents and toxicity of jellyfish venom.
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Biochemical and kinetic evaluation of the enzymatic toxins from two stinging scyphozoans Nemopilema nomurai and Cyanea nozakii. Toxicon 2017; 125:1-12. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2016] [Revised: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Mutation, Duplication, and More in the Evolution of Venomous Animals and Their Toxins. EVOLUTION OF VENOMOUS ANIMALS AND THEIR TOXINS 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-6458-3_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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66
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Evolution of the Cytolytic Pore-Forming Proteins (Actinoporins) in Sea Anemones. Toxins (Basel) 2016; 8:toxins8120368. [PMID: 27941639 PMCID: PMC5198562 DOI: 10.3390/toxins8120368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Revised: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Sea anemones (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, and Actiniaria) use toxic peptides to incapacitate and immobilize prey and to deter potential predators. Their toxin arsenal is complex, targeting a variety of functionally important protein complexes and macromolecules involved in cellular homeostasis. Among these, actinoporins are one of the better characterized toxins; these venom proteins form a pore in cellular membranes containing sphingomyelin. We used a combined bioinformatic and phylogenetic approach to investigate how actinoporins have evolved across three superfamilies of sea anemones (Actinioidea, Metridioidea, and Actinostoloidea). Our analysis identified 90 candidate actinoporins across 20 species. We also found clusters of six actinoporin-like genes in five species of sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis, Stomphia coccinea, Epiactis japonica, Heteractis crispa, and Diadumene leucolena); these actinoporin-like sequences resembled actinoporins but have a higher sequence similarity with toxins from fungi, cone snails, and Hydra. Comparative analysis of the candidate actinoporins highlighted variable and conserved regions within actinoporins that may pertain to functional variation. Although multiple residues are involved in initiating sphingomyelin recognition and membrane binding, there is a high rate of replacement for a specific tryptophan with leucine (W112L) and other hydrophobic residues. Residues thought to be involved with oligomerization were variable, while those forming the phosphocholine (POC) binding site and the N-terminal region involved with cell membrane penetration were highly conserved.
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Rentzsch F, Layden M, Manuel M. The cellular and molecular basis of cnidarian neurogenesis. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2016; 6. [PMID: 27882698 PMCID: PMC6680159 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Revised: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Neurogenesis initiates during early development and it continues through later developmental stages and in adult animals to enable expansion, remodeling, and homeostasis of the nervous system. The generation of nerve cells has been analyzed in detail in few bilaterian model organisms, leaving open many questions about the evolution of this process. As the sister group to bilaterians, cnidarians occupy an informative phylogenetic position to address the early evolution of cellular and molecular aspects of neurogenesis and to understand common principles of neural development. Here we review studies in several cnidarian model systems that have revealed significant similarities and interesting differences compared to neurogenesis in bilaterian species, and between different cnidarian taxa. Cnidarian neurogenesis is currently best understood in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, where it includes epithelial neural progenitor cells that express transcription factors of the soxB and atonal families. Notch signaling regulates the number of these neural progenitor cells, achaete‐scute and dmrt genes are required for their further development and Wnt and BMP signaling appear to be involved in the patterning of the nervous system. In contrast to many vertebrates and Drosophila, cnidarians have a high capacity to generate neurons throughout their lifetime and during regeneration. Utilizing this feature of cnidarian biology will likely allow gaining new insights into the similarities and differences of embryonic and regenerative neurogenesis. The use of different cnidarian model systems and their expanding experimental toolkits will thus continue to provide a better understanding of evolutionary and developmental aspects of nervous system formation. WIREs Dev Biol 2017, 6:e257. doi: 10.1002/wdev.257 This article is categorized under:
Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Cellular Differentiation Signaling Pathways > Cell Fate Signaling Comparative Development and Evolution > Organ System Comparisons Between Species
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Rentzsch
- Sars Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Michaël Manuel
- Sorbonne Universités, UMPC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Evolution Paris-Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Paris, France
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68
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Ben-David J, Atkinson SD, Pollak Y, Yossifon G, Shavit U, Bartholomew JL, Lotan T. Myxozoan polar tubules display structural and functional variation. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:549. [PMID: 27741948 PMCID: PMC5064783 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1819-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Myxozoa is a speciose group of endoparasitic cnidarians that can cause severe ecological and economic effects. Although highly reduced compared to free-living cnidarians, myxozoans have retained the phylum-defining stinging organelles, known as cnidae or polar capsules, which are essential to initiating host infection. To explore the adaptations of myxozoan polar capsules, we compared the structure, firing process and content release mechanism of polar tubules in myxospores of three Myxobolus species including M. cerebralis, the causative agent of whirling disease. RESULTS We found novel functions and morphologies in myxozoan polar tubules. High-speed video analysis of the firing process of capsules from the three Myxobolus species showed that all polar tubules rapidly extended and then contracted, an elasticity phenomenon that is unknown in free-living cnidarians. Interestingly, the duration of the tubule release differed among the three species by more than two orders of magnitude, ranging from 0.35 to 10 s. By dye-labeling the polar capsules prior to firing, we discovered that two of the species could release their entire capsule content, a delivery process not previously known from myxozoans. Having the role of content delivery and not simply anchoring suggests that cytotoxic or proteolytic compounds may be present in the capsule. Moreover, while free-living cnidarians inject most of the toxic content through the distal tip of the tubule, our video and ultrastructure analyses of the myxozoan tubules revealed patterns of double spirals of nodules and pores along parts of the tubules, and showed that the distal tip of the tubules was sealed. This helical pattern and distribution of openings may minimize the tubule mechanical weakness and improve resistance to the stress impose by firing. The finding that myxozoan tubule characteristics are very different from those of free-living cnidarians is suggestive of their adaptation to parasitic life. CONCLUSIONS These findings show that myxozoan polar tubules have more functions than previously assumed, and provide insight into their evolution from free-living ancestors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Ben-David
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 31905, Israel
| | - Stephen D Atkinson
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Nash Hall 226, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Yulia Pollak
- Electron Microscopy Unit, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 31905, Israel
| | - Gilad Yossifon
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technion, Haifa, 32000, Israel
| | - Uri Shavit
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion, Haifa, 32000, Israel
| | - Jerri L Bartholomew
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Nash Hall 226, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Tamar Lotan
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 31905, Israel.
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69
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Macrander J, Broe M, Daly M. Tissue-Specific Venom Composition and Differential Gene Expression in Sea Anemones. Genome Biol Evol 2016; 8:2358-75. [PMID: 27389690 PMCID: PMC5010892 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evw155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cnidarians represent one of the few groups of venomous animals that lack a centralized venom transmission system. Instead, they are equipped with stinging capsules collectively known as nematocysts. Nematocysts vary in abundance and type across different tissues; however, the venom composition in most species remains unknown. Depending on the tissue type, the venom composition in sea anemones may be vital for predation, defense, or digestion. Using a tissue-specific RNA-seq approach, we characterize the venom assemblage in the tentacles, mesenterial filaments, and column for three species of sea anemone (Anemonia sulcata, Heteractis crispa, and Megalactis griffithsi). These taxa vary with regard to inferred venom potency, symbiont abundance, and nematocyst diversity. We show that there is significant variation in abundance of toxin-like genes across tissues and species. Although the cumulative toxin abundance for the column was consistently the lowest, contributions to the overall toxin assemblage varied considerably among tissues for different toxin types. Our gene ontology (GO) analyses also show sharp contrasts between conserved GO groups emerging from whole transcriptome analysis and tissue-specific expression among GO groups in our differential expression analysis. This study provides a framework for future characterization of tissue-specific venom and other functionally important genes in this lineage of simple bodied animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Macrander
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University
| | - Michael Broe
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University
| | - Marymegan Daly
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University
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Rodríguez de la Vega RC, Giraud T. Intragenome Diversity of Gene Families Encoding Toxin-like Proteins in Venomous Animals. Integr Comp Biol 2016; 56:938-949. [PMID: 27543626 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icw097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of venoms is the story of how toxins arise and of the processes that generate and maintain their diversity. For animal venoms these processes include recruitment for expression in the venom gland, neofunctionalization, paralogous expansions, and functional divergence. The systematic study of these processes requires the reliable identification of the venom components involved in antagonistic interactions. High-throughput sequencing has the potential of uncovering the entire set of toxins in a given organism, yet the existence of non-venom toxin paralogs and the misleading effects of partial census of the molecular diversity of toxins make necessary to collect complementary evidence to distinguish true toxins from their non-venom paralogs. Here, we analyzed the whole genomes of two scorpions, one spider and one snake, aiming at the identification of the full repertoires of genes encoding toxin-like proteins. We classified the entire set of protein-coding genes into paralogous groups and monotypic genes, identified genes encoding toxin-like proteins based on known toxin families, and quantified their expression in both venom-glands and pooled tissues. Our results confirm that genes encoding toxin-like proteins are part of multigene families, and that these families arise by recruitment events from non-toxin genes followed by limited expansions of the toxin-like protein coding genes. We also show that failing to account for sequence similarity with non-toxin proteins has a considerable misleading effect that can be greatly reduced by comparative transcriptomics. Our study overall contributes to the understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of proteins involved in antagonistic interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo C Rodríguez de la Vega
- Ecologie Systematique Evolution, UMR8079, CNRS, Univ. of Paris-Sud, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Tatiana Giraud
- Ecologie Systematique Evolution, UMR8079, CNRS, Univ. of Paris-Sud, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France
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71
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Li R, Yu H, Yue Y, Liu S, Xing R, Chen X, Li P. Combined proteomics and transcriptomics identifies sting-related toxins of jellyfish Cyanea nozakii. J Proteomics 2016; 148:57-64. [PMID: 27461980 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2016.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Revised: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 07/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Jellyfish sting has become a worldwide issue of critical concern to human health and safety in coastal areas in recent decades. Cyanea nozakii is one of the dominant blooming species and dangerous stingers in China. However, it remains unclear how many and what types of toxins are present in the venom. So, we used a combined transcriptomics and proteomics approach to investigate the venom composition of jellyfish C. nozakii. In total 4,608,524 Illumina valid reads were obtained to de novo assemble to 40,434 unigenes in the transcriptomics analysis. And, a total of 311,635 MS/MS spectra with 12,247 unique MS/MS spectra were generated to 1556 homologous proteins in the proteomics analysis. 174 potential toxin proteins were identified, with 27 proteins homology to the toxins from venomous animals, including phospholipase A2, zinc metalloproteinase-disintegrin agkistin, serine protease inhibitor, plancitoxin-1, alpha-latrocrustotoxin-Lt1a, etc. This study described the transcriptomics and venom proteomics of jellyfish C. nozakii for the first time. Our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the venom composition of C. nozakii. Furthermore, the results may also be very helpful for the discovery of novel bioactive proteins, as well as the development of effective treatments for jellyfish sting in the future. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE Jellyfish Cyanea nozakii is one of the most dangerous stingers in the coast of china. Hundreds of thousands of people would be stung every year and victims suffered a severe pain, itch, swelling, inflammation, wheal and even more serious consequence. However, it remains unclear how many and what types of toxins are present as well as the relationship between the clinical symptoms and toxins. Our combined transcriptomics and proteomics findings can provide a comprehensive understanding of the venom composition of C. nozakii and will also be helpful for the development of effective treatments for jellyfish sting in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongfeng Li
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 Nanhai Road, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Huahua Yu
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 Nanhai Road, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Yang Yue
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 Nanhai Road, Qingdao 266071, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Song Liu
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 Nanhai Road, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Ronge Xing
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 Nanhai Road, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Xiaolin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 Nanhai Road, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Pengcheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 Nanhai Road, Qingdao 266071, China.
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Rentzsch F, Technau U. Genomics and development of Nematostella vectensis and other anthozoans. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2016; 39:63-70. [PMID: 27318695 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2016.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Revised: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Due to their rather simple body plan with only few organs and a low number of cell types, cnidarians have long been recognized as an important animal group for evolutionary comparisons of animal body plans. Recent studies have shown, however, that the genomes of cnidarians and their epigenetic and posttranscriptional regulation are more complex than their morphology might suggest. How these complex genomes are deployed during embryonic development is an open question. With a focus on the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis we describe new findings about the development of the nervous system from neural progenitor cells and how Wnt and BMP signalling control axial patterning. These studies show that beyond evolutionary comparisons, cnidarian model organisms can provide new insights into generic questions in developmental biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Rentzsch
- Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgt 55, 5008 Bergen, Norway.
| | - Ulrich Technau
- Department of Molecular Evolution and Development, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
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Tentacle Transcriptome and Venom Proteome of the Pacific Sea Nettle, Chrysaora fuscescens (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa). Toxins (Basel) 2016; 8:102. [PMID: 27058558 PMCID: PMC4848628 DOI: 10.3390/toxins8040102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2016] [Revised: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Jellyfish venoms are rich sources of toxins designed to capture prey or deter predators, but they can also elicit harmful effects in humans. In this study, an integrated transcriptomic and proteomic approach was used to identify putative toxins and their potential role in the venom of the scyphozoan jellyfish Chrysaora fuscescens. A de novo tentacle transcriptome, containing more than 23,000 contigs, was constructed and used in proteomic analysis of C. fuscescens venom to identify potential toxins. From a total of 163 proteins identified in the venom proteome, 27 were classified as putative toxins and grouped into six protein families: proteinases, venom allergens, C-type lectins, pore-forming toxins, glycoside hydrolases and enzyme inhibitors. Other putative toxins identified in the transcriptome, but not the proteome, included additional proteinases as well as lipases and deoxyribonucleases. Sequence analysis also revealed the presence of ShKT domains in two putative venom proteins from the proteome and an additional 15 from the transcriptome, suggesting potential ion channel blockade or modulatory activities. Comparison of these potential toxins to those from other cnidarians provided insight into their possible roles in C. fuscescens venom and an overview of the diversity of potential toxin families in cnidarian venoms.
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74
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Foox J, Ringuette M, Desser SS, Siddall ME. In silico hybridization enables transcriptomic illumination of the nature and evolution of Myxozoa. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:840. [PMID: 26494377 PMCID: PMC4619090 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-2039-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Myxozoa, a group of oligocellular, obligate endoparasites, has long been poorly understood in an evolutionary context. Recent genome-level sequencing techniques such as RNA-seq have generated large amounts of myxozoan sequence data, providing valuable insight into their evolutionary history. However, sequences from host tissue contamination are present in next-generation sequencing reactions of myxozoan tissue, and differentiating between the two has been inadequately addressed. In order to shed light on the genetic underpinnings of myxozoan biology, assembled contigs generated from these studies that derived from the myxozoan must be decoupled from transcripts derived from host tissue and other contamination. This study describes a pipeline for categorization of transcripts asmyxozoan based on similarity searching with known host and parasite sequences, explores the extent to which host contamination is present in previously existing myxozoan datasets, and implements this pipeline on a newly sequenced transcriptome of Myxobolus pendula, a parasite of the common creek chub gill arch. Methods The insilico hybridization pipeline uses iterative BLAST searching and database-driven e-value comparison to categorize transcripts as deriving from host, parasite, or other contamination. Functional genetic analysis of M. pendula was conducted using further BLAST searching, Hidden Markov Modeling, and sequence alignment and phylogenetic reconstruction. Results Three RNA libraries of encysted M. pendula plasmodia were sequenced and subjected to the method. Nearly half of the final set of contiguous assembly sequences (47.3 %) was identified as putative myxozoan transcripts. Putative contamination was also identified in at least 1/3rd of previously published myxozoan transcripts. The set of M. pendula transcripts was mined for a range of biologically insightful genes, including taxonomically restricted nematocyst structural proteins and nematocyst proteins identified through mass tandem spectrometry of other cnidarians. Several novel findings emerged, including a fourth myxozoan minicollagen gene, putative myxozoan toxin proteins,and extracellular matrix glycoproteins. Conclusions This study serves as a model for the handling of next-generation myxozoan sequence. The need for careful categorization was demonstrated in both previous and new sets of myxozoan sequences. The final set of confidently assigned myxozoan transcripts can be mined for any biologically relevant gene or gene family without spurious misidentification of host contamination as a myxozoan homolog. As exemplified by M. pendula, the repertoire of myxozoan polar capsules may be more complex than previously thought, with an additional minicollagen homolog and putative expression of toxin proteins. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-2039-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Foox
- Richard Gilder Graduate School, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY, 10024, USA. .,Division of Invertebrate Zoology, Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY, 10024, USA.
| | - Maurice Ringuette
- Department of Zoology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Sherwin S Desser
- Department of Zoology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Mark E Siddall
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology, Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY, 10024, USA
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75
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Sunagar K, Moran Y. The Rise and Fall of an Evolutionary Innovation: Contrasting Strategies of Venom Evolution in Ancient and Young Animals. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005596. [PMID: 26492532 PMCID: PMC4619613 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 09/18/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal venoms are theorized to evolve under the significant influence of positive Darwinian selection in a chemical arms race scenario, where the evolution of venom resistance in prey and the invention of potent venom in the secreting animal exert reciprocal selection pressures. Venom research to date has mainly focused on evolutionarily younger lineages, such as snakes and cone snails, while mostly neglecting ancient clades (e.g., cnidarians, coleoids, spiders and centipedes). By examining genome, venom-gland transcriptome and sequences from the public repositories, we report the molecular evolutionary regimes of several centipede and spider toxin families, which surprisingly accumulated low-levels of sequence variations, despite their long evolutionary histories. Molecular evolutionary assessment of over 3500 nucleotide sequences from 85 toxin families spanning the breadth of the animal kingdom has unraveled a contrasting evolutionary strategy employed by ancient and evolutionarily young clades. We show that the venoms of ancient lineages remarkably evolve under the heavy constraints of negative selection, while toxin families in lineages that originated relatively recently rapidly diversify under the influence of positive selection. We propose that animal venoms mostly employ a ‘two-speed’ mode of evolution, where the major influence of diversifying selection accompanies the earlier stages of ecological specialization (e.g., diet and range expansion) in the evolutionary history of the species–the period of expansion, resulting in the rapid diversification of the venom arsenal, followed by longer periods of purifying selection that preserve the potent toxin pharmacopeia–the period of purification and fixation. However, species in the period of purification may re-enter the period of expansion upon experiencing a major shift in ecology or environment. Thus, we highlight for the first time the significant roles of purifying and episodic selections in shaping animal venoms. While the influence of positive selection in diversifying animal venoms is widely recognized, the role of purifying selection that conserves the amino acid sequence of venom components such as peptide toxins has never been considered. In addition to unraveling the unique strategies of evolution of toxin gene families in centipedes and spiders, which are amongst the first terrestrial venomous lineages, we highlight the significant role of purifying selection in shaping the composition of animal venoms. Analysis of numerous toxin families, spanning the breadth of the animal kingdom, has revealed a striking contrast between the evolution of venom in ancient and evolutionarily young animal groups. Our findings enable the postulation of a new theory of venom evolution. The proposed ‘two-speed’ mode of evolution of venom captures the fascinating evolutionary history and the dynamics of this complex biochemical cocktail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kartik Sunagar
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Alexander Silberman Institute for Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- * E-mail: (KS); (YM)
| | - Yehu Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Alexander Silberman Institute for Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- * E-mail: (KS); (YM)
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Gacesa R, Chung R, Dunn SR, Weston AJ, Jaimes-Becerra A, Marques AC, Morandini AC, Hranueli D, Starcevic A, Ward M, Long PF. Gene duplications are extensive and contribute significantly to the toxic proteome of nematocysts isolated from Acropora digitifera (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Scleractinia). BMC Genomics 2015; 16:774. [PMID: 26464356 PMCID: PMC4604070 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1976-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 10/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gene duplication followed by adaptive selection is a well-accepted process leading to toxin diversification in venoms. However, emergent genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic evidence now challenges this role to be at best equivocal to other processess . Cnidaria are arguably the most ancient phylum of the extant metazoa that are venomous and such provide a definitive ancestral anchor to examine the evolution of this trait. Methods Here we compare predicted toxins from the translated genome of the coral Acropora digitifera to putative toxins revealed by proteomic analysis of soluble proteins discharged from nematocysts, to determine the extent to which gene duplications contribute to venom innovation in this reef-building coral species. A new bioinformatics tool called HHCompare was developed to detect potential gene duplications in the genomic data, which is made freely available (https://github.com/rgacesa/HHCompare). Results A total of 55 potential toxin encoding genes could be predicted from the A. digitifera genome, of which 36 (65 %) had likely arisen by gene duplication as evinced using the HHCompare tool and verified using two standard phylogeny methods. Surprisingly, only 22 % (12/55) of the potential toxin repertoire could be detected following rigorous proteomic analysis, for which only half (6/12) of the toxin proteome could be accounted for as peptides encoded by the gene duplicates. Biological activities of these toxins are dominatedby putative phospholipases and toxic peptidases. Conclusions Gene expansions in A. digitifera venom are the most extensive yet described in any venomous animal, and gene duplication plays a significant role leading to toxin diversification in this coral species. Since such low numbers of toxins were detected in the proteome, it is unlikely that the venom is evolving rapidly by prey-driven positive natural selection. Rather we contend that the venom has a defensive role deterring predation or harm from interspecific competition and overgrowth by fouling organisms. Factors influencing translation of toxin encoding genes perhaps warrants more profound experimental consideration. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1976-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranko Gacesa
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Ray Chung
- Proteomics Facility, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Simon R Dunn
- Coral Reefs Ecosystems Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Andrew J Weston
- Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29/39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, UK
| | - Adrian Jaimes-Becerra
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Matao, Trav. 14, 101, 05508-090, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Antonio C Marques
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Matao, Trav. 14, 101, 05508-090, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Centro de Biologia Marinha, Universidade de São Paulo, Rodovia Manoel Hypólito do Rego, km. 131,5, 11600-000, São Sebastião, Brazil
| | - André C Morandini
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Matao, Trav. 14, 101, 05508-090, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Daslav Hranueli
- Section for Bioinformatics, Department of Biochemical Engineering, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Antonio Starcevic
- Section for Bioinformatics, Department of Biochemical Engineering, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Malcolm Ward
- Proteomics Facility, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Paul F Long
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, UK. .,Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS, UK. .,Brazil Institute, King's College London, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS, UK. .,Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, B16, 05508-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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77
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Sunagar K, Morgenstern D, Reitzel AM, Moran Y. Ecological venomics: How genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics can shed new light on the ecology and evolution of venom. J Proteomics 2015; 135:62-72. [PMID: 26385003 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2015.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Revised: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Animal venom is a complex cocktail of bioactive chemicals that traditionally drew interest mostly from biochemists and pharmacologists. However, in recent years the evolutionary and ecological importance of venom is realized as this trait has direct and strong influence on interactions between species. Moreover, venom content can be modulated by environmental factors. Like many other fields of biology, venom research has been revolutionized in recent years by the introduction of systems biology approaches, i.e., genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics. The employment of these methods in venom research is known as 'venomics'. In this review we describe the history and recent advancements of venomics and discuss how they are employed in studying venom in general and in particular in the context of evolutionary ecology. We also discuss the pitfalls and challenges of venomics and what the future may hold for this emerging scientific field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kartik Sunagar
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - David Morgenstern
- Proteomics Resource Center, Langone Medical Center, New York University, New York, USA.
| | - Adam M Reitzel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Yehu Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
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78
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Brinkman DL, Jia X, Potriquet J, Kumar D, Dash D, Kvaskoff D, Mulvenna J. Transcriptome and venom proteome of the box jellyfish Chironex fleckeri. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:407. [PMID: 26014501 PMCID: PMC4445812 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1568-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2014] [Accepted: 04/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The box jellyfish, Chironex fleckeri, is the largest and most dangerous cubozoan jellyfish to humans. It produces potent and rapid-acting venom and its sting causes severe localized and systemic effects that are potentially life-threatening. In this study, a combined transcriptomic and proteomic approach was used to identify C. fleckeri proteins that elicit toxic effects in envenoming. RESULTS More than 40,000,000 Illumina reads were used to de novo assemble ∼ 34,000 contiguous cDNA sequences and ∼ 20,000 proteins were predicted based on homology searches, protein motifs, gene ontology and biological pathway mapping. More than 170 potential toxin proteins were identified from the transcriptome on the basis of homology to known toxins in publicly available sequence databases. MS/MS analysis of C. fleckeri venom identified over 250 proteins, including a subset of the toxins predicted from analysis of the transcriptome. Potential toxins identified using MS/MS included metalloproteinases, an alpha-macroglobulin domain containing protein, two CRISP proteins and a turripeptide-like protease inhibitor. Nine novel examples of a taxonomically restricted family of potent cnidarian pore-forming toxins were also identified. Members of this toxin family are potently haemolytic and cause pain, inflammation, dermonecrosis, cardiovascular collapse and death in experimental animals, suggesting that these toxins are responsible for many of the symptoms of C. fleckeri envenomation. CONCLUSIONS This study provides the first overview of a box jellyfish transcriptome which, coupled with venom proteomics data, enhances our current understanding of box jellyfish venom composition and the molecular structure and function of cnidarian toxins. The generated data represent a useful resource to guide future comparative studies, novel protein/peptide discovery and the development of more effective treatments for jellyfish stings in humans. (Length: 300).
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane L Brinkman
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
| | - Xinying Jia
- Infectious Diseases Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
| | - Jeremy Potriquet
- Infectious Diseases Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
| | - Dhirendra Kumar
- Infectious Diseases Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. .,G.N. Ramachandran Knowledge Center for Genome Informatics, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India.
| | - Debasis Dash
- G.N. Ramachandran Knowledge Center for Genome Informatics, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India.
| | - David Kvaskoff
- The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
| | - Jason Mulvenna
- Infectious Diseases Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. .,The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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