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Marone Fassolo E, Guo S, Wang Y, Rosa S, Herzig V. Genetically encoded libraries and spider venoms as emerging sources for crop protective peptides. J Pept Sci 2024; 30:e3600. [PMID: 38623834 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Agricultural crops are targeted by various pathogens (fungi, bacteria, and viruses) and pests (herbivorous arthropods). Antimicrobial and insecticidal peptides are increasingly recognized as eco-friendly tools for crop protection due to their low propensity for resistance development and the fact that they are fully biodegradable. However, historical challenges have hindered their development, including poor stability, limited availability, reproducibility issues, high production costs, and unwanted toxicity. Toxicity is a primary concern because crop-protective peptides interact with various organisms of environmental and economic significance. This review focuses on the potential of genetically encoded peptide libraries like the use of two-hybrid-based methods for antimicrobial peptides identification and insecticidal spider venom peptides as two main approaches for targeting plant pathogens and pests. We discuss some key findings and challenges regarding the practical application of each strategy. We conclude that genetically encoded peptide library- and spider venom-derived crop protective peptides offer a sustainable and environmentally responsible approach for addressing modern crop protection needs in the agricultural sector.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shaodong Guo
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
| | - Yachen Wang
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
| | - Stefano Rosa
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Volker Herzig
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
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2
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Wu W, Ali A, Shen J, Ren M, Cai Y, He L. Cell Penetrating Peptide Enhances the Aphidicidal Activity of Spider Venom-Derived Neurotoxin. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:358. [PMID: 39195768 PMCID: PMC11360749 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16080358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
HxTx-Hv1h, a neurotoxic peptide derived from spider venom, has been developed for use in commercial biopesticide formulations. Cell Penetrating Peptides (CPPs) are short peptides that facilitate the translocation of various biomolecules across cellular membranes. Here, we evaluated the aphidicidal efficacy of a conjugated peptide, HxTx-Hv1h/CPP-1838, created by fusing HxTx-Hv1h with CPP-1838. Additionally, we aimed to establish a robust recombinant expression system for HxTx-Hv1h/CPP-1838. We successfully achieved the secretory production of HxTx-Hv1h, its fusion with Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA) forming HxTx-Hv1h/GNA and HxTx-Hv1h/CPP-1838 in yeast. Purified HxTx-Hv1h exhibited contact toxicity against Megoura crassicauda, with a 48 h median lethal concentration (LC50) of 860.5 μg/mL. Fusion with GNA or CPP-1838 significantly enhanced its aphidicidal potency, reducing the LC50 to 683.5 μg/mL and 465.2 μg/mL, respectively. The aphidicidal efficacy was further improved with the addition of surfactant, decreasing the LC50 of HxTx-Hv1h/CPP-1838 to 66.7 μg/mL-over four times lower compared to HxTx-Hv1h alone. Furthermore, we engineered HxTx-Hv1h/CPP-1838 multi-copy expression vectors utilizing the BglBrick assembly method and achieved high-level recombinant production in laboratory-scale fermentation. This study is the first to document a CPP fusion strategy that enhances the transdermal aphidicidal activity of a natural toxin like HxTx-Hv1h and opens up the possibility of exploring the recombinant production of HxTx-Hv1h/CPP-1838 for potential applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxian Wu
- Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu Agricultural Science and Technology Center, Chengdu 610000, China; (W.W.); (M.R.)
| | - Abid Ali
- Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan;
- College of Life Science, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang 110034, China
| | - Jinbo Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 310000, China;
| | - Maozhi Ren
- Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu Agricultural Science and Technology Center, Chengdu 610000, China; (W.W.); (M.R.)
| | - Yi Cai
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an 625000, China
| | - Limei He
- Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu Agricultural Science and Technology Center, Chengdu 610000, China; (W.W.); (M.R.)
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Pinheiro-Junior EL, Alirahimi E, Peigneur S, Isensee J, Schiffmann S, Erkoc P, Fürst R, Vilcinskas A, Sennoner T, Koludarov I, Hempel BF, Tytgat J, Hucho T, von Reumont BM. Diversely evolved xibalbin variants from remipede venom inhibit potassium channels and activate PKA-II and Erk1/2 signaling. BMC Biol 2024; 22:164. [PMID: 39075558 PMCID: PMC11288129 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01955-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The identification of novel toxins from overlooked and taxonomically exceptional species bears potential for various pharmacological applications. The remipede Xibalbanus tulumensis, an underwater cave-dwelling crustacean, is the only crustacean for which a venom system has been described. Its venom contains several xibalbin peptides that have an inhibitor cysteine knot (ICK) scaffold. RESULTS Our screenings revealed that all tested xibalbin variants particularly inhibit potassium channels. Xib1 and xib13 with their eight-cysteine domain similar to spider knottins also inhibit voltage-gated sodium channels. No activity was noted on calcium channels. Expanding the functional testing, we demonstrate that xib1 and xib13 increase PKA-II and Erk1/2 sensitization signaling in nociceptive neurons, which may initiate pain sensitization. Our phylogenetic analysis suggests that xib13 either originates from the common ancestor of pancrustaceans or earlier while xib1 is more restricted to remipedes. The ten-cysteine scaffolded xib2 emerged from xib1, a result that is supported by our phylogenetic and machine learning-based analyses. CONCLUSIONS Our functional characterization of synthesized variants of xib1, xib2, and xib13 elucidates their potential as inhibitors of potassium channels in mammalian systems. The specific interaction of xib2 with Kv1.6 channels, which are relevant to treating variants of epilepsy, shows potential for further studies. At higher concentrations, xib1 and xib13 activate the kinases PKA-II and ERK1/2 in mammalian sensory neurons, suggesting pain sensitization and potential applications related to pain research and therapy. While tested insect channels suggest that all probably act as neurotoxins, the biological function of xib1, xib2, and xib13 requires further elucidation. A novel finding on their evolutionary origin is the apparent emergence of X. tulumensis-specific xib2 from xib1. Our study is an important cornerstone for future studies to untangle the origin and function of these enigmatic proteins as important components of remipede but also other pancrustacean and arthropod venoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto Lopes Pinheiro-Junior
- Toxicology and Pharmacology - Campus Gasthuisberg, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Herestraat 49, PO Box 922, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Ehsan Alirahimi
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Cologne, Translational Pain Research, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Steve Peigneur
- Toxicology and Pharmacology - Campus Gasthuisberg, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Herestraat 49, PO Box 922, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Jörg Isensee
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Cologne, Translational Pain Research, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Susanne Schiffmann
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Pelin Erkoc
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-Von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Robert Fürst
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-Von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), Ohlebergsweg 14, 35394, Giessen, Germany
| | - Tobias Sennoner
- Department of Informatics, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, i12, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstr. 3, 85748, Garching, Munich, Germany
| | - Ivan Koludarov
- Department of Informatics, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, i12, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstr. 3, 85748, Garching, Munich, Germany
| | - Benjamin-Florian Hempel
- Freie Unveristät Berlin, Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research (TZR), Robert-Von-Ostertag Str. 8, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Tytgat
- Toxicology and Pharmacology - Campus Gasthuisberg, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Herestraat 49, PO Box 922, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Tim Hucho
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Cologne, Translational Pain Research, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Björn M von Reumont
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany.
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe, Frankfurt, Max-Von-Laue-Str 13, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany.
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Michálek O, King GF, Pekár S. Prey specificity of predatory venoms. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 38991997 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Venom represents a key adaptation of many venomous predators, allowing them to immobilise prey quickly through chemical rather than physical warfare. Evolutionary arms races between prey and a predator are believed to be the main factor influencing the potency and composition of predatory venoms. Predators with narrowly restricted diets are expected to evolve specifically potent venom towards their focal prey, with lower efficacy on alternative prey. Here, we evaluate hypotheses on the evolution of prey-specific venom, focusing on the effect of restricted diet, prey defences, and prey resistance. Prey specificity as a potential evolutionary dead end is also discussed. We then provide an overview of the current knowledge on venom prey specificity, with emphasis on snakes, cone snails, and spiders. As the current evidence for venom prey specificity is still quite limited, we also overview the best approaches and methods for its investigation and provide a brief summary of potential model groups. Finally, possible applications of prey-specific toxins are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Michálek
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, Brno, 611 37, Czech Republic
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Stano Pekár
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, Brno, 611 37, Czech Republic
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Xue Q, Swevers L, Taning CNT. Drosophila X virus-like particles as delivery carriers for improved oral insecticidal efficacy of scorpion Androctonus australis peptide against the invasive fruit fly, Drosophila suzukii. INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 31:847-858. [PMID: 37681406 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Insect-specific neurotoxic peptides derived from the venoms of scorpions and spiders can cause acute paralysis and death when injected into insects, offering a promising insecticidal component for insect pest control. However, effective delivery systems are required to help neurotoxic peptides pass through the gut barrier into the hemolymph, where they can act. Here, we investigated the potential of a novel nanocarrier, Drosophila X virus-like particle (DXV-VLP), for delivering a neurotoxin from the scorpion Androctonus australis Hector (AaIT) against the invasive pest fruit fly, Drosophila suzukii. Our results show that the fusion proteins of DXV polyproteins with AaIT peptide at their C-termini could be sufficiently produced in Lepidoptera Hi5 cells in a soluble form using the recombinant baculovirus expression system, and could self-assemble into VLPs with similar particle morphology and size to authentic DXV virions. In addition, the AaIT peptides displayed on DXV-VLPs retained their toxicity, as demonstrated in injection bioassays that resulted in severe mortality (72%) in adults after 72 h. When fed to adults, mild mortality was observed in the group treated with DXV-AaIT (38%), while no mortality occurred in the group treated with AaIT peptide, thus indicating the significant role of DXV-VLPs in delivering AaIT peptides. Overall, this proof-of-concept study demonstrates for the first time that VLPs can be exploited to enhance oral delivery of insect-specific neurotoxic peptides in the context of pest control. Moreover, it provides insights for further improvements and potentially the development of neurotoxin-based bioinsecticides and/or transgenic crops for insect pest control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Xue
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Luc Swevers
- Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biosciences and Applications, National Centre for Scientific Research "Demokritos", Athens, Greece
| | - Clauvis Nji Tizi Taning
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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6
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Wang Y, Guo S, Ventura T, Jain R, Robinson KE, Mitter N, Herzig V. Development of a soybean leaf disc assay for determining oral insecticidal activity in the lepidopteran agricultural pest Helicoverpa armigera. Toxicon 2024; 238:107588. [PMID: 38147939 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Pest insects pose a heavy burden on global agricultural industries with small molecule insecticides being predominantly used for their control. Unwanted side effects and resistance development plagues most small molecule insecticides such as the neonicotinoids, which have been reported to be harmful to honeybees. Bioinsecticides like Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins can be used as environmentally-friendly alternatives. Arachnid venoms comprise another promising source of bioinsecticides, containing a multitude of selective and potent insecticidal toxins. Unfortunately, no standardised insect models are currently available to assess the suitability of insecticidal agents under laboratory conditions. Thus, we aimed to develop a laboratory model that closely mimics field conditions by employing a leaf disk assay (LDA) for oral application of insecticidal agents in a bioassay tray format. Neonate larvae of the cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) were fed with soybean (Glycine max) leaves that were treated with different insecticidal agents. We observed dose-dependent insecticidal effects for Bt toxin and the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid, with imidacloprid exhibiting a faster response. Furthermore, we identified several insecticidal arachnid venoms that were active when co-applied with sub-lethal doses of Bt toxin. We propose the H. armigera LDA as a suitable tool for assessing the insecticidal effects of insecticidal agents against lepidopterans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yachen Wang
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia; School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia
| | - Shaodong Guo
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia; School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia
| | - Tomer Ventura
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia; School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia
| | - Ritesh Jain
- Centre for Horticultural Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Karl E Robinson
- Centre for Horticultural Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Neena Mitter
- Centre for Horticultural Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Volker Herzig
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia; School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia.
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Elnahriry KA, Wai DCC, Ashwood LM, Naseem MU, Szanto TG, Guo S, Panyi G, Prentis PJ, Norton RS. Structural and functional characterisation of Tst2, a novel TRPV1 inhibitory peptide from the Australian sea anemone Telmatactis stephensoni. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2024; 1872:140952. [PMID: 37640250 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2023.140952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Sea anemone venoms are complex mixtures of biologically active compounds, including disulfide-rich peptides, some of which have found applications as research tools, and others as therapeutic leads. Our recent transcriptomic and proteomic studies of the Australian sea anemone Telmatactis stephensoni identified a transcript for a peptide designated Tst2. Tst2 is a 38-residue peptide showing sequence similarity to peptide toxins known to interact with a range of ion channels (NaV, TRPV1, KV and CaV). Recombinant Tst2 (rTst2, which contains an additional Gly at the N-terminus) was produced by periplasmic expression in Escherichia coli, enabling the production of both unlabelled and uniformly 13C,15N-labelled peptide for functional assays and structural studies. The LC-MS profile of the recombinant Tst2 showed a pure peak with molecular mass 6 Da less than that of the reduced form of the peptide, indicating the successful formation of three disulfide bonds from its six cysteine residues. The solution structure of rTst2 was determined using multidimensional NMR spectroscopy and revealed that rTst2 adopts an inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) structure. rTst2 was screened using various functional assays, including patch-clamp electrophysiological and cytotoxicity assays. rTst2 was inactive against voltage-gated sodium channels (NaV) and the human voltage-gated proton (hHv1) channel. rTst2 also did not possess cytotoxic activity when assessed against Drosophila melanogaster flies. However, the recombinant peptide at 100 nM showed >50% inhibition of the transient receptor potential subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1) and slight (∼10%) inhibition of transient receptor potential subfamily A member 1 (TRPA1). Tst2 is thus a novel ICK inhibitor of the TRPV1 channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaled A Elnahriry
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Dorothy C C Wai
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Lauren M Ashwood
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Muhammad Umair Naseem
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen 4032, Hungary
| | - Tibor G Szanto
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen 4032, Hungary
| | - Shaodong Guo
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Gyorgy Panyi
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen 4032, Hungary
| | - Peter J Prentis
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia; Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Raymond S Norton
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; ARC Centre for Fragment-Based Design, Monash University, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.
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8
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Guo R, Guo G, Wang A, Xu G, Lai R, Jin H. Spider-Venom Peptides: Structure, Bioactivity, Strategy, and Research Applications. Molecules 2023; 29:35. [PMID: 38202621 PMCID: PMC10779620 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29010035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Spiders (Araneae), having thrived for over 300 million years, exhibit remarkable diversity, with 47,000 described species and an estimated 150,000 species in existence. Evolving with intricate venom, spiders are nature's skilled predators. While only a small fraction of spiders pose a threat to humans, their venoms contain complex compounds, holding promise as drug leads. Spider venoms primarily serve to immobilize prey, achieved through neurotoxins targeting ion channels. Peptides constitute a major part of these venoms, displaying diverse pharmacological activities, and making them appealing for drug development. Moreover, spider-venom peptides have emerged as valuable tools for exploring human disease mechanisms. This review focuses on the roles of spider-venom peptides in spider survival strategies and their dual significance as pharmaceutical research tools. By integrating recent discoveries, it provides a comprehensive overview of these peptides, their targets, bioactivities, and their relevance in spider survival and medical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiyin Guo
- Center for Evolution and Conservation Biology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; (R.G.)
| | - Gang Guo
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University (Yunnan Cancer Hospital), Kunming 650118, China;
| | - Aili Wang
- Center for Evolution and Conservation Biology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; (R.G.)
| | - Gaochi Xu
- Center for Evolution and Conservation Biology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; (R.G.)
| | - Ren Lai
- Center for Evolution and Conservation Biology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; (R.G.)
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, National Resource Center for Non-Human Primates, Kunming-Primate Research Center, National Research Facility for Phenotypic & Genetic Analysis of Model Animals (Primate Facility), Sino-African Joint Research Center and Engineering Laboratory of Peptides, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming 650107, China
| | - Hui Jin
- Center for Evolution and Conservation Biology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; (R.G.)
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9
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Yu N, Yan Y, Han Q, Zhang L, Liu Z. Insecticidal toxicity of ω-Atypitoxin-Cs1a and its inhibitory effects on insect voltage-gated calcium channels. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:4879-4885. [PMID: 37506304 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Excessive use of chemical insecticides raises concerns about insecticide resistance, urging the development of novel insecticides. Peptide neurotoxins from spider venom are an incredibly rich source of ion channel modulators with potent insecticidal activity. A neurotoxin U1-Atypitoxin-Cs1a from the spider Calommata signata was annotated previously. It was of interest to investigate its insecticidal activity and potential molecular targets. RESULTS Cs1a was heterologously expressed, purified and pharmacologically characterized here. The recombinant neurotoxin inhibited high-voltage-activated calcium channel currents with an median inhibitory concentration (IC50 ) value of 0.182 ± 0.026 μm on cockroach DUM neurons and thus was designated as ω-Atypitoxin-Cs1a. The recombinant Cs1a was toxic to three insect pests of agricultural importance, Nilaparvata lugens, Spodoptera frugiperda and Plutella xylostella with median lethal concentration (LD50 ) values of 0.121, 0.172 and 0.356 nmol g-1 , respectively, at 24 h postinjection. Cs1a was equivalently toxic to both insecticide-susceptible and -resistant insects. Cs1a exhibited low toxicity to Danio rerio with an LD50 of 2.316 nmol g-1 . CONCLUSION Our results suggest that ω-Atypitoxin-Cs1a is a potent CaV channel inhibitor and an attractive candidate reagent for pest control and resistance management. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Yu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yangyang Yan
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qianqian Han
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lingchun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zewen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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10
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Oparin PB, Nikodimov SS, Vassilevski AA. Venoms with oral toxicity towards insects. Toxicon 2023; 235:107308. [PMID: 37797725 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Animal venoms are a promising source of potential bioinsecticides. To find hits with pronounced oral insect toxicity, we screened 82 venoms using Achroia grisella (Lepidoptera) and Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera) larvae, and adult Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera). We also injected the most potent venoms in adult D. melanogaster to compare their efficiency in different routes of administration. 18 venoms from spiders and snakes show high oral toxicity and can be further exploited to isolate new insecticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter B Oparin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Sergei S Nikodimov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Alexander A Vassilevski
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya, Moscow, 117997, Russia.
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11
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Xue Q, Swevers L, Taning CNT. Plant and insect virus-like particles: emerging nanoparticles for agricultural pest management. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:2975-2991. [PMID: 37103223 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) represent a biodegradable, biocompatible nanomaterial made from viral coat proteins that can improve the delivery of antigens, drugs, nucleic acids, and other substances, with most applications in human and veterinary medicine. Regarding agricultural viruses, many insect and plant virus coat proteins have been shown to assemble into VLPs accurately. In addition, some plant virus-based VLPs have been used in medical studies. However, to our knowledge, the potential application of plant/insect virus-based VLPs in agriculture remains largely underexplored. This review focuses on why and how to engineer coat proteins of plant/insect viruses as functionalized VLPs, and how to exploit VLPs in agricultural pest control. The first part of the review describes four different engineering strategies for loading cargo at the inner or the outer surface of VLPs depending on the type of cargo and purpose. Second, the literature on plant and insect viruses the coat proteins of which have been confirmed to self-assemble into VLPs is reviewed. These VLPs are good candidates for developing VLP-based agricultural pest control strategies. Lastly, the concepts of plant/insect virus-based VLPs for delivering insecticidal and antiviral components (e.g., double-stranded RNA, peptides, and chemicals) are discussed, which provides future prospects of VLP application in agricultural pest control. In addition, some concerns are raised about VLP production on a large scale and the short-term resistance of hosts to VLP uptake. Overall, this review is expected to stimulate interest and research exploring plant/insect virus-based VLP applications in agricultural pest management. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Xue
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Luc Swevers
- Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biosciences and Applications, National Centre for Scientific Research "Demokritos", Athens, Greece
| | - Clauvis Nji Tizi Taning
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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12
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Yin WH, You YM, Tembrock LR, Ding LJ, Zhang CG, Zhao Y, Yang ZZ. Transcriptome-based analyses reveal venom diversity in two araneomorph spiders, Psechrus triangulus and Hippasa lycosina. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. PART D, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2023; 47:101101. [PMID: 37352672 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2023.101101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
The spiders Psechrus triangulus and Hippasa lycosina are widely distributed in Yunnan Province, China, and are important natural enemies of agricultural pests, yet studies regarding the composition of their venom are lacking. In this study, cDNA libraries were constructed from venom gland tissue of P. triangulus and H. lycosina and used for transcriptomic analysis. From the analysis, 39 and 31 toxin-like sequences were predicted for P. triangulus and H. lycosina, respectively. The predicted neurotoxin sequences were categorized according to cysteine sequence motifs, and the predicted neurotoxin sequences of P. triangulus and H. lycosina could be classified into 9 and 6 toxin families, respectively. In addition, potential acetylcholinesterase, hyaluronidase, and astaxanthin-like metalloproteinases were identified through annotation. In summary, transcriptomic techniques were invaluable in mining the gene expression information from these two spider species to explore the toxin composition of their venom and determine how they differ. Studies of this type provide essential baseline data for studying the evolution and physiological activities of spider toxins and for the potential development of medicinal compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Hao Yin
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China
| | - Yong-Ming You
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China
| | - Luke R Tembrock
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Li-Jun Ding
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China
| | - Cheng-Gui Zhang
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China.
| | - Zi-Zhong Yang
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China.
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13
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Ahmed J, Walker AA, Perdomo HD, Guo S, Nixon SA, Vetter I, Okoh HI, Shehu DM, Shuaibu MN, Ndams IS, King GF, Herzig V. Two Novel Mosquitocidal Peptides Isolated from the Venom of the Bahia Scarlet Tarantula ( Lasiodora klugi). Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:418. [PMID: 37505687 PMCID: PMC10467143 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15070418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Effective control of diseases transmitted by Aedes aegypti is primarily achieved through vector control by chemical insecticides. However, the emergence of insecticide resistance in A. aegypti undermines current control efforts. Arachnid venoms are rich in toxins with activity against dipteran insects and we therefore employed a panel of 41 spider and 9 scorpion venoms to screen for mosquitocidal toxins. Using an assay-guided fractionation approach, we isolated two peptides from the venom of the tarantula Lasiodora klugi with activity against adult A. aegypti. The isolated peptides were named U-TRTX-Lk1a and U-TRTX-Lk2a and comprised 41 and 49 residues with monoisotopic masses of 4687.02 Da and 5718.88 Da, respectively. U-TRTX-Lk1a exhibited an LD50 of 38.3 pmol/g when injected into A. aegypti and its modeled structure conformed to the inhibitor cystine knot motif. U-TRTX-Lk2a has an LD50 of 45.4 pmol/g against adult A. aegypti and its predicted structure conforms to the disulfide-directed β-hairpin motif. These spider-venom peptides represent potential leads for the development of novel control agents for A. aegypti.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamila Ahmed
- Department of Zoology, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna 810107, Nigeria
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Andrew A. Walker
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Hugo D. Perdomo
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Shaodong Guo
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Samantha A. Nixon
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Hilary I. Okoh
- Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Oye 371104, Nigeria
| | - Dalhatu M. Shehu
- Department of Zoology, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna 810107, Nigeria
| | - Mohammed N. Shuaibu
- Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna 810107, Nigeria
- Centre for Biotechnology Research and Training, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna 810107, Nigeria
| | - Iliya S. Ndams
- Department of Zoology, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna 810107, Nigeria
| | - Glenn F. King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Volker Herzig
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556, Australia
- School of Science, Technology, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556, Australia
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14
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Sparks TC, Lorsbach BA. Insecticide discovery-"Chance favors the prepared mind". PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 192:105412. [PMID: 37105622 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2023.105412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
New options for pest insect control, including new insecticides, are needed to ensure a plentiful food supply for an expanding global population. Any new insecticides must meet the increasingly stringent regulatory requirements for mammalian and environmental safety, and also address the need for new chemistries and modes of action to deal with resistance to available insecticides. As underscored by a paraphrase of a quote from Louis Pasteur "Chance favors the prepared mind", the agrochemical industry uses a variety of approaches that attempt to improve on "chance" for the discovery of new insecticides. Although there are a number of approaches to the discovery of new insecticidal active ingredients (AIs), historically most insecticides are based on a pre-existing molecule or product either from a competitor or from an internal company source. As such the first examples of a new insecticide representing a new type or class of AI (First-in-Class: FIC) are important as prototypes for other AIs stimulating further spectrum, efficacy, physicochemical, and environmental safety refinements. FIC insecticides also represent a measure of innovation. Understanding the origins of these FIC compounds and the approaches used in their discovery can provide insights into successful strategies for future new classes of insecticides. This perspective will focus on an analysis of the approaches that have been used for discovery of FIC insecticides highlighting those approaches that have been the most successful and providing a reference point for current and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Beth A Lorsbach
- Nufarm, 4020 Aerial Center Parkway Morrisville, NC 27560, USA
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15
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Neto OBS, Valladão R, Coelho GR, Dias R, Pimenta DC, Lopes AR. Spiders' digestive system as a source of trypsin inhibitors: functional activity of a member of atracotoxin structural family. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2389. [PMID: 36765114 PMCID: PMC9918498 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29576-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Spiders are important predators of insects and their venoms play an essential role in prey capture. Spider venoms have several potential applications as pharmaceutical compounds and insecticides. However, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of the digestive system (DS) of spiders show that DS is also a rich source of new peptidase inhibitor molecules. Biochemical, transcriptomic and proteomic data of crude DS extracts show the presence of molecules with peptidase inhibitor potential in the spider Nephilingis cruentata. Therefore, the aims of this work were to isolate and characterize molecules with trypsin inhibitory activity. The DS of fasting adult females was homogenized under acidic conditions and subjected to heat treatment. After that, samples were submitted to ion exchange batch and high-performance reverse-phase chromatography. The fractions with trypsin inhibitory activity were confirmed by mass spectrometry, identifying six molecules with inhibitory potential. The inhibitor NcTI (Nephilingis cruentata trypsin inhibitor) was kinetically characterized, showing a KD value of 30.25 nM ± 8.13. Analysis of the tertiary structure by molecular modeling using Alpha-Fold2 indicates that the inhibitor NcTI structurally belongs to the MIT1-like atracotoxin family. This is the first time that a serine peptidase inhibitory function is attributed to this structural family and the inhibitor reactive site residue is identified. Sequence analysis indicates that these molecules may be present in the DS of other spiders and could be associated to the inactivation of prey trypsin (serine peptidase) ingested by the spiders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Bento Silva Neto
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, 05503900, Brazil.,Programa Interunidades (USP, Instituto Butantan, IPT) de pós-graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508000, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Valladão
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, 05503900, Brazil.,Programa Interunidades (USP, Instituto Butantan, IPT) de pós-graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508000, Brazil
| | | | - Renata Dias
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiás, Brazil
| | | | - Adriana Rios Lopes
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, 05503900, Brazil. .,Programa Interunidades (USP, Instituto Butantan, IPT) de pós-graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508000, Brazil.
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16
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Sparks TC, Sparks JM, Duke SO. Natural Product-Based Crop Protection Compounds─Origins and Future Prospects. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:2259-2269. [PMID: 36693160 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c06938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The continuing need to protect food and fiber production to address the demands of an expanding global population requires new pest management tools for crop protection. Natural products (NPs) have been and continue to be a key source of inspiration for new active ingredients (AIs) for crop protection, accounting for 17% of all crop protection AIs. However, potentially 50% of all crop protection compounds have or could have a NP origin if NP synthetic equivalents (NPSEs, synthetic compounds discovered by other approaches but for which a NP model also happens to exist) are also considered. The real and hypothetical NPs have their greatest impact as insight for new classes of crop protection compounds. Among the different product areas, NPs have their largest influence on the discovery of new insecticides, while herbicides have been the least affected by mining NPs for new AIs. While plants have historically been the largest (60% of the total) source of NPs of AIs for crop protection, in the last 30 years, bacterial NPs have become the largest source (42% of the total) of new classes (first in class) of NP-inspired crop protection AIs. Interest in NPs for crop protection continues, an aspect that is highlighted by the notable rise in the numbers of publications and patents on this topic, especially in the last 20 years. The present analysis further illustrates the continuing interest and value in NPs as sources of and inspiration for new classes of crop protection compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Janine M Sparks
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Stephen O Duke
- National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi 38655, United States
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17
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Darif N, Vogelsang K, Vorgia E, Schneider D, Deligianni E, Geibel S, Vontas J, Denecke S. Cell penetrating peptides are versatile tools for enhancing multimodal uptake into cells from pest insects. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 190:105317. [PMID: 36740333 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2022.105317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) are small peptides defined by their ability to deliver molecular cargo into cells. While the subject of frequent investigation for pharmaceutical drug delivery, little consideration has been given to the possibility of CPPs for use as insecticides or insecticide enhancers. Here, we characterize the entry of four fluorescently tagged CPPs into two insect cell lines and dissected midgut tissues in terms of both total quantity and mode of penetration. Fluorescent microscopy showed that substantial amounts of CPPs penetrate the plasma membrane via endosomal uptake in ovarian (Sf9) and midgut derived (AW1) lepidopteran cells and that this process was sensitive to selected endocytosis inhibitors. Differences in the quantity of uptake was observed between CPPs, and further differences were found in the ability CPP-1838 to efficiently penetrate membranes through passive diffusion. These findings were extended to primary midgut derived cells and dissected tissues suggesting that CPPs show a preference for goblet cells and that CPP-1838 shows far higher rates of penetration. CPP-1838 thus shows extraordinary abilities to penetrate cells efficiency in both a diffusional and endocytotic manner. From these results more sophisticated delivery methods based on the utilization of CPPs can be developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nedal Darif
- Bayer AG, Applied Physics, Engineering & Technology, Leverkusen, Germany
| | | | - Elena Vorgia
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - David Schneider
- Bayer AG, Applied Physics, Engineering & Technology, Leverkusen, Germany
| | - Elena Deligianni
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Sven Geibel
- R&D Pest Control, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Monheim, Germany.
| | - John Vontas
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece; Pesticide Science Lab, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece
| | - Shane Denecke
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece.
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18
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Megaly AMA, Miyashita M, Abdel-Wahab M, Nakagawa Y, Miyagawa H. Molecular Diversity of Linear Peptides Revealed by Transcriptomic Analysis of the Venom Gland of the Spider Lycosa poonaensis. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14120854. [PMID: 36548751 PMCID: PMC9788040 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14120854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Spider venom is a complex mixture of bioactive components. Previously, we identified two linear peptides in Lycosa poonaensis venom using mass spectrometric analysis and predicted the presence of more linear peptides therein. In this study, a transcriptomic analysis of the L. poonaensis venom gland was conducted to identify other undetermined linear peptides in the venom. The results identified 87 contigs encoding peptides and proteins in the venom that were similar to those in other spider venoms. The number of contigs identified as neurotoxins was the highest, and 15 contigs encoding 17 linear peptide sequences were identified. Seven peptides that were representative of each family were chemically synthesized, and their biological activities were evaluated. All peptides showed significant antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, although their selectivity for bacterial species differed. All peptides also exhibited paralytic activity against crickets, but none showed hemolytic activity. The secondary structure analysis based on the circular dichroism spectroscopy showed that all these peptides adopt an amphiphilic α-helical structure. Their activities appear to depend on the net charge, the arrangement of basic and acidic residues, and the hydrophobicity of the peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alhussin Mohamed Abdelhakeem Megaly
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assuit 71524, Egypt
| | - Masahiro Miyashita
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
- Correspondence:
| | - Mohammed Abdel-Wahab
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assuit 71524, Egypt
| | - Yoshiaki Nakagawa
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Hisashi Miyagawa
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
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19
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Pinto CPG, Walker AA, King GF, Rossi GD. Immunosuppressive, antimicrobial and insecticidal activities of inhibitor cystine knot peptides produced by teratocytes of the endoparasitoid wasp Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). INSECT SCIENCE 2022. [PMID: 36434808 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Teratocytes are specialized cells released by parasitoid wasps into their hosts. They are known for producing regulatory molecules that aid the development of immature parasitoids. We have recently reported the primary structures of cystine-rich peptides, including some containing inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) motifs, produced by teratocytes of the parasitoid Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). ICKs are known for their stability and diverse biological functions. In this study, we produced four putative ICK peptides from the teratocytes of C. flavipes using solid-phase peptide synthesis or recombinant expression in E. coli, and investigated their functions on host immune modulation as well their potential to impair the development of two lepidopterans after ingestion of the peptides. In addition, the peptides were assayed against pathogens and human cells. The peptides did not influence total hemocyte count but suppressed cellular immunity, detectable as a reduction of hemocyte encapsulation (CftICK-I, CftICK-II, CftICK-III) and spread indexes (CftICK-IV) in the host. None of the peptides influenced the activities of prophenoloxidase and phenoloxidase in the hemolymph of larval Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). CftICK-I and CftICK-II with previously unknown function showed antifungal activity against Candida albicans but were non-toxic to human cells. CftICK-I, CftICK-II, and CftICK-III increased larval mortality and reduced leaf consumption of D. saccharalis, a permissive host for C. flavipes. The CftICK-III also increased larval mortality and reduced leaf consumption of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a non-permissive host for C. flavipes. This study highlights biological functions and biotechnological potential of ICK peptides from the teratocytes of C. flavipes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciro P G Pinto
- School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - Andrew A Walker
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Guilherme D Rossi
- School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, Brazil
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20
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Loth K, Parisot N, Paquet F, Terrasson H, Sivignon C, Rahioui I, Ribeiro Lopes M, Gaget K, Duport G, Delmas AF, Aucagne V, Heddi A, Calevro F, da Silva P. Aphid BCR4 Structure and Activity Uncover a New Defensin Peptide Superfamily. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012480. [PMID: 36293341 PMCID: PMC9604261 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea) are among the most detrimental insects for agricultural plants, and their management is a great challenge in agronomical research. A new class of proteins, called Bacteriocyte-specific Cysteine-Rich (BCR) peptides, provides an alternative to chemical insecticides for pest control. BCRs were initially identified in the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum. They are small disulfide bond-rich proteins expressed exclusively in aphid bacteriocytes, the insect cells that host intracellular symbiotic bacteria. Here, we show that one of the A. pisum BCRs, BCR4, displays prominent insecticidal activity against the pea aphid, impairing insect survival and nymphal growth, providing evidence for its potential use as a new biopesticide. Our comparative genomics and phylogenetic analyses indicate that BCRs are restricted to the aphid lineage. The 3D structure of BCR4 reveals that this peptide belongs to an as-yet-unknown structural class of peptides and defines a new superfamily of defensins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Loth
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, 45071 Orléans, France
- UFR Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Orléans, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Nicolas Parisot
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Françoise Paquet
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Hugo Terrasson
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | | | - Isabelle Rahioui
- Univ Lyon, INRAE, INSA Lyon, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | | | - Karen Gaget
- Univ Lyon, INRAE, INSA Lyon, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Gabrielle Duport
- Univ Lyon, INRAE, INSA Lyon, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Agnès F. Delmas
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Vincent Aucagne
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Abdelaziz Heddi
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Federica Calevro
- Univ Lyon, INRAE, INSA Lyon, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Pedro da Silva
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
- Correspondence:
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21
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Medina-Santos R, Fernandes Costa TG, Silva de Assis TC, Kalapothakis Y, de Almeida Lima S, do Carmo AO, Gonzalez-Kozlova EE, Kalapothakis E, Chávez-Olórtegui C, Guerra-Duarte C. Analysis of NGS data from Peruvian Loxosceles laeta spider venom gland reveals toxin diversity. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. PART D, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2022; 43:101017. [PMID: 35932519 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2022.101017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Accidents involving spiders from the genus Loxosceles cause medical emergencies in several countries of South America. The species Loxosceles laeta is ubiquitously present in Peru and is responsible for severe accidents in this country. To further characterize L. laeta venom components and to unveil possible variations in the Peruvian population, we provide an overview of the toxins-related transcripts present in the venom gland of Peruvian L. laeta. A dataset from a cDNA library previously sequenced by MiSeq sequencer (Illumina) was re-analyzed and the obtained data was compared with available sequences from Loxosceles toxins. Phospholipase-D represent the majority (69,28 %) of the transcripts related to venom toxins, followed by metalloproteases (20,72 %), sicaritoxins (6,03 %), serine-proteases (2,28 %), hyaluronidases (1,80 %) and Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein (TCTP) (0,56 %). New sequences of phospholipases D,sicaritoxins, hyaluronidase, TCTP and serine proteinases were described. Differences between the here-described toxin sequences and others, previously identified in venom glands from other spiders, were visualized upon sequence alignments. In addition, an in vitro hyaluronidase activity assay was also performed to complement comparisons between Peruvian and Brazilian L. laeta venom enzymatic activities, revealing a superior activity in the venom from Brazilian specimens. These new data provide a molecular basis that can help to explain the difference in toxicity among L. laeta venoms from different countries in South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raíssa Medina-Santos
- Biochemistry and Immunology Department, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil; Genetic, Ecology and Evolution Department, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | - Yan Kalapothakis
- Genetic, Ecology and Evolution Department, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | - Edgar E Gonzalez-Kozlova
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School for Data Science and Genomic Technology, New York, United States of America
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22
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Monfared N, Ahadiyat A, Fathipour Y, Mianroodi RA. Evaluation of recombinant toxin JFTX-23, an oral-effective anti-insect peptide from the spider Selenocosmia jiafu venom gland proteome. Toxicon 2022; 217:78-86. [PMID: 35973605 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2022.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Excessive utilization of chemical pesticides for pest control can lead to adverse consequences for the health of humans and other organisms and may also cause irreversible ecological changes; therefore, the use of biologically derived insecticides can be a safe alternate strategy. Transcriptomic studies have shown JFTX- 23,a small peptide from the spider Selenocosmia jiafuis highly similar to U1-TRTX-Sp1, a well-characterized oral-effective insecticide toxin from the Australian tarantula Selenotypus plumipes. First, we evaluated the JFTX-23 peptide sequence using bioinformatics tools and modeling studies. Preliminary results showed a high similarity of JFTX-23 to JZTX-58 (91.67%) and U1-TRTX-Sp1 (86.11%). Superimposition of the α-carbons of the modeled JFTX-23 and U1-TRTX-Sp1 demonstrated a very high similarity of the 3-D structure of the two peptides (RMSD of 0.02 Å).The injection assay of JFTX-23 in Helicoverpa armigera indicated an LD50 of 0.077 and 0.423 nmol/insect after 24 and 120 h, respectively. JFTX-23 was toxic to H. armigera via oral administration with an LC50 of 1.16 nmol/g food after 5 days, which was comparable to the toxicity of the oral-effective toxin U1-TRTX-Sp1. Our studies have shown that JFTX-23 is a potent oral-effective toxin that can be considered an attractive candidate for the biological control of insect pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niusha Monfared
- Department of Plant Protection, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Ahadiyat
- Department of Plant Protection, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yaghoub Fathipour
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Arabi Mianroodi
- R&D Department, Research and Production Complex, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
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23
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Ding LJ, Wu XM, Zhang CG, Gao PF, Zhang Y, Yang ZZ, Zhao Y. Toxin diversity revealed by de novo transcriptome assembly for venom gland in two species of spiders (Trichonephila clavata and Sinopoda pengi). COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. PART D, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2022; 42:100984. [PMID: 35462116 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2022.100984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
During long-term predator-prey coevolution, spiders have generated a vast diversity of toxins. Trichonephila clavata is a web-spinning spider whose large, well-constructed webs and venomous arsenal facilitate prey capture. In contrast, Sinopoda pengi is an ambush predator with agile locomotion and strong chelicerae for hunting. In this study, transcriptomic analysis was performed to describe the predicted toxins of S. pengi and T. clavata. A total of 43 and 47 of these unigenes from S. pengi and T. clavata, respectively, were predicted to have toxin activity. Putative neurotoxins were classified to the family level according to cysteine arrangement; 4 and 6 toxin families were produced by S. pengi and T. clavata, respectively. In addition, potential metalloproteases, acetylcholinesterases, serine proteases, hyaluronidases and phospholipases were found by annotation in databases. In summary, molecular templates with potential application value for medical and biological fields were obtained by classifying and characterizing presumed venom components, which established a foundation for further study of venom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Jun Ding
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China
| | - Xiu-Mei Wu
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China
| | - Cheng-Gui Zhang
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China
| | - Peng-Fei Gao
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Yunnan Provincial Academy of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650051, China
| | - Zi-Zhong Yang
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China.
| | - Yu Zhao
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China
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24
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von Reumont BM, Anderluh G, Antunes A, Ayvazyan N, Beis D, Caliskan F, Crnković A, Damm M, Dutertre S, Ellgaard L, Gajski G, German H, Halassy B, Hempel BF, Hucho T, Igci N, Ikonomopoulou MP, Karbat I, Klapa MI, Koludarov I, Kool J, Lüddecke T, Ben Mansour R, Vittoria Modica M, Moran Y, Nalbantsoy A, Ibáñez MEP, Panagiotopoulos A, Reuveny E, Céspedes JS, Sombke A, Surm JM, Undheim EAB, Verdes A, Zancolli G. Modern venomics-Current insights, novel methods, and future perspectives in biological and applied animal venom research. Gigascience 2022; 11:giac048. [PMID: 35640874 PMCID: PMC9155608 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giac048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Venoms have evolved >100 times in all major animal groups, and their components, known as toxins, have been fine-tuned over millions of years into highly effective biochemical weapons. There are many outstanding questions on the evolution of toxin arsenals, such as how venom genes originate, how venom contributes to the fitness of venomous species, and which modifications at the genomic, transcriptomic, and protein level drive their evolution. These questions have received particularly little attention outside of snakes, cone snails, spiders, and scorpions. Venom compounds have further become a source of inspiration for translational research using their diverse bioactivities for various applications. We highlight here recent advances and new strategies in modern venomics and discuss how recent technological innovations and multi-omic methods dramatically improve research on venomous animals. The study of genomes and their modifications through CRISPR and knockdown technologies will increase our understanding of how toxins evolve and which functions they have in the different ontogenetic stages during the development of venomous animals. Mass spectrometry imaging combined with spatial transcriptomics, in situ hybridization techniques, and modern computer tomography gives us further insights into the spatial distribution of toxins in the venom system and the function of the venom apparatus. All these evolutionary and biological insights contribute to more efficiently identify venom compounds, which can then be synthesized or produced in adapted expression systems to test their bioactivity. Finally, we critically discuss recent agrochemical, pharmaceutical, therapeutic, and diagnostic (so-called translational) aspects of venoms from which humans benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bjoern M von Reumont
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Department for Applied Bioinformatics, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Senckenberg Frankfurt, Senckenberganlage 25, 60235 Frankfurt, Germany
- Justus Liebig University Giessen, Institute for Insectbiotechnology, Heinrich Buff Ring 26-32, 35396 Giessen, Germany
| | - Gregor Anderluh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Agostinho Antunes
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450–208 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Naira Ayvazyan
- Orbeli Institute of Physiology of NAS RA, Orbeli ave. 22, 0028 Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Dimitris Beis
- Developmental Biology, Centre for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
| | - Figen Caliskan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Letters, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, TR-26040 Eskisehir, Turkey
| | - Ana Crnković
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Maik Damm
- Technische Universität Berlin, Department of Chemistry, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Lars Ellgaard
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Goran Gajski
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Mutagenesis Unit, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Hannah German
- Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Beata Halassy
- University of Zagreb, Centre for Research and Knowledge Transfer in Biotechnology, Trg Republike Hrvatske 14, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Benjamin-Florian Hempel
- BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies BCRT, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Tim Hucho
- Translational Pain Research, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Nasit Igci
- Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, 50300 Nevsehir, Turkey
| | - Maria P Ikonomopoulou
- Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies in Food, Madrid,E28049, Spain
- The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Izhar Karbat
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Maria I Klapa
- Metabolic Engineering and Systems Biology Laboratory, Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas (FORTH/ICE-HT), Patras GR-26504, Greece
| | - Ivan Koludarov
- Justus Liebig University Giessen, Institute for Insectbiotechnology, Heinrich Buff Ring 26-32, 35396 Giessen, Germany
| | - Jeroen Kool
- Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tim Lüddecke
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Senckenberg Frankfurt, Senckenberganlage 25, 60235 Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, 35392 Gießen, Germany
| | - Riadh Ben Mansour
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Gafsa University, Campus Universitaire Siidi Ahmed Zarrouk, 2112 Gafsa, Tunisia
| | - Maria Vittoria Modica
- Dept. of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via Po 25c, I-00198 Roma, Italy
| | - Yehu Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Ayse Nalbantsoy
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, 35100 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - María Eugenia Pachón Ibáñez
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology, and Preventive Medicine, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alexios Panagiotopoulos
- Metabolic Engineering and Systems Biology Laboratory, Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas (FORTH/ICE-HT), Patras GR-26504, Greece
- Animal Biology Division, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Patras, GR-26500, Greece
| | - Eitan Reuveny
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Javier Sánchez Céspedes
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology, and Preventive Medicine, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andy Sombke
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Joachim M Surm
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Eivind A B Undheim
- University of Oslo, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Postboks 1066 Blindern 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Aida Verdes
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Giulia Zancolli
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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25
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Cens T, Chavanieu A, Bertaud A, Mokrane N, Estaran S, Roussel J, Ménard C, De Jesus Ferreira M, Guiramand J, Thibaud J, Cohen‐Solal C, Rousset M, Rolland V, Vignes M, Charnet P. Molecular Targets of Neurotoxic Insecticides in
Apis mellifera. European J Org Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.202101531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Cens
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM 1919 Route de Mende 34293 Montpellier France
| | - Alain Chavanieu
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM 1919 Route de Mende 34293 Montpellier France
| | - Anaïs Bertaud
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM 1919 Route de Mende 34293 Montpellier France
| | - Nawfel Mokrane
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM 1919 Route de Mende 34293 Montpellier France
| | - Sébastien Estaran
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM 1919 Route de Mende 34293 Montpellier France
| | - Julien Roussel
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM 1919 Route de Mende 34293 Montpellier France
| | - Claudine Ménard
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM 1919 Route de Mende 34293 Montpellier France
| | | | - Janique Guiramand
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM 1919 Route de Mende 34293 Montpellier France
| | - Jean‐Baptiste Thibaud
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM 1919 Route de Mende 34293 Montpellier France
| | - Catherine Cohen‐Solal
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM 1919 Route de Mende 34293 Montpellier France
| | - Matthieu Rousset
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM 1919 Route de Mende 34293 Montpellier France
| | - Valérie Rolland
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM 1919 Route de Mende 34293 Montpellier France
| | - Michel Vignes
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM 1919 Route de Mende 34293 Montpellier France
| | - Pierre Charnet
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM 1919 Route de Mende 34293 Montpellier France
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26
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Propagation of seminal toxins through binary expression gene drives could suppress populations. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6332. [PMID: 35428855 PMCID: PMC9012762 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10327-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene drives can be highly effective in controlling a target population by disrupting a female fertility gene. To spread across a population, these drives require that disrupted alleles be largely recessive so as not to impose too high of a fitness penalty. We argue that this restriction may be relaxed by using a double gene drive design to spread a split binary expression system. One drive carries a dominant lethal/toxic effector alone and the other a transactivator factor, without which the effector will not act. Only after the drives reach sufficiently high frequencies would individuals have the chance to inherit both system components and the effector be expressed. We explore through mathematical modeling the potential of this design to spread dominant lethal/toxic alleles and suppress populations. We show that this system could be implemented to spread engineered seminal proteins designed to kill females, making it highly effective against polyandrous populations.
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27
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Molecular Diversity of Peptide Toxins in the Venom of Spider Heteropoda pingtungensis as Revealed by cDNA Library and Transcriptome Sequencing Analysis. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14020140. [PMID: 35202167 PMCID: PMC8876598 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14020140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The venoms of toxic animals are chemical pools composed of various proteins, peptides, and small organic molecules used for predation and defense, in which the peptidic toxins have been intensively pursued mining modulators targeting disease-related ion channels and receptors as valuable drug pioneers. In the present study, we uncovered the molecular diversity of peptide toxins in the venom of the spider Heteropoda pingtungensis (H. pingtungensis) by using a combinatory strategy of venom gland cDNA library and transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq). An amount of 991 high-quality expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were identified from 1138 generated sequences, which fall into three categories, such as the toxin-like ESTs (531, 53.58%), the cellular component ESTs (255, 25.73%), and the no-match ESTs (205, 20.69%), as determined by gene function annotations. Of them, 190 non-redundant toxin-like peptides were identified and can be artificially grouped into 13 families based on their sequence homology and cysteine frameworks (families A–M). The predicted mature toxins contain 2–10 cysteines, which are predicted to form intramolecular disulfide bonds to stabilize their three-dimensional structures. Bioinformatics analysis showed that toxins from H. pingtungensis venom have high sequences variability and the biological targets for most toxins are unpredictable due to lack of homology to toxins with known functions in the database. Furthermore, RP-HPLC and MALDI-TOF analyses have identified a total of 110 different peptides physically existing in the H. pingtungensis venom, and many RP-HPLC fractions showed potent inhibitory activity on the heterologously expressed NaV1.7 channel. Most importantly, two novel NaV1.7 peptide antagonists, µ-Sparatoxin-Hp1 and µ-Sparatoxin-Hp2, were characterized. In conclusion, the present study has added many new members to the spider toxin superfamily and built the foundation for identifying novel modulators targeting ion channels in the H. pingtungensis venom.
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28
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Rivera-de-Torre E, Rimbault C, Jenkins TP, Sørensen CV, Damsbo A, Saez NJ, Duhoo Y, Hackney CM, Ellgaard L, Laustsen AH. Strategies for Heterologous Expression, Synthesis, and Purification of Animal Venom Toxins. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 9:811905. [PMID: 35127675 PMCID: PMC8811309 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.811905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal venoms are complex mixtures containing peptides and proteins known as toxins, which are responsible for the deleterious effect of envenomations. Across the animal Kingdom, toxin diversity is enormous, and the ability to understand the biochemical mechanisms governing toxicity is not only relevant for the development of better envenomation therapies, but also for exploiting toxin bioactivities for therapeutic or biotechnological purposes. Most of toxinology research has relied on obtaining the toxins from crude venoms; however, some toxins are difficult to obtain because the venomous animal is endangered, does not thrive in captivity, produces only a small amount of venom, is difficult to milk, or only produces low amounts of the toxin of interest. Heterologous expression of toxins enables the production of sufficient amounts to unlock the biotechnological potential of these bioactive proteins. Moreover, heterologous expression ensures homogeneity, avoids cross-contamination with other venom components, and circumvents the use of crude venom. Heterologous expression is also not only restricted to natural toxins, but allows for the design of toxins with special properties or can take advantage of the increasing amount of transcriptomics and genomics data, enabling the expression of dormant toxin genes. The main challenge when producing toxins is obtaining properly folded proteins with a correct disulfide pattern that ensures the activity of the toxin of interest. This review presents the strategies that can be used to express toxins in bacteria, yeast, insect cells, or mammalian cells, as well as synthetic approaches that do not involve cells, such as cell-free biosynthesis and peptide synthesis. This is accompanied by an overview of the main advantages and drawbacks of these different systems for producing toxins, as well as a discussion of the biosafety considerations that need to be made when working with highly bioactive proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esperanza Rivera-de-Torre
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- *Correspondence: Esperanza Rivera-de-Torre, ; Andreas H. Laustsen,
| | - Charlotte Rimbault
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Timothy P. Jenkins
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Christoffer V. Sørensen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anna Damsbo
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Natalie J. Saez
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Yoan Duhoo
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Celeste Menuet Hackney
- Department of Biology, Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lars Ellgaard
- Department of Biology, Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andreas H. Laustsen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- *Correspondence: Esperanza Rivera-de-Torre, ; Andreas H. Laustsen,
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29
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Alberto-Silva C, Vieira Portaro FC, Kodama RT, Pantaleão HQ, Inagaki H, Nihei KI, Konno K. Comprehensive Analysis and Biological Characterization of Venom Components from Solitary Scoliid Wasp Campsomeriella annulata annulata. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:885. [PMID: 34941722 PMCID: PMC8708821 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13120885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Venoms of solitary wasps are utilized for prey capture (insects and spiders), paralyzing them with a stinger injection to be offered as food for their larvae. Thus, the identification and characterization of the components of solitary wasp venoms can have biotechnological application. In the present study, the venom components profile of a solitary scoliid wasp, Campsomeriella annulata annulata, was investigated through a comprehensive analysis using LC-MS and -MS/MS. Online mass fingerprinting revealed that the venom extract contains 138 components, and MS/MS analysis identified 44 complete sequences of the peptide components. The peptides are broadly divided into two classes: bradykinin-related peptides, and linear α-helical peptides. Among the components of the first class, the two main peptides, α-campsomerin (PRLRRLTGLSPLR) and β-campsomerin (PRLRRLTGLSPLRAP), had their biological activities evaluated. Both peptides had no effects on metallopeptidases [human neprilysin (NEP) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)] and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and had no cytotoxic effects. Studies with PC12 neuronal cells showed that only α-campsomerin was able to enhance cell viability, while β-campsomerin had no effect. It is noteworthy that the only difference between the primary structures from these peptides is the presence of the AP extension at the C-terminus of β-campsomerin, compared to α-campsomerin. Among the linear α-helical peptides, annulatin (ISEALKSIIVG-NH2) was evaluated for its biological activities. Annulatin showed histamine releasing activity from mast cells and low hemolytic activity, but no antimicrobial activities against all microbes tested were observed. Thus, in addition to providing unprecedented information on the whole components, the three peptides selected for the study suggest that molecules present in solitary scoliid wasp venoms may have interesting biological activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Alberto-Silva
- Experimental Morphophysiology Laboratory, Natural and Humanities Sciences Center, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), São Bernardo do Campo 09606-070, SP, Brazil;
| | - Fernanda Calheta Vieira Portaro
- Structure and Functions of Biomolecules Laboratory, Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, SP, Brazil; (F.C.V.P.); (R.T.K.)
| | - Roberto Tadashi Kodama
- Structure and Functions of Biomolecules Laboratory, Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, SP, Brazil; (F.C.V.P.); (R.T.K.)
| | - Halyne Queiroz Pantaleão
- Experimental Morphophysiology Laboratory, Natural and Humanities Sciences Center, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), São Bernardo do Campo 09606-070, SP, Brazil;
| | - Hidetoshi Inagaki
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8566, Ibaraki, Japan;
| | - Ken-ichi Nihei
- School of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University, Utsunomiya 321-8505, Tochigi, Japan;
| | - Katsuhiro Konno
- Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Toyama, Japan
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30
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Pinto CPG, Walker AA, Robinson SD, Chin YKY, King GF, Rossi GD. Venom composition of the endoparasitoid wasp Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and functional characterization of a major venom peptide. Toxicon 2021; 202:1-12. [PMID: 34547307 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Endoparasitoid wasps use complex biochemical arsenals to suppress the normal humoral and cellular immune responses of their hosts in order to transform them into a suitable environment for development of their eggs and larvae. Venom injected during oviposition is a key component of this arsenal, but the functions of individual venom toxins are still poorly understood. Furthermore, there has been little investigation of the potential biotechnological use of these venom toxins, for example for control of agricultural pests. The endoparasitoid Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a biocontrol agent reared in biofactories and released extensively in Brazil to control the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). The objectives of this work were to reveal venom components produced by C. flavipes and explore the function of a major venom peptide, Cf4. Using a combined proteomic/transcriptomic approach, we identified 38 putative venom toxins including both linear and disulfide-rich peptides, hydrolases, protease inhibitors, apolipophorins, lipid-binding proteins, and proteins of the odorant binding families. Because of its high abundance in the venom, we selected Cf4, a 33-residue peptide with three disulfide bonds, for synthesis and further characterization. We found that synthetic Cf4 reduced the capacity of D. saccharalis hemocytes to encapsulate foreign bodies without any effect on phenoloxidase activity, consistent with a role in disruption of the cellular host immune response. Feeding leaves coated with Cf4 to neonate D. saccharalis resulted in increased mortality and significantly reduced feeding compared to caterpillars fed untreated leaves, indicating that Cf4 is a potential candidate for insect pest control through ingestion. This study adds to our knowledge of endoparasitoid wasp venoms composition, host regulation mechanisms and their biotechnological potential for pest management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciro P G Pinto
- School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Andrew A Walker
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Samuel D Robinson
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Yanni K-Y Chin
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Guilherme D Rossi
- School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil.
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31
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Dashevsky D, Rodriguez J. A Short Review of the Venoms and Toxins of Spider Wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae). Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13110744. [PMID: 34822528 PMCID: PMC8622703 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13110744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitoid wasps represent the plurality of venomous animals, but have received extremely little research in proportion to this taxonomic diversity. The lion’s share of investigation into insect venoms has focused on eusocial hymenopterans, but even this small sampling shows great promise for the development of new active substances. The family Pompilidae is known as the spider wasps because of their reproductive habits which include hunting for spiders, delivering a paralyzing sting, and entombing them in burrows with one of the wasp’s eggs to serve as food for the developing larva. The largest members of this family, especially the tarantula hawks of the genus Pepsis, have attained notoriety for their large size, dramatic coloration, long-term paralysis of their prey, and incredibly painful defensive stings. In this paper we review the existing research regarding the composition and function of pompilid venoms, discuss parallels from other venom literatures, identify possible avenues for the adaptation of pompilid toxins towards human purposes, and future directions of inquiry for the field.
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Pereira AE, Huynh MP, Carlson AR, Haase A, Kennedy RM, Shelby KS, Coudron TA, Hibbard BE. Assessing the Single and Combined Toxicity of the Bioinsecticide Spear and Cry3Bb1 Protein Against Susceptible and Resistant Western Corn Rootworm Larvae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 114:2220-2228. [PMID: 34453170 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toab160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), poses a serious threat to maize (Zea mays L.) growers in the U.S. Corn Belt. Transgenic corn expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Berliner is the major management tactic along with crop rotation. Bt crops targeting WCR populations have been widely planted throughout the Corn Belt. Rootworms have developed resistance to nearly all management strategies including Bt corn. Therefore, there is a need for new products that are not cross-resistant with the current Bt proteins. In this study, we evaluated the susceptibility of WCR strains resistant and susceptible to Cry3Bb1 to the biological insecticide Spear-T (GS-omega/kappa-Hexatoxin-Hv1a) alone and combined with Cry3Bb1 protein. The activity of Hv1a alone was similar between Cry3Bb1-resistant and susceptible strains (LC50s = 0.95 mg/cm2 and 1.50 mg/cm2, respectively), suggesting that there is no cross-resistance with Cry3Bb1 protein. Effective concentration (EC50), molt inhibition concentration (MIC50), and inhibition concentration (IC50) values of Hv1a alone were also similar between both strains, based on non-overlapping confidence intervals. Increased mortality (64%) was observed on resistant larvae exposed to Hv1a (0.6 mg/cm2) + Cry3Bb1 protein (170.8 µg/cm2) compared to 0% mortality when exposed to Cry3Bb1 alone and 34% mortality to Hv1a alone (0.3 mg/cm2). The time of larval death was not significantly different between Hv1a alone (3.79 mg/cm2) and Hv1a (0.6 mg/cm2) + Cry3Bb1 (170.8 µg/cm2). New control strategies that are not cross-resistant with current insecticides and Bt proteins are needed to better manage the WCR, and Hv1a together with Cry3Bb1 may fit this role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano E Pereira
- Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Man P Huynh
- Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | | | | | | | - Kent S Shelby
- Biological Control of Insect Research Laboratory, USDA/ARS, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Thomas A Coudron
- Biological Control of Insect Research Laboratory, USDA/ARS, Columbia, MO, USA
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33
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Jiang Y, Castro J, Blomster LV, Agwa AJ, Maddern J, Schober G, Herzig V, Chow CY, Cardoso FC, Demétrio De Souza França P, Gonzales J, Schroeder CI, Esche S, Reiner T, Brierley SM, King GF. Pharmacological Inhibition of the Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Na V1.7 Alleviates Chronic Visceral Pain in a Rodent Model of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2021; 4:1362-1378. [PMID: 34423271 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.1c00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The human nociceptor-specific voltage-gated sodium channel 1.7 (hNaV1.7) is critical for sensing various types of somatic pain, but it appears not to play a primary role in acute visceral pain. However, its role in chronic visceral pain remains to be determined. We used assay-guided fractionation to isolate a novel hNaV1.7 inhibitor, Tsp1a, from tarantula venom. Tsp1a is 28-residue peptide that potently inhibits hNaV1.7 (IC50 = 10 nM), with greater than 100-fold selectivity over hNaV1.3-hNaV1.6, 45-fold selectivity over hNaV1.1, and 24-fold selectivity over hNaV1.2. Tsp1a is a gating modifier that inhibits NaV1.7 by inducing a hyperpolarizing shift in the voltage-dependence of channel inactivation and slowing recovery from fast inactivation. NMR studies revealed that Tsp1a adopts a classical knottin fold, and like many knottin peptides, it is exceptionally stable in human serum. Remarkably, intracolonic administration of Tsp1a completely reversed chronic visceral hypersensitivity in a mouse model of irritable bowel syndrome. The ability of Tsp1a to reduce visceral hypersensitivity in a model of irritable bowel syndrome suggests that pharmacological inhibition of hNaV1.7 at peripheral sensory nerve endings might be a viable approach for eliciting analgesia in patients suffering from chronic visceral pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Jiang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Joel Castro
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia.,Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
| | - Linda V Blomster
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Akello J Agwa
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Jessica Maddern
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia.,Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
| | - Gudrun Schober
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia.,Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
| | - Volker Herzig
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Chun Yuen Chow
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Fernanda C Cardoso
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Paula Demétrio De Souza França
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, United States.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo 04021-001, Brazil
| | - Junior Gonzales
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Christina I Schroeder
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | | | - Thomas Reiner
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, United States.,Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York 10021, United States
| | - Stuart M Brierley
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia.,Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia.,Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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34
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Gremski LH, Matsubara FH, da Justa HC, Schemczssen-Graeff Z, Baldissera AB, Schluga PHDC, Leite IDO, Boia-Ferreira M, Wille ACM, Senff-Ribeiro A, Veiga SS. Brown spider venom toxins: what are the functions of astacins, serine proteases, hyaluronidases, allergens, TCTP, serpins and knottins? J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2021; 27:e20200188. [PMID: 34377142 PMCID: PMC8314928 DOI: 10.1590/1678-9199-jvatitd-2020-0188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Accidents caused by the bites of brown spiders (Loxosceles) generate a clinical condition that often includes a threatening necrotic skin lesion near the bite site along with a remarkable inflammatory response. Systemic disorders such as hemolysis, thrombocytopenia, and acute renal failure may occur, but are much less frequent than the local damage. It is already known that phospholipases D, highly expressed toxins in Loxosceles venom, can induce most of these injuries. However, this spider venom has a great range of toxins that probably act synergistically to enhance toxicity. The other protein classes remain poorly explored due to the difficulty in obtaining sufficient amounts of them for a thorough investigation. They include astacins (metalloproteases), serine proteases, knottins, translationally controlled tumor proteins (TCTP), hyaluronidases, allergens and serpins. It has already been shown that some of them, according to their characteristics, may participate to some extent in the development of loxoscelism. In addition, all of these toxins present potential application in several areas. The present review article summarizes information regarding some functional aspects of the protein classes listed above, discusses the directions that could be taken to materialize a comprehensive investigation on each of these toxins as well as highlights the importance of exploring the full venom repertoire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiza Helena Gremski
- Department of Cell Biology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Hanna Câmara da Justa
- Department of Cell Biology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Ana Carolina Martins Wille
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology and Genetics, State University of Ponta Grossa (UEPG), Ponta Grossa, PR, Brazil
| | - Andrea Senff-Ribeiro
- Department of Cell Biology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Silvio Sanches Veiga
- Department of Cell Biology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR, Brazil
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35
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Chernykh MA, Kuldyushev NA, Peigneur S, Berkut AA, Tytgat J, Efremov RG, Vassilevski AA, Chugunov AO. Derivative of Scorpion Neurotoxin BeM9 Is Selective for Insect Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s1068162021040063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Scorpion α-toxins are small proteins inhibiting the inactivation of voltage-gated sodium channels. They can selectively act on either mammalian (mammal toxins) or insect channels (insect toxins), or affect both types of channels (α-like toxins). Currently no model has been proposed that fully explains the dependence of selectivity upon amino acid sequence, but some patterns have already been established. Thus, most mammal toxins have an aspartic acid residue in position 8, which is involved in the formation of the nest motif, but it is still not clear whether this residue interacts directly with channels. The objective of our study was to obtain a derivative of the α-like toxin BeM9 with the replacement of lysine in position 8 by glutamate (K8E), changing the charge, but excluding the formation of the nest motif. In addition, we replaced the tyrosine in position 17 with glycine (Y17G), which is characteristic of mammal toxins. Surprisingly, the double-mutant derivative BeM9EG lost its activity on mammalian channels, becoming an insect toxin. To explain these changes, we constructed models of BeM9 and BeM9EG complexes with channels, and also performed molecular dynamics of isolated toxins. Analysis of intermolecular contacts in the complexes did not explain the reason for the selectivity change. Nevertheless, the structure of intramolecular contacts and data on molecular mobility indicate an important role of residues K8 and Y17 in stabilizing a certain conformation of BeM9 loops. We assume that the replacement of these residues allosterically affects the efficiency of toxin binding to channels.
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36
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Gremski LH, Matsubara FH, Polli NLC, Antunes BC, Schluga PHDC, da Justa HC, Minozzo JC, Wille ACM, Senff-Ribeiro A, Veiga SS. Prospective Use of Brown Spider Venom Toxins as Therapeutic and Biotechnological Inputs. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:706704. [PMID: 34222343 PMCID: PMC8247472 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.706704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Brown spider (genus Loxosceles) venoms are mainly composed of protein toxins used for predation and defense. Bites of these spiders most commonly produce a local dermonecrotic lesion with gravitational spread, edema and hemorrhage, which together are defined as cutaneous loxoscelism. Systemic loxoscelism, such as hematological abnormalities and renal injury, are less frequent but more lethal. Some Loxosceles venom toxins have already been isolated and extensively studied, such as phospholipases D (PLDs), which have been recombinantly expressed and were proven to reproduce toxic activities associated to the whole venom. PLDs have a notable potential to be engineered and converted in non-toxic antigens to produce a new generation of antivenoms or vaccines. PLDs also can serve as tools to discover inhibitors to be used as therapeutic agents. Other Loxosceles toxins have been identified and functionally characterized, such as hyaluronidases, allergen factor, serpin, TCTP and knottins (ICK peptides). All these toxins were produced as recombinant molecules and are biologically active molecules that can be used as tools for the potential development of chemical candidates to tackle many medical and biological threats, acting, for instance, as antitumoral, insecticides, analgesic, antigens for allergy tests and biochemical reagents for cell studies. In addition, these recombinant toxins may be useful to develop a rational therapy for loxoscelism. This review summarizes the main candidates for the development of drugs and biotechnological inputs that have been described in Brown spider venoms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Bruno Cesar Antunes
- Department of Cell Biology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil.,Production and Research Center of Immunobiological Products, State Department of Health, Piraquara, Brazil
| | | | | | - João Carlos Minozzo
- Production and Research Center of Immunobiological Products, State Department of Health, Piraquara, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Martins Wille
- Department of Structural, Molecular Biology and Genetics, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Brazil
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Identification of Novel Toxin Genes from the Stinging Nettle Caterpillar Parasa lepida (Cramer, 1799): Insights into the Evolution of Lepidoptera Toxins. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12050396. [PMID: 33946702 PMCID: PMC8145965 DOI: 10.3390/insects12050396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Many caterpillar species can produce toxins that cause harmful reactions to humans, varying from mild irritation to death. Currently, there is very limited knowledge about caterpillar toxin diversity, because only a few species have been investigated. We used the transcriptome technique to identify candidate toxin genes from the nettle caterpillar Parasa lepida (Cramer, 1799). It is a common pest of oil palm, coconut, and mango in South and South-East Asia, which can cause severe pain and allergic responses to those in contact with them. We reported 168 candidate toxin genes. Most of them are members of the toxin genes families commonly recruited in animal venoms such as serine protease and serine protease inhibitors. However, we identified 21 novel genes encoding knottin-like peptides expressed at a high level in the transcriptome. Their predicted 3D structures are similar to neurotoxins in scorpion and tarantula. Our study suggests that P. lepida venom contains diverse toxin proteins that potentially cause allergic reactions and pain. This study sheds light on the hidden diversity of toxin proteins in caterpillar lineage, which could be future fruitful new drug sources. Abstract Many animal species can produce venom for defense, predation, and competition. The venom usually contains diverse peptide and protein toxins, including neurotoxins, proteolytic enzymes, protease inhibitors, and allergens. Some drugs for cancer, neurological disorders, and analgesics were developed based on animal toxin structures and functions. Several caterpillar species possess venoms that cause varying effects on humans both locally and systemically. However, toxins from only a few species have been investigated, limiting the full understanding of the Lepidoptera toxin diversity and evolution. We used the RNA-seq technique to identify toxin genes from the stinging nettle caterpillar, Parasa lepida (Cramer, 1799). We constructed a transcriptome from caterpillar urticating hairs and reported 34,968 unique transcripts. Using our toxin gene annotation pipeline, we identified 168 candidate toxin genes, including protease inhibitors, proteolytic enzymes, and allergens. The 21 P. lepida novel Knottin-like peptides, which do not show sequence similarity to any known peptide, have predicted 3D structures similar to tarantula, scorpion, and cone snail neurotoxins. We highlighted the importance of convergent evolution in the Lepidoptera toxin evolution and the possible mechanisms. This study opens a new path to understanding the hidden diversity of Lepidoptera toxins, which could be a fruitful source for developing new drugs.
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New Insectotoxin from Tibellus Oblongus Spider Venom Presents Novel Adaptation of ICK Fold. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13010029. [PMID: 33406803 PMCID: PMC7824768 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13010029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The Tibellus oblongus spider is an active predator that does not spin webs and remains poorly investigated in terms of venom composition. Here, we present a new toxin, named Tbo-IT2, predicted by cDNA analysis of venom glands transcriptome. The presence of Tbo-IT2 in the venom was confirmed by proteomic analyses using the LC-MS and MS/MS techniques. The distinctive features of Tbo-IT2 are the low similarity of primary structure with known animal toxins and the unusual motif of 10 cysteine residues distribution. Recombinant Tbo-IT2 (rTbo-IT2), produced in E. coli using the thioredoxin fusion protein strategy, was structurally and functionally studied. rTbo-IT2 showed insecticidal activity on larvae of the housefly Musca domestica (LD100 200 μg/g) and no activity on the panel of expressed neuronal receptors and ion channels. The spatial structure of the peptide was determined in a water solution by NMR spectroscopy. The Tbo-IT2 structure is a new example of evolutionary adaptation of a well-known inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) fold to 5 disulfide bonds configuration, which determines additional conformational stability and gives opportunities for insectotoxicity and probably some other interesting features.
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39
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Eagles DA, Chow CY, King GF. Fifteen years of Na
V
1.7 channels as an analgesic target: Why has excellent in vitro pharmacology not translated into in vivo analgesic efficacy? Br J Pharmacol 2020; 179:3592-3611. [DOI: 10.1111/bph.15327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David A. Eagles
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland St Lucia QLD Australia
| | - Chun Yuen Chow
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland St Lucia QLD Australia
| | - Glenn F. King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland St Lucia QLD Australia
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40
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Herzig V, Cristofori-Armstrong B, Israel MR, Nixon SA, Vetter I, King GF. Animal toxins - Nature's evolutionary-refined toolkit for basic research and drug discovery. Biochem Pharmacol 2020; 181:114096. [PMID: 32535105 PMCID: PMC7290223 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Venomous animals have evolved toxins that interfere with specific components of their victim's core physiological systems, thereby causing biological dysfunction that aids in prey capture, defense against predators, or other roles such as intraspecific competition. Many animal lineages evolved venom systems independently, highlighting the success of this strategy. Over the course of evolution, toxins with exceptional specificity and high potency for their intended molecular targets have prevailed, making venoms an invaluable and almost inexhaustible source of bioactive molecules, some of which have found use as pharmacological tools, human therapeutics, and bioinsecticides. Current biomedically-focused research on venoms is directed towards their use in delineating the physiological role of toxin molecular targets such as ion channels and receptors, studying or treating human diseases, targeting vectors of human diseases, and treating microbial and parasitic infections. We provide examples of each of these areas of venom research, highlighting the potential that venom molecules hold for basic research and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker Herzig
- School of Science & Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia; Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia.
| | | | - Mathilde R Israel
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Samantha A Nixon
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia.
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Walker AA, Robinson SD, Hamilton BF, Undheim EAB, King GF. Deadly Proteomes: A Practical Guide to Proteotranscriptomics of Animal Venoms. Proteomics 2020; 20:e1900324. [PMID: 32820606 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201900324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Animal venoms are renowned for their toxicity, biochemical complexity, and as a source of compounds with potential applications in medicine, agriculture, and industry. Polypeptides underlie much of the pharmacology of animal venoms, and elucidating these arsenals of polypeptide toxins-known as the venom proteome or venome-is an important step in venom research. Proteomics is used for the identification of venom toxins, determination of their primary structure including post-translational modifications, as well as investigations into the physiology underlying their production and delivery. Advances in proteomics and adjacent technologies has led to a recent upsurge in publications reporting venom proteomes. Improved mass spectrometers, better proteomic workflows, and the integration of next-generation sequencing of venom-gland transcriptomes and venomous animal genomes allow quicker and more accurate profiling of venom proteomes with greatly reduced starting material. Technologies such as imaging mass spectrometry are revealing additional insights into the mechanism, location, and kinetics of venom toxin production. However, these numerous new developments may be overwhelming for researchers designing venom proteome studies. Here, the field of venom proteomics is reviewed and some practical solutions for simplifying mass spectrometry workflows to study animal venoms are offered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew A Walker
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Samuel D Robinson
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Brett F Hamilton
- Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia.,Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Eivind A B Undheim
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia.,Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, NTNU, Trondheim, 7491, Norway.,Department of Bioscience, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, 0316, Norway
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
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Jaswal R, Kiran K, Rajarammohan S, Dubey H, Singh PK, Sharma Y, Deshmukh R, Sonah H, Gupta N, Sharma TR. Effector Biology of Biotrophic Plant Fungal Pathogens: Current Advances and Future Prospects. Microbiol Res 2020; 241:126567. [PMID: 33080488 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2020.126567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The interaction of fungal pathogens with their host requires a novel invading mechanism and the presence of various virulence-associated components responsible for promoting the infection. The small secretory proteins, explicitly known as effector proteins, are one of the prime mechanisms of host manipulation utilized by the pathogen to disarm the host. Several effector proteins are known to translocate from fungus to the plant cell for host manipulation. Many fungal effectors have been identified using genomic, transcriptomic, and bioinformatics approaches. Most of the effector proteins are devoid of any conserved signatures, and their prediction based on sequence homology is very challenging, therefore by combining the sequence consensus based upon machine learning features, multiple tools have also been developed for predicting apoplastic and cytoplasmic effectors. Various post-genomics approaches like transcriptomics of virulent isolates have also been utilized for identifying active consortia of effectors. Significant progress has been made in understanding biotrophic effectors; however, most of it is underway due to their complex interaction with host and complicated recognition and signaling networks. This review discusses advances, and challenges in effector identification and highlighted various features of the potential effector proteins and approaches for understanding their genetics and strategies for regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajdeep Jaswal
- National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India; Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Punjab, 160014, India
| | - Kanti Kiran
- ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, Pusa Campus New Delhi, 110012, India
| | | | - Himanshu Dubey
- ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, Pusa Campus New Delhi, 110012, India
| | - Pankaj Kumar Singh
- National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Yogesh Sharma
- National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Rupesh Deshmukh
- National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Humira Sonah
- National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Naveen Gupta
- Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Punjab, 160014, India.
| | - T R Sharma
- National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India.
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Jin J, Agwa AJ, Szanto TG, Csóti A, Panyi G, Schroeder CI, Walker AA, King GF. Weaponisation 'on the fly': Convergent recruitment of knottin and defensin peptide scaffolds into the venom of predatory assassin flies. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 118:103310. [PMID: 31870846 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2019.103310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Many arthropod venom peptides have potential as bioinsecticides, drug leads, and pharmacological tools due to their specific neuromodulatory functions. Assassin flies (Asilidae) are a family of predaceous dipterans that produce a unique and complex peptide-rich venom for killing insect prey and deterring predators. However, very little is known about the structure and function of their venom peptides. We therefore used an E. coli periplasmic expression system to express four disulfide-rich peptides that we previously reported to exist in venom of the giant assassin fly Dolopus genitalis. After purification, each recombinant peptide eluted from a C18 column at a position closely matching its natural counterpart, strongly suggesting adoption of the native tertiary fold. Injection of purified recombinant peptides into blowflies (Lucilia cuprina) and crickets (Acheta domestica) revealed that two of the four recombinant peptides, named rDg3b and rDg12, inhibited escape behaviour in a manner that was rapid in onset (<1 min) and reversible. Homonuclear NMR solution structures revealed that rDg3b and rDg12 adopt cystine-stabilised α/ß defensin and inhibitor cystine knot folds, respectively. Although the closest known homologues of rDg3b at the level of primary structure are dipteran antimicrobial peptides such as sapecin and lucifensin, a DALI search showed that the tertiary structure of rDg3b most closely resembles the KV11.1-specific α-potassium channel toxin CnErg1 from venom of the scorpion Centruroides noxius. This is mainly due to the deletion of a large, unstructured loop between the first and second cysteine residues present in Dg3b homologues from non-asiloid, but not existing in asiloid, species. Patch-clamp electrophysiology experiments revealed that rDg3b shifts the voltage-dependence of KV11.1 channel activation to more depolarised potentials, but has no effect on KV1.3, KV2.1, KV10.1, KCa1.1, or the Drosophila Shaker channel. Although rDg12 shares the inhibitor cystine knot structure of many gating modifier toxins, rDg12 did not affect any of these KV channel subtypes. Our results demonstrate that multiple disulfide-rich peptide scaffolds have been convergently recruited into asilid and other animal venoms, and they provide insight into the molecular evolution accompanying their weaponisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Jin
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Akello J Agwa
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Tibor G Szanto
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, H-4032, Hungary
| | - Agota Csóti
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, H-4032, Hungary
| | - Gyorgy Panyi
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, H-4032, Hungary
| | - Christina I Schroeder
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Andrew A Walker
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
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Chen X, Leahy D, Van Haeften J, Hartfield P, Prentis PJ, van der Burg CA, Surm JM, Pavasovic A, Madio B, Hamilton BR, King GF, Undheim EAB, Brattsand M, Harris JM. A Versatile and Robust Serine Protease Inhibitor Scaffold from Actinia tenebrosa. Mar Drugs 2019; 17:E701. [PMID: 31842369 PMCID: PMC6950308 DOI: 10.3390/md17120701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Serine proteases play pivotal roles in normal physiology and a spectrum of patho-physiological processes. Accordingly, there is considerable interest in the discovery and design of potent serine protease inhibitors for therapeutic applications. This led to concerted efforts to discover versatile and robust molecular scaffolds for inhibitor design. This investigation is a bioprospecting study that aims to isolate and identify protease inhibitors from the cnidarian Actinia tenebrosa. The study isolated two Kunitz-type protease inhibitors with very similar sequences but quite divergent inhibitory potencies when assayed against bovine trypsin, chymostrypsin, and a selection of human sequence-related peptidases. Homology modeling and molecular dynamics simulations of these inhibitors in complex with their targets were carried out and, collectively, these methodologies enabled the definition of a versatile scaffold for inhibitor design. Thermal denaturation studies showed that the inhibitors were remarkably robust. To gain a fine-grained map of the residues responsible for this stability, we conducted in silico alanine scanning and quantified individual residue contributions to the inhibitor's stability. Sequences of these inhibitors were then used to search for Kunitz homologs in an A. tenebrosa transcriptome library, resulting in the discovery of a further 14 related sequences. Consensus analysis of these variants identified a rich molecular diversity of Kunitz domains and expanded the palette of potential residue substitutions for rational inhibitor design using this domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingchen Chen
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia; (X.C.); (D.L.); (J.V.H.); (C.A.v.d.B.); (A.P.)
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;
| | - Darren Leahy
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia; (X.C.); (D.L.); (J.V.H.); (C.A.v.d.B.); (A.P.)
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;
| | - Jessica Van Haeften
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia; (X.C.); (D.L.); (J.V.H.); (C.A.v.d.B.); (A.P.)
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;
| | - Perry Hartfield
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;
| | - Peter J. Prentis
- School of Earth, Environmental and Biological Sciences, Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;
- Institute for Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Chloé A. van der Burg
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia; (X.C.); (D.L.); (J.V.H.); (C.A.v.d.B.); (A.P.)
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;
| | - Joachim M. Surm
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia; (X.C.); (D.L.); (J.V.H.); (C.A.v.d.B.); (A.P.)
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;
| | - Ana Pavasovic
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia; (X.C.); (D.L.); (J.V.H.); (C.A.v.d.B.); (A.P.)
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;
| | - Bruno Madio
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (B.M.); (G.F.K.)
| | - Brett R. Hamilton
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (B.R.H.); (E.A.B.U.)
| | - Glenn F. King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (B.M.); (G.F.K.)
| | - Eivind A. B. Undheim
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (B.R.H.); (E.A.B.U.)
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Maria Brattsand
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden;
| | - Jonathan M. Harris
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia; (X.C.); (D.L.); (J.V.H.); (C.A.v.d.B.); (A.P.)
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;
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Chow CY, Chin YKY, Walker AA, Guo S, Blomster LV, Ward MJ, Herzig V, Rokyta DR, King GF. Venom Peptides with Dual Modulatory Activity on the Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Na V1.1 Provide Novel Leads for Development of Antiepileptic Drugs. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2019; 3:119-134. [PMID: 32259093 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.9b00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels play a fundamental role in normal neurological function, especially via the initiation and propagation of action potentials. The NaV1.1 subtype is found in inhibitory interneurons of the brain and it is essential for maintaining a balance between excitation and inhibition in neuronal networks. Heterozygous loss-of-function mutations of SCN1A, the gene encoding NaV1.1, underlie Dravet syndrome (DS), a severe pediatric epilepsy. We recently demonstrated that selective inhibition of NaV1.1 inactivation prevents seizures and premature death in a mouse model of DS. Thus, selective modulators of NaV1.1 might be useful therapeutics for treatment of DS as they target the underlying molecular deficit. Numerous scorpion-venom peptides have been shown to modulate the activity of NaV channels, but little is known about their activity at NaV1.1. Here we report the isolation, sequence, three-dimensional structure, recombinant production, and functional characterization of two peptidic modulators of NaV1.1 from venom of the buthid scorpion Hottentotta jayakari. These peptides, Hj1a and Hj2a, are potent agonists of NaV1.1 (EC50 of 17 and 32 nM, respectively), and they present dual α/β activity by modifying both the activation and inactivation properties of the channel. NMR studies of rHj1a indicate that it adopts a cystine-stabilized αβ fold similar to known scorpion toxins. Although Hj1a and Hj2a have only limited selectivity for NaV1.1, their unusual dual mode of action provides an alternative approach to the development of selective NaV1.1 modulators for the treatment of DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Yuen Chow
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Yanni K-Y Chin
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Andrew A Walker
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Shaodong Guo
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Linda V Blomster
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Micaiah J Ward
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States
| | - Volker Herzig
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Darin R Rokyta
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
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Spider Knottin Pharmacology at Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels and Their Potential to Modulate Pain Pathways. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11110626. [PMID: 31671792 PMCID: PMC6891507 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11110626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Voltage-gated sodium channels (NaVs) are a key determinant of neuronal signalling. Neurotoxins from diverse taxa that selectively activate or inhibit NaV channels have helped unravel the role of NaV channels in diseases, including chronic pain. Spider venoms contain the most diverse array of inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) toxins (knottins). This review provides an overview on how spider knottins modulate NaV channels and describes the structural features and molecular determinants that influence their affinity and subtype selectivity. Genetic and functional evidence support a major involvement of NaV subtypes in various chronic pain conditions. The exquisite inhibitory properties of spider knottins over key NaV subtypes make them the best lead molecules for the development of novel analgesics to treat chronic pain.
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Identification and Functional Characterization of a Novel Insecticidal Decapeptide from the Myrmicine Ant Manica rubida. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11100562. [PMID: 31557881 PMCID: PMC6832575 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11100562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ant venoms contain many small, linear peptides, an untapped source of bioactive peptide toxins. The control of agricultural insect pests currently depends primarily on chemical insecticides, but their intensive use damages the environment and human health, and encourages the emergence of resistant pest populations. This has promoted interest in animal venoms as a source of alternative, environmentally-friendly bio-insecticides. We tested the crude venom of the predatory ant, Manica rubida, and observed severe fitness costs in the parthenogenetic pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum), a common agricultural pest. Therefore, we explored the M. rubida venom peptidome and identified a novel decapeptide U-MYRTX-MANr1 (NH2-IDPKVLESLV-CONH2) using a combination of Edman degradation and de novo peptide sequencing. Although this myrmicitoxin was inactive against bacteria and fungi, it reduced aphid survival and reproduction. Furthermore, both crude venom and U-MYRTX-MANr1 reversibly paralyzed injected aphids and induced a loss of body fluids. Components of M. rubida venom may act on various biological targets including ion channels and hemolymph coagulation proteins, as previously shown for other ant venom toxins. The remarkable insecticidal activity of M. rubida venom suggests it may be a promising source of additional bio-insecticide leads.
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Pore-Forming Proteins from Cnidarians and Arachnids as Potential Biotechnological Tools. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11060370. [PMID: 31242582 PMCID: PMC6628452 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11060370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal venoms are complex mixtures of highly specialized toxic molecules. Cnidarians and arachnids produce pore-forming proteins (PFPs) directed against the plasma membrane of their target cells. Among PFPs from cnidarians, actinoporins stand out for their small size and molecular simplicity. While native actinoporins require only sphingomyelin for membrane binding, engineered chimeras containing a recognition antibody-derived domain fused to an actinoporin isoform can nonetheless serve as highly specific immunotoxins. Examples of such constructs targeted against malignant cells have been already reported. However, PFPs from arachnid venoms are less well-studied from a structural and functional point of view. Spiders from the Latrodectus genus are professional insect hunters that, as part of their toxic arsenal, produce large PFPs known as latrotoxins. Interestingly, some latrotoxins have been identified as potent and highly-specific insecticides. Given the proteinaceous nature of these toxins, their promising future use as efficient bioinsecticides is discussed throughout this Perspective. Protein engineering and large-scale recombinant production are critical steps for the use of these PFPs as tools to control agriculturally important insect pests. In summary, both families of PFPs, from Cnidaria and Arachnida, appear to be molecules with promising biotechnological applications.
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