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McMurray JC, Adams KE, Wanandy T, Le A, Heddle RJ. Stinging Ant Anaphylaxis: Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY. IN PRACTICE 2024:S2213-2198(24)00745-1. [PMID: 39038538 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2024.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Stinging ants represent a wide range of over 200 different species across the world, of which Solenopsis, Myrmecia, Pogonomyrmex, and Brachyponera genera account for a substantial economic and healthcare burden. S. invicta (red imported fire ant [IFA]) and M. pilosula (jack jumper ant [JJA]) are 2 species of high clinical importance, known to cause anaphylaxis in humans, with numerous reported fatalities. Diagnostic testing should be performed in patients with a history of a systemic reaction with skin testing and/or in vitro specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) testing. In vitro testing is commercially available for IFA through whole-body extract specific IgE and JJA venom-specific IgE, but not widely available for other stinging ant species. Commercial venom component testing for IFA and JJA is currently not available. Patients with a clinical history and positive specific IgE testing should undergo treatment with specific immunotherapy, which is currently available for IFA and JJA. Buildup may be performed using conventional, semi-rush, rush, or ultra-rush schedules with similar risk profiles for IFA. Optimal duration for whole=body extract immunotherapy for IFA and specific JJA venom immunotherapy is not well studied, but generally recommended for at least 3 to 5 years. Sting challenges are used in research settings, primarily to assess treatment efficacy of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy C McMurray
- Allergy & Immunology Service, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Md.
| | - Karla E Adams
- Allergy & Immunology Service, Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Troy Wanandy
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Incorporating the Jack Jumper Allergy Program, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia; College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia; National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE), Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Adriana Le
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Incorporating the Jack Jumper Allergy Program, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia; College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia; National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE), Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robert J Heddle
- Department of Allergy and Immunology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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2
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Buraphaka H, Dobutr T, Wiese MD, Lopata AL, Daduang S. Structure-based epitope prediction and assessment of cross-reactivity of Myrmecia pilosula venom-specific IgE and recombinant Sol g proteins (Solenopsis geminata). Sci Rep 2024; 14:11145. [PMID: 38750087 PMCID: PMC11096326 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61843-4] [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: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The global distribution of tropical fire ants (Solenopsis geminata) raises concerns about anaphylaxis and serious medical issues in numerous countries. This investigation focused on the cross-reactivity of allergen-specific IgE antibodies between S. geminata and Myrmecia pilosula (Jack Jumper ant) venom proteins due to the potential emergence of cross-reactive allergies in the future. Antibody epitope analysis unveiled one predominant conformational epitope on Sol g 1.1 (PI score of 0.989), followed by Sol g 2.2, Sol g 4.1, and Sol g 3.1. Additionally, Pilosulin 1 showed high allergenic potential (PI score of 0.94), with Pilosulin 5a (PI score of 0.797) leading in B-cell epitopes. The sequence analysis indicated that Sol g 2.2 and Sol g 4.1 pose a high risk of cross-reactivity with Pilosulins 4.1a and 5a. Furthermore, the cross-reactivity of recombinant Sol g proteins with M. pilosula-specific IgE antibodies from 41 patients revealed high cross-reactivity for r-Sol g 3.1 (58.53%) and r-Sol g 4.1 (43.90%), followed by r-Sol g 2.2 (26.82%), and r-Sol g 1.1 (9.75%). Therefore, this study demonstrates cross-reactivity (85.36%) between S. geminata and M. pilosula, highlighting the allergenic risk. Understanding these reactions is vital for the prevention of severe allergic reactions, especially in individuals with pre-existing Jumper Jack ant allergy, informing future management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hathairat Buraphaka
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
- Protein and Proteomics Research Center for Commercial and Industrial Purposes (ProCCI), Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Theerawat Dobutr
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
- Protein and Proteomics Research Center for Commercial and Industrial Purposes (ProCCI), Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand
| | - Michael D Wiese
- Centre for Pharmaceutical Innovation, UniSA: Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Andreas L Lopata
- Molecular Allergy Research Laboratory, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University AU, Townsville, Australia.
- Tropical Futures Institute, James Cook University SG, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Sakda Daduang
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
- Protein and Proteomics Research Center for Commercial and Industrial Purposes (ProCCI), Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
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3
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Wanandy T, Le TTA, Lau WY, Wiese MD, Heddle RJ, Brown SGA. The development of Jack Jumper ant venom immunotherapy: our 25 years' experience. Intern Med J 2023; 53:1716-1721. [PMID: 37743244 DOI: 10.1111/imj.16217] [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: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Jack Jumper ant venom allergy is a uniquely Australian medical issue. The stinging ant is a leading cause of insect venom allergy in south-eastern Australia. An effective venom immunotherapy-based treatment was successfully developed by the Tasmanian Jack Jumper Allergy Research group. This paper provides a synopsis of our 25 years' research journey in developing this evidence-based treatment modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy Wanandy
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Incorporating the Jack Jumper Allergy Program, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Thanh-Thao A Le
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Incorporating the Jack Jumper Allergy Program, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Wun Y Lau
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Incorporating the Jack Jumper Allergy Program, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Michael D Wiese
- Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Robert J Heddle
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Simon G A Brown
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Aeromedical and Medical Retrieval Division, Ambulance Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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4
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Robinson SD, Kambanis L, Clayton D, Hinneburg H, Corcilius L, Mueller A, Walker AA, Keramidas A, Kulkarni SS, Jones A, Vetter I, Thaysen-Andersen M, Payne RJ, King GF, Undheim EAB. A pain-causing and paralytic ant venom glycopeptide. iScience 2021; 24:103175. [PMID: 34693225 PMCID: PMC8517206 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are familiar inhabitants of most terrestrial environments. Although we are aware of the ability of many species to sting, knowledge of ant venom chemistry remains limited. Herein, we describe the discovery and characterization of an O-linked glycopeptide (Mg7a) as a major component of the venom of the ant Myrmecia gulosa. Electron transfer dissociation and higher-energy collisional dissociation tandem mass spectrometry were used to localize three α-N-acetylgalactosaminyl residues (α-GalNAc) present on the 63-residue peptide. To allow for functional studies, we synthesized the full-length glycosylated peptide via solid-phase peptide synthesis, combined with diselenide-selenoester ligation-deselenization chemistry. We show that Mg7a is paralytic and lethal to insects, and triggers pain behavior and inflammation in mammals, which it achieves through a membrane-targeting mode of action. Deglycosylation of Mg7a renders it insoluble in aqueous solution, suggesting a key solubilizing role of the O-glycans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel D Robinson
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Lucas Kambanis
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Daniel Clayton
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Hannes Hinneburg
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Leo Corcilius
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Alexander Mueller
- 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
| | - Angelo Keramidas
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Sameer S Kulkarni
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Alun Jones
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | | | - Richard J Payne
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Eivind A B Undheim
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.,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, The University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
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5
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Global View on Ant Venom Allergy: from Allergenic Components to Clinical Management. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 2021; 62:123-144. [PMID: 34075569 DOI: 10.1007/s12016-021-08858-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Hymenoptera venom allergy is characterised by systemic anaphylactic reactions that occur in response to stings from members of the Hymenoptera order. Stinging by social Hymenoptera such as ants, honeybees, and vespids is one of the 3 major causes of anaphylaxis; along with food and drug exposure, it accounts for up to 43% of anaphylaxis cases and 20% of anaphylaxis-related fatalities. Despite their recognition as being of considerable public health significance, stinging ant venoms are relatively unexplored in comparison to other animal venoms and may be overlooked as a cause of venom allergy. Indeed, the venoms of stinging ants may be the most common cause of anaphylaxis in ant endemic areas. A better understanding of the natural history of venom allergy caused by stinging ants, their venom components, and the management of ant venom allergy is therefore required. This article provides a global view on allergic reactions to the venoms of stinging ants and the contemporary approach to diagnose and manage ant venom allergy.
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6
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Tani N, Kazuma K, Ohtsuka Y, Shigeri Y, Masuko K, Konno K, Inagaki H. Mass Spectrometry Analysis and Biological Characterization of the Predatory Ant Odontomachus monticola Venom and Venom Sac Components. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11010050. [PMID: 30658410 PMCID: PMC6356579 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11010050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [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: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously identified 92 toxin-like peptides and proteins, including pilosulin-like peptides 1–6 from the predatory ant Odontomachus monticola, by transcriptome analysis. Here, to further characterize venom components, we analyzed the venom and venom sac extract by ESI-MS/MS with or without trypsin digestion and reducing agent. As the low-molecular-mass components, we found amino acids (leucine/isoleucine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan) and biogenic amines (histamine and tyramine) in the venom and venom sac extract. As the higher molecular mass components, we found peptides and proteins such as pilosulin-like peptides, phospholipase A2s, hyaluronidase, venom dipeptidyl peptidases, conotoxin-like peptide, and icarapin-like peptide. In addition to pilosulin-like peptides 1–6, we found three novel pilosulin-like peptides that were overlooked by transcriptome analysis. Moreover, pilosulin-like peptides 1–6 were chemically synthesized, and some of them displayed antimicrobial, hemolytic, and histamine-releasing activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Tani
- Liaison Laboratory Research Promotion Center, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, 2-2-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan.
| | - Kohei Kazuma
- Eco-Frontier Center of Medicinal Resources, School of Pharmacy, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan.
| | - Yukio Ohtsuka
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan.
| | - Yasushi Shigeri
- Department of Chemistry, Wakayama Medical University, 580 Mikazura, Wakayama 641-0011, Japan.
| | - Keiichi Masuko
- School of Business Administration, Senshu University, 2-1-1 Higashimita, Tama-ku, Kawasaki 214-8580, Japan.
| | - Katsuhiro Konno
- Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
| | - Hidetoshi Inagaki
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan.
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7
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Robinson SD, Mueller A, Clayton D, Starobova H, Hamilton BR, Payne RJ, Vetter I, King GF, Undheim EAB. A comprehensive portrait of the venom of the giant red bull ant, Myrmecia gulosa, reveals a hyperdiverse hymenopteran toxin gene family. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaau4640. [PMID: 30214940 PMCID: PMC6135544 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aau4640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are diverse and ubiquitous, and their ability to sting is familiar to many of us. However, their venoms remain largely unstudied. We provide the first comprehensive characterization of a polypeptidic ant venom, that of the giant red bull ant, Myrmecia gulosa. We reveal a suite of novel peptides with a range of posttranslational modifications, including disulfide bond formation, dimerization, and glycosylation. One venom peptide has sequence features consistent with an epidermal growth factor fold, while the remaining peptides have features suggestive of a capacity to form amphipathic helices. We show that these peptides are derived from what appears to be a single, pharmacologically diverse, gene superfamily (aculeatoxins) that includes most venom peptides previously reported from the aculeate Hymenoptera. Two aculeatoxins purified from the venom were found to be capable of activating mammalian sensory neurons, consistent with the capacity to produce pain but via distinct mechanisms of action. Further investigation of the major venom peptide MIITX1-Mg1a revealed that it can also incapacitate arthropods, indicative of dual utility in both defense and predation. MIITX1-Mg1a accomplishes these functions by generating a leak in membrane ion conductance, which alters membrane potential and triggers neuronal depolarization. Our results provide the first insights into the evolution of the major toxin gene superfamily of the aculeate Hymenoptera and provide a new paradigm in the functional evolution of toxins from animal venoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel D. Robinson
- Centre for Advance Imaging, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Alexander Mueller
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Daniel Clayton
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Hana Starobova
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Brett R. Hamilton
- Centre for Advance Imaging, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Richard J. Payne
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Glenn F. King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Eivind A. B. Undheim
- Centre for Advance Imaging, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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8
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Wanandy T, Wilson R, Gell D, Rose HE, Gueven N, Davies NW, Brown SGA, Wiese MD. Towards complete identification of allergens in Jack Jumper (Myrmecia pilosula) ant venom and their clinical relevance: An immunoproteomic approach. Clin Exp Allergy 2018; 48:1222-1234. [DOI: 10.1111/cea.13224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Troy Wanandy
- Jack Jumper Allergy Program; Royal Hobart Hospital; Hobart TAS Australia
- Division of Pharmacy; School of Medicine; University of Tasmania; Hobart TAS Australia
- School of Medicine; University of Tasmania; Hobart TAS Australia
- Department of Pharmacy; Royal Hobart Hospital; Hobart TAS Australia
| | - Richard Wilson
- Central Science Laboratory; University of Tasmania; Hobart TAS Australia
| | - David Gell
- School of Medicine; University of Tasmania; Hobart TAS Australia
| | - Hayley E. Rose
- Jack Jumper Allergy Program; Royal Hobart Hospital; Hobart TAS Australia
| | - Nuri Gueven
- Division of Pharmacy; School of Medicine; University of Tasmania; Hobart TAS Australia
| | - Noel W. Davies
- Central Science Laboratory; University of Tasmania; Hobart TAS Australia
| | - Simon G. A. Brown
- Jack Jumper Allergy Program; Royal Hobart Hospital; Hobart TAS Australia
- School of Medicine; University of Tasmania; Hobart TAS Australia
- Ambulance Tasmania; Hobart TAS Australia
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Royal Hobart Hospital; Hobart TAS Australia
| | - Michael D. Wiese
- Jack Jumper Allergy Program; Royal Hobart Hospital; Hobart TAS Australia
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences; University of South Australia; Adelaide SA Australia
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9
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Combined Venom Gland Transcriptomic and Venom Peptidomic Analysis of the Predatory Ant Odontomachus monticola. Toxins (Basel) 2017; 9:toxins9100323. [PMID: 29027956 PMCID: PMC5666370 DOI: 10.3390/toxins9100323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Revised: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ants (hymenoptera: Formicidae) have adapted to many different environments and have become some of the most prolific and successful insects. To date, 13,258 ant species have been reported. They have been classified into 333 genera and 17 subfamilies. Except for a few Formicinae, Dolichoderinae, and members of other subfamilies, most ant species have a sting with venom. The venoms are composed of formic acid, alkaloids, hydrocarbons, amines, peptides, and proteins. Unlike the venoms of other animals such as snakes and spiders, ant venoms have seldom been analyzed comprehensively, and their compositions are not yet completely known. In this study, we used both transcriptomic and peptidomic analyses to study the composition of the venom produced by the predatory ant species Odontomachus monticola. The transcriptome analysis yielded 49,639 contigs, of which 92 encoded toxin-like peptides and proteins with 18,106,338 mapped reads. We identified six pilosulin-like peptides by transcriptomic analysis in the venom gland. Further, we found intact pilosulin-like peptide 1 and truncated pilosulin-like peptides 2 and 3 by peptidomic analysis in the venom. Our findings related to ant venom peptides and proteins may lead the way towards development and application of novel pharmaceutical and biopesticidal resources.
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10
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Aili SR, Touchard A, Koh JMS, Dejean A, Orivel J, Padula MP, Escoubas P, Nicholson GM. Comparisons of Protein and Peptide Complexity in Poneroid and Formicoid Ant Venoms. J Proteome Res 2016; 15:3039-54. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.6b00182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Samira R. Aili
- Neurotoxin
Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Axel Touchard
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Jennifer M. S. Koh
- Neurotoxin
Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Alain Dejean
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
- Laboratoire Écologie
Fonctionnelle et Environnement, CNRS, UMR 5245, Ecolab, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Jérôme Orivel
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Matthew P. Padula
- Proteomics
Core Facility, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Pierre Escoubas
- VenomeTech, 473 Route des Dolines - Villa 3, Valbonne 06560, France
| | - Graham M. Nicholson
- Neurotoxin
Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
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11
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Téné N, Bonnafé E, Berger F, Rifflet A, Guilhaudis L, Ségalas-Milazzo I, Pipy B, Coste A, Leprince J, Treilhou M. Biochemical and biophysical combined study of bicarinalin, an ant venom antimicrobial peptide. Peptides 2016; 79:103-13. [PMID: 27058430 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2016.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2016] [Revised: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 04/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
We have recently characterized bicarinalin as the most abundant peptide from the venom of the ant Tetramorium bicarinatum. This antimicrobial peptide is active against Staphylococcus and Enterobacteriaceae. To further investigate the antimicrobial properties of this cationic and cysteine-free peptide, we have studied its antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic activities on a large array of microorganisms. Bicarinalin was active against fifteen microorganisms with minimal inhibitory concentrations ranging from 2 and 25μmolL(-1). Cronobacter sakazakii, Salmonella enterica, Candida albicans, Aspergilus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were particularly susceptible to this novel antimicrobial peptide. Resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and C. albicans were as susceptible as the canonical strains. Interestingly, bicarinalin was also active against the parasite Leishmania infantum with a minimal inhibitory concentrations of 2μmolL(-1). The bicarinalin pre-propeptide cDNA sequence has been determined using a combination of degenerated primers with RACE PCR strategy. Interestingly, the N-terminal domain of bicarinalin pre-propeptide exhibited sequence similarity with the pilosulin antimicrobial peptide family previously described in the Myrmecia venoms. Moreover, using SYTOX green uptake assay, we showed that, for all the tested microorganisms, bicarinalin acted through a membrane permeabilization mechanism. Two dimensional-NMR experiments showed that bicarinalin displayed a 10 residue-long α-helical structure flanked by two N- and C-terminal disordered regions. This partially amphipathic helix may explain the membrane permeabilization mechanism of bicarinalin observed in this study. Finally, therapeutic value of bicarinalin was highlighted by its low cytotoxicity against human lymphocytes at bactericidal concentrations and its long half-life in human serum which was around 15h.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Téné
- Equipe EA 4357, VAcBio, Université de Toulouse, CUFR Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81012 Albi, France
| | - Elsa Bonnafé
- Equipe EA 4357, VAcBio, Université de Toulouse, CUFR Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81012 Albi, France
| | - Fanny Berger
- Equipe EA 4357, VAcBio, Université de Toulouse, CUFR Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81012 Albi, France
| | - Aline Rifflet
- Equipe EA 4357, VAcBio, Université de Toulouse, CUFR Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81012 Albi, France
| | - Laure Guilhaudis
- Normandie Univ, COBRA, UMR 6014, IRIB, Université de Rouen, INSA de Rouen, CNRS, IRCOF, 1 rue Tesnière, 76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Isabelle Ségalas-Milazzo
- Normandie Univ, COBRA, UMR 6014, IRIB, Université de Rouen, INSA de Rouen, CNRS, IRCOF, 1 rue Tesnière, 76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Bernard Pipy
- UMR 152-Pharma-Dev, Université de Toulouse, 31432 Toulouse, France
| | - Agnès Coste
- UMR 152-Pharma-Dev, Université de Toulouse, 31432 Toulouse, France
| | - Jérôme Leprince
- Inserm U982, Laboratoire de Différenciation et Communication Neuronale et Neuroendocrine, Equipe Facteurs Neurotrophiques et Différenciation Neuronale, Plate-forme de Recherche en Imagerie Cellulaire de Haute-Normandie [PRIMACEN], IRIB, Université de Rouen, 76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Michel Treilhou
- Equipe EA 4357, VAcBio, Université de Toulouse, CUFR Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81012 Albi, France.
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Shigeri Y, Horie M, Yoshida T, Hagihara Y, Imura T, Inagaki H, Haramoto Y, Ito Y, Asashima M. Physicochemical and biological characterizations of Pxt peptides from amphibian (Xenopus tropicalis) skin. J Biochem 2016; 159:619-29. [PMID: 26802742 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvw003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Pxt peptides (Pxt-1 through Pxt-12) have been isolated from amphibian, Xenopus tropicalis Pxt-related peptides (Pxt-2, Pxt-5, Pxt-12, reverse Pxt-2, reverse Pxt-5 and reverse Pxt-12) with significant foaming properties were further characterized. In the physicochemical experiments, all Pxt-related peptides formed significant amphiphilic α-helices in 50% 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol by circular dichroism measurements. Among Pxt-related peptides, both Pxt-5 and reverse Pxt-5 were the most effective in reducing their surface tensions. Moreover, Pxt-2, Pxt-5 and reverse Pxt-5 produced constant surface tensions above their critical association concentrations, suggesting the micelle-like assemblies. In the biological experiments, Pxt-5 possessed the most potent hemolytic activity, while reverse Pxt-5 exhibited the most remarkable gene expression of interleukin 8 and heme oxygenase 1 and the most potent cytotoxicity in HaCaT cells. In contrast, Pxt-12 and reverse Pxt-12 were much weaker in antimicrobial assays for Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria and yeasts, as well as in hemolytic, cell viability and cytotoxicity assays in HaCaT cells. All Pxt-related peptides exhibited about 20-50% of the total cellular histamine release at 10(-5) M, as well as mastoparan and melittin in mast cells. Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed the gene expressions of Pxt-5 in testis and Pxt-12 in muscle, in addition to skin, while Pxt-2 was only in skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasushi Shigeri
- Health Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-8-31 Midorigaoka, Ikeda, Osaka 563-8577, Japan;
| | - Masanori Horie
- Health Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-8-31 Midorigaoka, Ikeda, Osaka 563-8577, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Yoshida
- Health Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-8-31 Midorigaoka, Ikeda, Osaka 563-8577, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Hagihara
- Health Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-8-31 Midorigaoka, Ikeda, Osaka 563-8577, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Imura
- Research Institute for Chemical Process Technology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba Central 5-2, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Inagaki
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566 Japan; and
| | - Yoshikazu Haramoto
- Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba Central 4, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562, Japan
| | - Yuzuru Ito
- Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba Central 4, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562, Japan
| | - Makoto Asashima
- Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba Central 4, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562, Japan
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Touchard A, Aili SR, Fox EGP, Escoubas P, Orivel J, Nicholson GM, Dejean A. The Biochemical Toxin Arsenal from Ant Venoms. Toxins (Basel) 2016; 8:E30. [PMID: 26805882 PMCID: PMC4728552 DOI: 10.3390/toxins8010030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Revised: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ants (Formicidae) represent a taxonomically diverse group of hymenopterans with over 13,000 extant species, the majority of which inject or spray secretions from a venom gland. The evolutionary success of ants is mostly due to their unique eusociality that has permitted them to develop complex collaborative strategies, partly involving their venom secretions, to defend their nest against predators, microbial pathogens, ant competitors, and to hunt prey. Activities of ant venom include paralytic, cytolytic, haemolytic, allergenic, pro-inflammatory, insecticidal, antimicrobial, and pain-producing pharmacologic activities, while non-toxic functions include roles in chemical communication involving trail and sex pheromones, deterrents, and aggregators. While these diverse activities in ant venoms have until now been largely understudied due to the small venom yield from ants, modern analytical and venomic techniques are beginning to reveal the diversity of toxin structure and function. As such, ant venoms are distinct from other venomous animals, not only rich in linear, dimeric and disulfide-bonded peptides and bioactive proteins, but also other volatile and non-volatile compounds such as alkaloids and hydrocarbons. The present review details the unique structures and pharmacologies of known ant venom proteinaceous and alkaloidal toxins and their potential as a source of novel bioinsecticides and therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Touchard
- CNRS, UMR Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (AgroParisTech, CIRAD, CNRS, INRA, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, Kourou Cedex 97379, France.
- BTSB (Biochimie et Toxicologie des Substances Bioactives) Université de Champollion, Place de Verdun, Albi 81012, France.
| | - Samira R Aili
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | | | - Pierre Escoubas
- VenomeTech, 473 Route des Dolines-Villa 3, Valbonne 06560, France.
| | - Jérôme Orivel
- CNRS, UMR Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (AgroParisTech, CIRAD, CNRS, INRA, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, Kourou Cedex 97379, France.
| | - Graham M Nicholson
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - Alain Dejean
- CNRS, UMR Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (AgroParisTech, CIRAD, CNRS, INRA, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, Kourou Cedex 97379, France.
- Laboratoire Écologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement, 118 Route de Narbonne, Toulouse 31062, France.
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Wanandy T, Gueven N, Davies NW, Brown SG, Wiese MD. Pilosulins: A review of the structure and mode of action of venom peptides from an Australian ant Myrmecia pilosula. Toxicon 2015; 98:54-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2015.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2014] [Revised: 01/11/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Touchard A, Koh JMS, Aili SR, Dejean A, Nicholson GM, Orivel J, Escoubas P. The complexity and structural diversity of ant venom peptidomes is revealed by mass spectrometry profiling. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2015; 29:385-396. [PMID: 26349460 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.7116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Revised: 12/03/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Compared with other animal venoms, ant venoms remain little explored. Ants have evolved complex venoms to rapidly immobilize arthropod prey and to protect their colonies from predators and pathogens. Many ants have retained peptide-rich venoms that are similar to those of other arthropod groups. METHODS With the goal of conducting a broad and comprehensive survey of ant venom peptide diversity, we investigated the peptide composition of venoms from 82 stinging ant species from nine subfamilies using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS). We also conducted an in-depth investigation of eight venoms using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) separation coupled with offline MALDI-TOFMS. RESULTS Our results reveal that the peptide compositions of ant venom peptidomes from both poneroid and formicoid ant clades comprise hundreds of small peptides (<4 kDa), while large peptides (>4 kDa) are also present in the venom of formicoids. Chemical reduction revealed the presence of disulfide-linked peptides in most ant subfamilies, including peptides structured by one, two or three disulfide bonds as well as dimeric peptides reticulated by three disulfide bonds. CONCLUSIONS The biochemical complexity of ant venoms, associated with an enormous ecological and taxonomic diversity, suggests that stinging ant venoms constitute a promising source of bioactive molecules that could be exploited in the search for novel drug and biopesticide leads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Touchard
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379, Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Jennifer M S Koh
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Samira R Aili
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alain Dejean
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379, Kourou Cedex, France
- Laboratoire Écologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Graham M Nicholson
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jérôme Orivel
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379, Kourou Cedex, France
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Bouzid W, Verdenaud M, Klopp C, Ducancel F, Noirot C, Vétillard A. De Novo sequencing and transcriptome analysis for Tetramorium bicarinatum: a comprehensive venom gland transcriptome analysis from an ant species. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:987. [PMID: 25407482 PMCID: PMC4256838 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arthropod venoms are invaluable sources of bioactive substances with biotechnological application. The limited availability of some venoms, such as those from ants, has restricted the knowledge about the composition and the potential that these biomolecules could represent. In order to provide a global insight on the transcripts expressed in the venom gland of the Brazilian ant species Tetramorium bicarinatum and to unveil the potential of its products, high-throughput approach using Illumina technology has been applied to analyze the genes expressed in active venom glands of this ant species. RESULTS A total of 212,371,758 pairs of quality-filtered, 100-base-pair Illumina reads were obtained. The de novo assemblies yielded 36,042 contigs for which 27,873 have at least one predicted ORF among which 59.77% produce significant hits in the available databases. The investigation of the reads mapping toxin class revealed a high diversification with the major part consistent with the classical hymenopteran venom protein signature represented by venom allergen (33.3%), followed by a diverse toxin-expression profile including several distinct isoforms of phospholipase A1 and A2, venom serine protease, hyaluronidase, protease inhibitor and secapin. Moreover, our results revealed for the first time the presence of toxin-like peptides that have been previously identified from unrelated venomous animals such as waprin-like (snakes) and agatoxins (spiders and conus).The non-toxin transcripts were mainly represented by contigs involved in protein folding and translation, consistent with the protein-secretory function of the venom gland tissue. Finally, about 40% of the generated contigs have no hits in the databases with 25% of the predicted peptides bearing signal peptide emphasizing the potential of the investigation of these sequences as source of new molecules. Among these contigs, six putative novel peptides that show homologies with previously identified antimicrobial peptides were identified. CONCLUSIONS To the best of our knowledge, this work reports the first large-scale analysis of genes transcribed by the venomous gland of the ant species T. bicarinatum and helps with the identification of Hymenoptera toxin arsenal. In addition, results from this study demonstrate that de novo transcriptome assembly allows useful venom gene expression analysis in a species lacking a genome sequence database.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Angélique Vétillard
- Venoms and Biological Activities Laboratory, EA 4357, PRES-University of Toulouse, Jean-François Champollion University Center, Albi, France.
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Aili SR, Touchard A, Escoubas P, Padula MP, Orivel J, Dejean A, Nicholson GM. Diversity of peptide toxins from stinging ant venoms. Toxicon 2014; 92:166-78. [PMID: 25448389 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2014.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/27/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) represent a taxonomically diverse group of arthropods comprising nearly 13,000 extant species. Sixteen ant subfamilies have individuals that possess a stinger and use their venom for purposes such as a defence against predators, competitors and microbial pathogens, for predation, as well as for social communication. They exhibit a range of activities including antimicrobial, haemolytic, cytolytic, paralytic, insecticidal and pain-producing pharmacologies. While ant venoms are known to be rich in alkaloids and hydrocarbons, ant venoms rich in peptides are becoming more common, yet remain understudied. Recent advances in mass spectrometry techniques have begun to reveal the true complexity of ant venom peptide composition. In the few venoms explored thus far, most peptide toxins appear to occur as small polycationic linear toxins, with antibacterial properties and insecticidal activity. Unlike other venomous animals, a number of ant venoms also contain a range of homodimeric and heterodimeric peptides with one or two interchain disulfide bonds possessing pore-forming, allergenic and paralytic actions. However, ant venoms seem to have only a small number of monomeric disulfide-linked peptides. The present review details the structure and pharmacology of known ant venom peptide toxins and their potential as a source of novel bioinsecticides and therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samira R Aili
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Axel Touchard
- CNRS, UMR Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Pierre Escoubas
- VenomeTech, 473 Route des Dolines - Villa 3, 06560 Valbonne, France
| | - Matthew P Padula
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Jérôme Orivel
- CNRS, UMR Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Alain Dejean
- CNRS, UMR Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France; Laboratoire Écologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement, Université de Toulouse, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France.
| | - Graham M Nicholson
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
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Touchard A, Labrière N, Roux O, Petitclerc F, Orivel J, Escoubas P, Koh JMS, Nicholson GM, Dejean A. Venom toxicity and composition in three Pseudomyrmex ant species having different nesting modes. Toxicon 2014; 88:67-76. [PMID: 24929139 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2014.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2014] [Revised: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/29/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
We aimed to determine whether the nesting habits of ants have influenced their venom toxicity and composition. We focused on the genus Pseudomyrmex (Pseudomyrmecinae) comprising terrestrial and arboreal species, and, among the latter, plant-ants that are obligate inhabitants of myrmecophytes (i.e., plants sheltering ants in hollow structures). Contrary to our hypothesis, the venom of the ground-dwelling species, Pseudomyrmex termitarius, was as efficacious in paralyzing prey as the venoms of the arboreal and the plant-ant species, Pseudomyrmex penetrator and Pseudomyrmex gracilis. The lethal potency of P. termitarius venom was equipotent with that of P. gracilis whereas the venom of P. penetrator was less potent. The MALDI-TOF MS analysis of each HPLC fraction of the venoms showed that P. termitarius venom is composed of 87 linear peptides, while both P. gracilis and P. penetrator venoms (23 and 26 peptides, respectively) possess peptides with disulfide bonds. Furthermore, P. penetrator venom contains three hetero- and homodimeric peptides consisting of two short peptidic chains linked together by two interchain disulfide bonds. The large number of peptides in P. termitarius venom is likely related to the large diversity of potential prey plus the antibacterial peptides required for nesting in the ground. Whereas predation involves only the prey and predator, P. penetrator venom has evolved in an environment where trees, defoliating insects, browsing mammals and ants live in equilibrium, likely explaining the diversity of the peptide structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Touchard
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Nicolas Labrière
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Olivier Roux
- IRD, MIVEGEC (IRD 224-CNRS 5290-UM1-UM2) Équipe BEES, 911 Avenue Agropolis, BP 64501, 34394 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Frédéric Petitclerc
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Jérôme Orivel
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Pierre Escoubas
- VenomeTech, 473 Route des Dolines-Villa 3, Valbonne 06560, France
| | - Jennifer M S Koh
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology, Sydney, Broadway NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Graham M Nicholson
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology, Sydney, Broadway NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Alain Dejean
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France; Laboratoire Écologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France.
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Torres AFC, Huang C, Chong CM, Leung SW, Prieto-da-Silva ÁRB, Havt A, Quinet YP, Martins AMC, Lee SMY, Rádis-Baptista G. Transcriptome analysis in venom gland of the predatory giant ant Dinoponera quadriceps: insights into the polypeptide toxin arsenal of hymenopterans. PLoS One 2014; 9:e87556. [PMID: 24498135 PMCID: PMC3909188 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2013] [Accepted: 12/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dinoponera quadriceps is a predatory giant ant that inhabits the Neotropical region and subdues its prey (insects) with stings that deliver a toxic cocktail of molecules. Human accidents occasionally occur and cause local pain and systemic symptoms. A comprehensive study of the D. quadriceps venom gland transcriptome is required to advance our knowledge about the toxin repertoire of the giant ant venom and to understand the physiopathological basis of Hymenoptera envenomation. Results We conducted a transcriptome analysis of a cDNA library from the D. quadriceps venom gland with Sanger sequencing in combination with whole-transcriptome shotgun deep sequencing. From the cDNA library, a total of 420 independent clones were analyzed. Although the proportion of dinoponeratoxin isoform precursors was high, the first giant ant venom inhibitor cysteine-knot (ICK) toxin was found. The deep next generation sequencing yielded a total of 2,514,767 raw reads that were assembled into 18,546 contigs. A BLAST search of the assembled contigs against non-redundant and Swiss-Prot databases showed that 6,463 contigs corresponded to BLASTx hits and indicated an interesting diversity of transcripts related to venom gene expression. The majority of these venom-related sequences code for a major polypeptide core, which comprises venom allergens, lethal-like proteins and esterases, and a minor peptide framework composed of inter-specific structurally conserved cysteine-rich toxins. Both the cDNA library and deep sequencing yielded large proportions of contigs that showed no similarities with known sequences. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first report of the venom gland transcriptome of the New World giant ant D. quadriceps. The glandular venom system was dissected, and the toxin arsenal was revealed; this process brought to light novel sequences that included an ICK-folded toxins, allergen proteins, esterases (phospholipases and carboxylesterases), and lethal-like toxins. These findings contribute to the understanding of the ecology, behavior and venomics of hymenopterans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba F. C. Torres
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil
| | - Chen Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Cheong-Meng Chong
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Siu Wai Leung
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | | | - Alexandre Havt
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil
| | - Yves P. Quinet
- Laboratory of Entomology, State University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil
| | - Alice M. C. Martins
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil
- * E-mail: (AMCM); (GRB)
| | - Simon M. Y. Lee
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Gandhi Rádis-Baptista
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Institute for Marine Sciences, Federal University of Ceara, Brazil
- * E-mail: (AMCM); (GRB)
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Touchard A, Dauvois M, Arguel MJ, Petitclerc F, Leblanc M, Dejean A, Orivel J, Nicholson GM, Escoubas P. Elucidation of the unexplored biodiversity of ant venom peptidomes via MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and its application for chemotaxonomy. J Proteomics 2014; 105:217-31. [PMID: 24456813 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2014.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2013] [Revised: 01/06/2014] [Accepted: 01/09/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The rise of integrative taxonomy, a multi-criteria approach used in characterizing species, fosters the development of new tools facilitating species delimitation. Mass spectrometric (MS) analysis of venom peptides from venomous animals has previously been demonstrated to be a valid method for identifying species. Here we aimed to develop a rapid chemotaxonomic tool for identifying ants based on venom peptide mass fingerprinting. The study focused on the biodiversity of ponerine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae) in French Guiana. Initial experiments optimized the use of automated matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to determine variations in the mass profiles of ant venoms using several MALDI matrices and additives. Data were then analyzed via a hierarchical cluster analysis to classify the venoms of 17 ant species. In addition, phylogenetic relationships were assessed and were highly correlated with methods using DNA sequencing of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1. By combining a molecular genetics approach with this chemotaxonomic approach, we were able to improve the accuracy of the taxonomic findings to reveal cryptic ant species within species complexes. This chemotaxonomic tool can therefore contribute to more rapid species identification and more accurate taxonomies. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE This is the first extensive study concerning the peptide analysis of the venom of both Pachycondyla and Odontomachus ants. We studied the venoms of 17 ant species from French Guiana that permitted us to fine-tune the venom analysis of ponerine ants via MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. We explored the peptidomes of crude ant venom and demonstrated that venom peptides can be used in the identification of ant species. In addition, the application of this novel chemotaxonomic method combined with a parallel genetic approach using COI sequencing permitted us to reveal the presence of cryptic ants within both the Pachycondyla apicalis and Pachycondyla stigma species complexes. This adds a new dimension to the search for means of exploiting the enormous biodiversity of venomous ants as a source for novel therapeutic drugs or biopesticides. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Proteomics of non-model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Touchard
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France.
| | - Mélodie Dauvois
- VenomeTech, 473 Route des Dolines - Villa 3, Valbonne 06560, France
| | | | - Frédéric Petitclerc
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Mathieu Leblanc
- VenomeTech, 473 Route des Dolines - Villa 3, Valbonne 06560, France
| | - Alain Dejean
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France; Université de Toulouse, UPS, INP, Laboratoire Écologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement (ECOLAB), 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Jérôme Orivel
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Graham M Nicholson
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Pierre Escoubas
- VenomeTech, 473 Route des Dolines - Villa 3, Valbonne 06560, France
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Profiling the venom gland transcriptome of Tetramorium bicarinatum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): The first transcriptome analysis of an ant species. Toxicon 2013; 70:70-81. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2013.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2012] [Revised: 03/05/2013] [Accepted: 03/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Evaristo G, Pinkse M, Wang L, Zhou M, Wu Y, Wang H, Chen T, Shaw C, Verhaert P. The chains of the heterodimeric amphibian skin antimicrobial peptide, distinctin, are encoded by separate messenger RNAs. J Proteomics 2013; 78:245-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2012.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2012] [Revised: 09/12/2012] [Accepted: 09/14/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Gruber CW, Muttenthaler M. Discovery of defense- and neuropeptides in social ants by genome-mining. PLoS One 2012; 7:e32559. [PMID: 22448224 PMCID: PMC3308954 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0032559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2011] [Accepted: 01/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural peptides of great number and diversity occur in all organisms, but analyzing their peptidome is often difficult. With natural product drug discovery in mind, we devised a genome-mining approach to identify defense- and neuropeptides in the genomes of social ants from Atta cephalotes (leaf-cutter ant), Camponotus floridanus (carpenter ant) and Harpegnathos saltator (basal genus). Numerous peptide-encoding genes of defense peptides, in particular defensins, and neuropeptides or regulatory peptide hormones, such as allatostatins and tachykinins, were identified and analyzed. Most interestingly we annotated genes that encode oxytocin/vasopressin-related peptides (inotocins) and their putative receptors. This is the first piece of evidence for the existence of this nonapeptide hormone system in ants (Formicidae) and supports recent findings in Tribolium castaneum (red flour beetle) and Nasonia vitripennis (parasitoid wasp), and therefore its confinement to some basal holometabolous insects. By contrast, the absence of the inotocin hormone system in Apis mellifera (honeybee), another closely-related member of the eusocial Hymenoptera clade, establishes the basis for future studies on the molecular evolution and physiological function of oxytocin/vasopressin-related peptides (vasotocin nonapeptide family) and their receptors in social insects. Particularly the identification of ant inotocin and defensin peptide sequences will provide a basis for future pharmacological characterization in the quest for potent and selective lead compounds of therapeutic value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian W Gruber
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Vienna, Austria.
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