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Zeng XC, Xu Y, Lu H, Xiong J, Xu H, Wu W. Contradictory Impacts of Nitrate on the Dissimilatory Arsenate-Respiring Prokaryotes-Induced Reductive Mobilization of Arsenic from Contaminated Sediments: Mechanism Insight from Metagenomic and Functional Analyses. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:13473-13486. [PMID: 37639510 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c02190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Dissimilatory arsenate-respiring prokaryotes (DARPs) are considered to be a key impetus of the reductive dissolution of solid-phase arsenic. However, little is known about the interaction between nitrate and DARPs so far. In this study, we showed that nitrate either inhibited or promoted the DARP population-catalyzed reductive mobilization of As in sediments. Metagenomic analysis of the microbial communities in the microcosms after seven days of As release assays suggested that microbes mainly consisted of: Type-I DARPs having potential to reduce NO3- into NO2- and Type-II DARPs having potential to reduce NO3- to NH4+. We further isolated two cultivable DARPs, Neobacillus sp. A01 and Paenibacillus sp. A02, which represent Type-I and -II DARPs, respectively. We observed that nitrate suppressed A01-mediated release of As(III) but promoted A02-mediated release of As(III). Furthermore, we demonstrated that this observation was due to the fact that nitrite, the end product of incomplete denitrification by Type-I DARPs, suppressed the arrA gene expression per cell and growth of all DARPs, whereas ammonium, the end product of dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) by Type-II DARPs, enhanced the arrA gene expression per cell and significantly promoted the growth of all DARPs. These findings suggest that the actual effects of nitrate on DARP population-catalyzed reductive mobilization of arsenic, largely depend on the ratio of Type-I to Type-II DARPs in sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-Chun Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430079, People's Republic of China
| | - Yifan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430079, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongyu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430079, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianyu Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430079, People's Republic of China
| | - Hai Xu
- Division of Endocrinology and Rheumatology, HuangPi People's Hospital, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Jianghan University, Wuhan 430300, China
| | - Weiwei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430079, People's Republic of China
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2
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Chen J, Zhang X, Lin C, Gao B. Synthesis and insecticidal activity of cysteine-free conopeptides from Conus betulinus. Toxicon 2023; 233:107253. [PMID: 37586612 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107253] [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: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
The cone snail Conus betulinus is a vermivorous species that is widely distributed in the South China Sea. Its crude venom contains various peptides used to prey on marine worms. In previous studies, a systematic analysis of the peptide toxin sequences from C. betulinus was carried out using a multiomics technique. In this study, 10 cysteine-free peptides that may possess insecticidal activity were selected from a previously constructed conopeptide library of C. betulinus using the CPY-Fe conopeptide as a template. These conopeptides were prepared by solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), then characterized by the reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry. Insect cytotoxicity and injection experiments revealed that these cysteine-free peptides exerted favorable insecticidal effects, and two of them (Bt010 and Bt016) exhibited high insecticidal efficacy with LD50 of 9.07 nM and 10.93 nM, respectively. In addition, the 3D structures of these peptides were predicted by homology modeling, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the nucleotide data of conopeptides to analyze the relationships among structures, functions, and evolution. A preliminary mechanism for the insecticidal activity of the cysteine-free conopeptides was predicted by molecular docking. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the insecticidal activity of cysteine-free conopeptides derived from Conus betulinus, signaling that they could potentially be developed into bioinsecticides with desirable properties such as easy preparation, low cost, and high potency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Xueying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Chengzhang Lin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Bingmiao Gao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.
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3
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So WL, Leung TCN, Nong W, Bendena WG, Ngai SM, Hui JHL. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of venom glands from scorpions Liocheles australasiae, Mesobuthus martensii, and Scorpio maurus palmatus. Peptides 2021; 146:170643. [PMID: 34461138 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2021.170643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Scorpion venom contains a cocktail of differing peptides and proteins. Previous studies focused on the identification of species-specific components in scorpion venoms, and whether there could be peptides and/or proteins conserved in the venom gland of a scorpion ancestor has been rarely investigated. Here, using a combination of transcriptomic and proteomic approaches, putative conserved toxins from the venom glands of scorpions Liocheles australasiae, Mesobuthus martensii, and Scorpio maurus palmatus were identified and compared. Similar to other studies, more than half of the conserved toxins are predominantly proteins including proteases. On the other hand, unique venom peptides, including ion channel toxins were revealed specifically in the M. martensii. The sodium channel toxin peptides revealed in M. martensii consolidated that scorpions in the Buthidae are able to envenomate their prey wih highly neurotoxic venom. This study suggested that these conserved proteins had already formed part of the arsenal in the venom gland of the common ancestor of scorpions, and likely perform important functional roles in envenomation during scorpion evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai Lok So
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Thomas C N Leung
- School of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wenyan Nong
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Sai Ming Ngai
- School of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Jerome H L Hui
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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Zeng XC, Xu Y, He Z, Wang Y, Chen X. A powerful arsenite-oxidizing biofilm bioreactor derived from a single chemoautotrophic bacterial strain: Bioreactor construction, long-term operations and kinetic analysis. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 273:129672. [PMID: 33524754 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.129672] [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: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Microbial oxidation of As(III) by biofilm bioreactors followed by adsorption is a promising and environment friendly approach to remediate As(III) contaminated groundwater; however, poor activity, stability and expandability of the bioreactors hampered their industrious applications. To resolve this issue, we constructed a new biofilm bioreactor using a powerful chemoautotrophic As(III)-oxidizing bacterium Rhizobium sp. A219. This strain has strong ability to form biofilms and possesses very high As(III)-oxidizing activities in both planktonic and biofilm forms. Perlites were used as the biofilm carriers. Long-term operations suggest that the bioreactor has very high efficiency, stability and scalability under different geochemical conditions, and it is cheap and easy to construct and operate. During the operations, it is only required to supply air, nothing else. All the common contaminants in groundwater slightly affected the bioreactor As(III)-oxidizing activity. The common contaminants in groundwater can be largely removed through assimilation by the bacterial cells as nutrition. The bioreactor completely oxidize 1.0, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0 and 30.0 mg/L As(III) in 12, 18, 20, 25 and 30 min, respectively. Approximately 18, 18, 12, 12 and 21 min were needed to oxidize 1.1 mg/L As(III) at 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 °C, respectively. The bioreactor works well under the pH values of 5-8, and the most optimal was 7.0. The data suggest that this bioreactor possesses the highest efficiency and stability, and thus has the great potential for industrial applications among all the described As(III)-oxidizing bioreactors derived from a single bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-Chun Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yifan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhong He
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanxin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoming Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
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5
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Günther A, Monod L, Wirkner CS. Comparative morphology of scorpion metasomata: Muscles and cuticle. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2021; 60:101003. [PMID: 33444929 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2020.101003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Scorpions are among the most popular research objects within Arachnida and there is an impressive body of knowledge about their biology, distribution, morphology, etc. Although the poison sting has gained a lot of attention due to its potential lethal effects to humans, hitherto, there has been no comparative morphological study on the metasoma, the body part that delivers the poisonous injection. The metasoma always consists of five body segments terminated by a poison sting, but it presents significant morphological variations, both between sexes and between species. Its form ranges from long and thin to short and rather reduced to thick and dominant. In this study, we investigated species representing major scorpion clades and most of the known morphological disparity. Using high-resolution micro-computer-tomography and 3D-reconstruction, we present the first 3D visualizations of metasomal exo-skeletal elements in combination with their musculature. Despite of morphological varying metasomal forms, in all investigated species, a repeating pattern of muscles was found: four pairs of muscles in metasomal segment one to four and two pairs of muscles in metasomal segment five. However, the metasomal muscles are characterized by an antero-posterior change in their shapes and sizes and interspecific variation was also found in the extrinsic metasomal musculature, i.e. the muscles that link metasoma to mesosoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Günther
- Allgemeine & Spezielle Zoologie, Institut für Biowissenschaften, Universität Rostock, Germany.
| | - Lionel Monod
- Secteur Invertébrés, Muséum d'histoire Naturelle, Route de Malagnou 1, 1208, Genève, Switzerland
| | - Christian S Wirkner
- Allgemeine & Spezielle Zoologie, Institut für Biowissenschaften, Universität Rostock, Germany
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Miyashita M, Mitani N, Kitanaka A, Yakio M, Chen M, Nishimoto S, Uchiyama H, Sue M, Hotta H, Nakagawa Y, Miyagawa H. Identification of an antiviral component from the venom of the scorpion Liocheles australasiae using transcriptomic and mass spectrometric analyses. Toxicon 2020; 191:25-37. [PMID: 33340503 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Scorpion venom contains a variety of biologically active peptides. Among them, neurotoxins are major components in the venom, but it also contains peptides that show antimicrobial activity. Previously, we identified three insecticidal peptides from the venom of the Liocheles australasiae scorpion, but activities and structures of other venom components remained unknown. In this study, we performed a transcriptome analysis of the venom gland of the scorpion L. australasiae to gain a comprehensive understanding of its venom components. The result shows that potassium channel toxin-like peptides were the most diverse, whereas only a limited number of sodium channel toxin-like peptides were observed. In addition to these neurotoxin-like peptides, many non-disulfide-bridged peptides were identified, suggesting that these components have some critical roles in the L. australasiae venom. In this study, we also isolated a component with antiviral activity against hepatitis C virus using a bioassay-guided fractionation approach. By integrating mass spectrometric and transcriptomic data, we successfully identified LaPLA2-1 as an anti-HCV component. LaPLA2-1 is a phospholipase A2 having a heterodimeric structure that is N-glycosylated at the N-terminal region. Since the antiviral activity of LaPLA2-1 was inhibited by a PLA2 inhibitor, the enzymatic activity of LaPLA2-1 is likely to be involved in its antiviral activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Miyashita
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan.
| | - Naoya Mitani
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kitanaka
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Mao Yakio
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Ming Chen
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Sachiko Nishimoto
- Faculty of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Konan Women's University, Kobe, 658-0001, Japan
| | - Hironobu Uchiyama
- NODAI Genome Research Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan
| | - Masayuki Sue
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan
| | - Hak Hotta
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan; Faculty of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Konan Women's University, Kobe, 658-0001, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Nakagawa
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Hisashi Miyagawa
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
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7
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Li Z, Yuan Y, Li S, Deng B, Wang Y. Antibacterial activity of a scorpion-derived peptide and its derivatives in vitro and in vivo. Toxicon 2020; 186:35-41. [PMID: 32768440 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.07.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides have recently become extremely popular as a novel class of antimicrobial agents. AMP MK049518 (FLGLLGSVLGSVLPSIFK), identified from the crab-scorpion Didymocentrus krausi, only possesses significant antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. In this study, a derivative G2K-S3K was designed with an excellent antibacterial spectrum and significantly higher antibacterial activity compared to the natural peptide. G2K-S3K also demonstrated excellent serum- and thermal-stability and did not induce bacterial resistance. In the Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa -induced skin infection in mice, G2K-S3K significantly decreased bacterial counts in the wound by topical application. Thus, G2K-S3K could be a potent topical anti-infective agent against the skin infection caused by S. aureus and P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongjie Li
- Medical College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China.
| | - Yaping Yuan
- Medical College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Shasha Li
- Medical College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Bo Deng
- Medical College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Yong Wang
- Medical College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China
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Valdez-Velázquez LL, Cid-Uribe J, Romero-Gutierrez MT, Olamendi-Portugal T, Jimenez-Vargas JM, Possani LD. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of the venom and venom glands of Centruroides hirsutipalpus, a dangerous scorpion from Mexico. Toxicon 2020; 179:21-32. [PMID: 32126222 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Centruroides hirsutipalpus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) is related to the "striped scorpion" group inhabiting the western Pacific region of Mexico. Human accidents caused by this species are medically important due to the great number of people stung and the severity of the resulting intoxication. This communication reports an extensive venom characterization using high-throughput proteomic and Illumina transcriptomic sequencing performed with RNA purified from its venom glands. 2,553,529 reads were assembled into 44,579 transcripts. From these transcripts, 23,880 were successfully annoted using Trinotate. Using specialized databases and by performing bioinformatic searches, it was possible to identify 147 putative venom protein transcripts. These include α- and β-type sodium channel toxins (NaScTx), potassium channel toxins (KScTx) (α-, β-, δ-, γ- and λ-types), enzymes (metalloproteases, hyaluronidases, phospholipases, serine proteases, and monooxygenases), protease inhibitors, host defense peptides (HDPs) such as defensins, non-disulfide bridge peptides (NDBPs), anionic peptides, superfamily CAP proteins, insulin growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs), orphan peptides, and other venom components (La1 peptides). De novo tandem mass spectrometric sequencing of digested venom identificatied 50 peptides. The venom of C. hirsutipalpus contains the highest reported number (77) of transcripts encoding NaScTxs, which are the components responsible for human fatalities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jimena Cid-Uribe
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad, 2001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62210, Mexico
| | - María Teresa Romero-Gutierrez
- Departamento de Ciencias Computacionales, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Exactas e Ingenierías, Universidad de Guadalajara, Boulevard Marcelino García Barragán 1421, Guadalajara, Jalisco, 44430, Mexico
| | - Timoteo Olamendi-Portugal
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad, 2001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62210, Mexico
| | | | - Lourival D Possani
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad, 2001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62210, Mexico.
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Chen X, Zeng XC, Kawa YK, Wu W, Zhu X, Ullah Z, Wang Y. Microbial reactions and environmental factors affecting the dissolution and release of arsenic in the severely contaminated soils under anaerobic or aerobic conditions. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2020; 189:109946. [PMID: 31759742 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.109946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The soils near the abandoned Shimen Realgar Mine are characterized by containing extremely high contents of total and soluble arsenic. To determine the microbial reactions and environmental factors affecting the mobilization and release of arsenic from soils phase into pore water, we collected 24 soil samples from the representative points around the abandoned Shimen Realgar Mine. They contained 8310.84 mg/kg total arsenic and 703.21 mg/kg soluble arsenic in average. The soluble arsenic in the soils shows significant positive and negative correlations with environmental SO42-/TOC/pH/PO43-, and Fe/Mn, respectively. We found that diverse dissimilatory As(V)-respiring prokaryotes (DARPs) and As(III)-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) exist in all the examined soil samples. The activities of DARPs led to 65-1275% increase of soluble As(III) in the examined soils after 21.0 days of anaerobic incubation, and the microbial dissolution and releases of arsenic show significant positive and negative correlations with the environmental pH/TN and NH4+/PO43-, respectively. In comparison, the activities of AOB led to 24-346% inhibition of the dissolved oxygen-mediated dissolution of arsenic in the soils, and the AOB-mediated releases of As(V) show significant positive and negative correlations with the environmental SO42- and pH/NH4+, respectively. The microbial communities of 24 samples contain 54 phyla of bacteria that show extremely high diversities. Total arsenic, TOC, NO3- and pH are the key environmental factors that indirectly controlled the mobilization and release of arsenic via influencing the structures of the microbial communities in the soils. This work gained new insights into the mechanism for how microbial communities catalyze the dissolution and releases of arsenic from the soils with extremely high contents of arsenic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoming Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xian-Chun Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yahaya Kudush Kawa
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiwei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianbin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zahid Ullah
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanxin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, People's Republic of China
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10
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Cid-Uribe JI, Veytia-Bucheli JI, Romero-Gutierrez T, Ortiz E, Possani LD. Scorpion venomics: a 2019 overview. Expert Rev Proteomics 2019; 17:67-83. [DOI: 10.1080/14789450.2020.1705158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jimena I. Cid-Uribe
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - José Ignacio Veytia-Bucheli
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Teresa Romero-Gutierrez
- Departamento de Ciencias Computacionales, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Exactas e Ingenierías, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Ernesto Ortiz
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Lourival D. Possani
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
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11
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Hadrurid Scorpion Toxins: Evolutionary Conservation and Selective Pressures. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11110637. [PMID: 31683932 PMCID: PMC6891616 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11110637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Scorpion toxins are thought to have originated from ancestral housekeeping genes that underwent diversification and neofunctionalization, as a result of positive selection. Our understanding of the evolutionary origin of these peptides is hindered by the patchiness of existing taxonomic sampling. While recent studies have shown phylogenetic inertia in some scorpion toxins at higher systematic levels, evolutionary dynamics of toxins among closely related taxa remain unexplored. In this study, we used new and previously published transcriptomic resources to assess evolutionary relationships of closely related scorpions from the family Hadruridae and their toxins. In addition, we surveyed the incidence of scorpine-like peptides (SLP, a type of potassium channel toxin), which were previously known from 21 scorpion species. We demonstrate that scorpine-like peptides exhibit gene duplications. Our molecular analyses demonstrate that only eight sites of two SLP copies found in scorpions are evolving under positive selection, with more sites evolving under negative selection, in contrast to previous findings. These results show evolutionary conservation in toxin diversity at shallow taxonomic scale.
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12
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Dissecting Toxicity: The Venom Gland Transcriptome and the Venom Proteome of the Highly Venomous Scorpion Centruroides limpidus (Karsch, 1879). Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11050247. [PMID: 31052267 PMCID: PMC6563264 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11050247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Venom glands and soluble venom from the Mexican scorpion Centruroides limpidus (Karsch, 1879) were used for transcriptomic and proteomic analyses, respectively. An RNA-seq was performed by high-throughput sequencing with the Illumina platform. Approximately 80 million reads were obtained and assembled into 198,662 putative transcripts, of which 11,058 were annotated by similarity to sequences from available databases. A total of 192 venom-related sequences were identified, including Na+ and K+ channel-acting toxins, enzymes, host defense peptides, and other venom components. The most diverse transcripts were those potentially coding for ion channel-acting toxins, mainly those active on Na+ channels (NaScTx). Sequences corresponding to β- scorpion toxins active of K+ channels (KScTx) and λ-KScTx are here reported for the first time for a scorpion of the genus Centruroides. Mass fingerprint corroborated that NaScTx are the most abundant components in this venom. Liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectometry (LC-MS/MS) allowed the identification of 46 peptides matching sequences encoded in the transcriptome, confirming their expression in the venom. This study corroborates that, in the venom of toxic buthid scorpions, the more abundant and diverse components are ion channel-acting toxins, mainly NaScTx, while they lack the HDP diversity previously demonstrated for the non-buthid scorpions. The highly abundant and diverse antareases explain the pancreatitis observed after envenomation by this species.
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Zeng XC, He Z, Chen X, Cao QAD, Li H, Wang Y. Effects of arsenic on the biofilm formations of arsenite-oxidizing bacteria. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2018; 165:1-10. [PMID: 30173020 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.08.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Arsenite-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) play a key role in the biogeochemical cycle of arsenic in the environment, and are used for the bioremediation of As contaminated groundwater; however, it is not yet known about how arsenic affects biofilm formations of AOB, and how biofilm formations affect bacterial arsenite-oxidizing activities. To address these issues, we isolated seven novel AOB strains from the arsenic-contaminated soils. They can completely oxidize 1.0 mM As(III) in 22-60 h. Their arsenite oxidase sequences show 43-99% identities to those of other known AOB. Strains Cug1, Cug2, Cug3, Cug4, and Cug6 are able to form biofilms with thickness of 15-95 µm, whereas Cug8 and Cug9 cannot form biofilms. It is interesting to see that arsenite inhibited the biofilm formations of heterotrophic AOB strains, but promoted the biofilm formations of autotrophic strains in a concentration-dependent manner. The arsenite-oxidizing rates of Cug1 and Cug4 biofilms are 31.6% and 27.6% lower than those of their suspension cultures, whereas the biofilm activities of other strains are similar to those of their suspension cultures. The biofilm formation significantly promoted the bacterial resistance to arsenic. This work is the first report on the complex correlations among environmental arsenic, bacterial biofilm formations and bacterial arsenite-oxidizing activities. The data highlight the diverse lifestyle of different AOB under arsenic stress, and provide essential knowledge for the screening of efficient AOB strains used for constructions of bioreactors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-Chun Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhong He
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoming Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian A D Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanxin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
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Shi W, He P, Zeng XC, Wu W, Chen X. Inhibitory Effect of an Acidic Peptide on the Activity of an Antimicrobial Peptide from the Scorpion Mesobuthus martensii Karsch. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23123314. [PMID: 30558111 PMCID: PMC6321396 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23123314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2018] [Revised: 11/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Highly acidic peptides with no disulfide bridges are widely present in the scorpion venoms; however, none of them has been functionally characterized so far. Here, we cloned the full-length cDNA of a short-chain highly acidic peptide (referred to as HAP-1) from a cDNA library made from the venom glands of the Chinese scorpion Mesobuthus martensii Karsch. HAP-1 contains 19 amino acid residues with a predicted IP value of 4.25. Acidic amino residues account for 33.3% of the total residues in the molecule of HAP-1. HAP-1 shows 76⁻98% identities to some scorpion venom peptides that have not yet been functionally characterized. Secondary structure prediction showed that HAP-1 contains a beta-sheet region (residues 9⁻17), and two coiled coil regions (residues 1⁻8 and 18⁻19) located at the N-terminal and C-terminal regions of the peptide, respectively. Antimicrobial assay showed that HAP-1 does not have any effect on the growth of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus AB94004. However, it potently inhibits the antimicrobial activity of a 13-mer peptide from M. martensii Karsch against Staphylococcus aureus AB94004. This finding is the first characterization of the function of such highly acidic peptides from scorpions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanxia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Pengchen He
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Xian-Chun Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Weiwei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Xiaoming Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China.
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Wang C, Wang B, Wang B, Wang Q, Liu G, Wang T, He Q, Zhang L. Unique Diversity of Sting-Related Toxins Based on Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analysis of the Jellyfish Cyanea capillata and Nemopilema nomurai (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa). J Proteome Res 2018; 18:436-448. [PMID: 30481029 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.8b00735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The scyphozoan jellyfish Cyanea capillata and Nemopilema nomurai are common blooming species in China. They possess heterogeneous nematocysts and produce various types of venom that can elicit diverse sting symptoms in humans. However, the differences in venom composition between the two species remain unclear. In this study, a combined transcriptomic and proteomic approach was used to identify and compare putative toxins in penetrant nematocysts isolated from C. capillata and N. nomurai. A total of 53 and 69 putative toxins were identified in C. capillata nematocyst venom (CnV) and N. nomurai nematocyst venom (NnV), respectively. These sting-related toxins from both CnV and NnV could be grouped into 10 functional categories, including proteinases, phospholipases, neurotoxins, cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs), lectins, pore-forming toxins (PFTs), protease inhibitors, ion channel inhibitors, insecticidal components, and other toxins, but the constituent ratio of each toxin category varied between CnV and NnV. Metalloproteinases, proteases, and pore-forming toxins were predominant in NnV, representing 27.5%, 18.8%, and 8.7% of the identified venom proteins, respectively, while phospholipases, neurotoxins, and proteases were the top three identified venom proteins in CnV, accounting for 22.6%, 17.0%, and 11.3%, respectively. Our findings provide comprehensive information on the molecular diversity of toxins from two common blooming and stinging species of jellyfish in China. Furthermore, the results reveal a possible relationship between venom composition and sting consequences, guiding the development of effective treatments for different jellyfish stings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Tao Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine , Changhai Hospital, Navy Medical University , Shanghai 200433 , China
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Shi W, Wu W, Zeng XC, Chen X, Zhu X, Cheng S. Dissimilatory arsenate-respiring prokaryotes catalyze the dissolution, reduction and release of arsenic from paddy soils into groundwater: implication for the effect of sulfate. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2018; 27:1126-1136. [PMID: 30099680 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-018-1967-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The paddy soils in some areas in Jianghan Plain were severely contaminated by arsenic. However, little is known about the activity and diversity of the dissimilatory arsenate-respiring prokaryotes (DARPs) in the paddy soils, and the effects of sulfate on the microbial mobilization and release of arsenic from soils into solution. To address this issue, we collected arsenic-rich soils from the depths of 1.6 and 4.6 m in a paddy region in the Xiantao city, Hubei Province, China. Microcosm assays indicated that all of the soils have significant arsenate-respiring activities using lactate, pyruvate or acetate as the sole electron donor. Functional gene cloning and analysis suggest that there are diverse DARPs in the indigenous microbial communities of the soils. They efficiently promoted the mobilization, reduction and release of arsenic and iron from soils under anaerobic conditions. Remarkably, when sulfate was amended into the microcosms, the microorganisms-catalyzed reduction and release of arsenic and iron were significantly increased. We further found that sulfate significantly enhanced the arsenate-respiring reductase gene abundances in the soils. Taken together, a diversity of DARPs in the paddy soils significantly catalyzed the dissolution, reduction and release of arsenic and iron from insoluble phase into solution, and the presence of sulfate significantly increased the microbial reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanxia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiwei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Xian-Chun Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaoming Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianbin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Shenggao Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China.
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Romero-Gutiérrez MT, Santibáñez-López CE, Jiménez-Vargas JM, Batista CVF, Ortiz E, Possani LD. Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses Reveal the Diversity of Venom Components from the Vaejovid Scorpion Serradigitus gertschi. Toxins (Basel) 2018; 10:E359. [PMID: 30189638 PMCID: PMC6162517 DOI: 10.3390/toxins10090359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
To understand the diversity of scorpion venom, RNA from venomous glands from a sawfinger scorpion, Serradigitus gertschi, of the family Vaejovidae, was extracted and used for transcriptomic analysis. A total of 84,835 transcripts were assembled after Illumina sequencing. From those, 119 transcripts were annotated and found to putatively code for peptides or proteins that share sequence similarities with the previously reported venom components of other species. In accordance with sequence similarity, the transcripts were classified as potentially coding for 37 ion channel toxins; 17 host defense peptides; 28 enzymes, including phospholipases, hyaluronidases, metalloproteases, and serine proteases; nine protease inhibitor-like peptides; 10 peptides of the cysteine-rich secretory proteins, antigen 5, and pathogenesis-related 1 protein superfamily; seven La1-like peptides; and 11 sequences classified as "other venom components". A mass fingerprint performed by mass spectrometry identified 204 components with molecular masses varying from 444.26 Da to 12,432.80 Da, plus several higher molecular weight proteins whose precise masses were not determined. The LC-MS/MS analysis of a tryptic digestion of the soluble venom resulted in the de novo determination of 16,840 peptide sequences, 24 of which matched sequences predicted from the translated transcriptome. The database presented here increases our general knowledge of the biodiversity of venom components from neglected non-buthid scorpions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa Romero-Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, Mexico.
| | - Carlos Eduardo Santibáñez-López
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, Mexico.
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin⁻Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
| | - Juana María Jiménez-Vargas
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, Mexico.
| | - Cesar Vicente Ferreira Batista
- Laboratorio Universitario de Proteómica, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, Mexico.
| | - Ernesto Ortiz
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, Mexico.
| | - Lourival Domingos Possani
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, Mexico.
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18
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The diversity of venom components of the scorpion species Paravaejovis schwenkmeyeri (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) revealed by transcriptome and proteome analyses. Toxicon 2018; 151:47-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.06.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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19
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Zeng XC, Yang Y, Shi W, Peng Z, Chen X, Zhu X, Wang Y. Microbially Mediated Methylation of Arsenic in the Arsenic-Rich Soils and Sediments of Jianghan Plain. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1389. [PMID: 30034374 PMCID: PMC6043643 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Almost nothing is known about the activities and diversities of microbial communities involved in As methylation in arsenic-rich shallow and deep sediments; the correlations between As biomethylation and environmental parameters also remain to be elucidated. To address these issues, we collected 9 arsenic-rich soil/sediment samples from the depths of 1, 30, 65, 95, 114, 135, 175, 200, and 223 m in Jianghan Plain, China. We used microcosm assays to determine the As-methylating activities of the microbial communities in the samples. To exclude false negative results, we amended the microcosms with 0.2 mM As(III) and 20.0 mM lactate. The results indicated that the microbial communities in all of the samples significantly catalyzed arsenic methylation. The arsM genes were detectable from all the samples with the exception of 175 m, and 90 different arsM genes were identified. All of these genes code for new or new-type ArsM proteins, suggesting that new As-methylating microorganisms are widely distributed in the samples from shallow to deep sediments. To determine whether microbial biomethylation of As occurs in the sediments under natural geochemical conditions, we conducted microcosm assays without exogenous As and carbons. After 80.0 days of incubation, approximately 4.5–15.5 μg/L DMAsV were detected in all of the microcosms with the exception of that from 30 m, and 2.0–9.0 μg/L MMAsV were detected in the microcosms of 65, 114, 135, 175, 200, and 223 m; moreover, approximately 18.7–151.5 μg/L soluble As(V) were detected from the nine sediment samples. This suggests that approximately 5.3, 0, 8.1, 28.9, 18.0, 8.7, 13.8, 10.2, and 14.9% of total dissolved As were methylated by the microbial communities in the sediment samples from 1, 30, 65, 95, 114, 135, 175, 200, and 223 m, respectively. The concentrations of biogenic DMAsV show significant positive correlations with the depths of sediments, and negative correlations with the environmental NH4+ and NaCl concentrations, but show no significant correlations with other environmental parameters, such as NO3-, SO42+, TOC, TON, Fe, Sb, Cu, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Al. This work helps to better understand the biogeochemical cycles of arsenic in arsenic-rich shallow and deep sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-Chun Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Ye Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China.,School of Life Sciences, Wuchang University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wanxia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhaofeng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoming Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xianbin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanxin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
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20
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Intraspecific venom variation in southern African scorpion species of the genera Parabuthus, Uroplectes and Opistophthalmus (Scorpiones: Buthidae, Scorpionidae). Toxicon 2018; 144:83-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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21
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Romero-Gutierrez T, Peguero-Sanchez E, Cevallos MA, Batista CVF, Ortiz E, Possani LD. A Deeper Examination of Thorellius atrox Scorpion Venom Components with Omic Techonologies. Toxins (Basel) 2017; 9:E399. [PMID: 29231872 PMCID: PMC5744119 DOI: 10.3390/toxins9120399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Revised: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
This communication reports a further examination of venom gland transcripts and venom composition of the Mexican scorpion Thorellius atrox using RNA-seq and tandem mass spectrometry. The RNA-seq, which was performed with the Illumina protocol, yielded more than 20,000 assembled transcripts. Following a database search and annotation strategy, 160 transcripts were identified, potentially coding for venom components. A novel sequence was identified that potentially codes for a peptide with similarity to spider ω-agatoxins, which act on voltage-gated calcium channels, not known before to exist in scorpion venoms. Analogous transcripts were found in other scorpion species. They could represent members of a new scorpion toxin family, here named omegascorpins. The mass fingerprint by LC-MS identified 135 individual venom components, five of which matched with the theoretical masses of putative peptides translated from the transcriptome. The LC-MS/MS de novo sequencing allowed to reconstruct and identify 42 proteins encoded by assembled transcripts, thus validating the transcriptome analysis. Earlier studies conducted with this scorpion venom permitted the identification of only twenty putative venom components. The present work performed with more powerful and modern omic technologies demonstrates the capacity of accomplishing a deeper characterization of scorpion venom components and the identification of novel molecules with potential applications in biomedicine and the study of ion channel physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Romero-Gutierrez
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca CP: 62210, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Esteban Peguero-Sanchez
- Departamento de Microbiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca CP: 62210, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Miguel A Cevallos
- Programa de Genómica Evolutiva, Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca CP: 62210, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Cesar V F Batista
- Laboratorio Universitario de Proteómica, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca CP: 62210, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Ernesto Ortiz
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca CP: 62210, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Lourival D Possani
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca CP: 62210, Morelos, Mexico.
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Miyashita M, Kitanaka A, Yakio M, Yamazaki Y, Nakagawa Y, Miyagawa H. Complete de novo sequencing of antimicrobial peptides in the venom of the scorpion Isometrus maculatus. Toxicon 2017; 139:1-12. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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23
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Zou Y, Zhang F, Li Y, Wang Y, Li Y, Long Z, Shi S, Shuai L, Liu J, Di Z, Yin S. Cloning, expression and identification of KTX-Sp4, a selective Kv1.3 peptidic blocker from Scorpiops pococki. Cell Biosci 2017; 7:60. [PMID: 29142737 PMCID: PMC5674823 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-017-0187-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Specific and selective peptidic blockers of Kv1.3 channels can serve as a valuable drug lead for treating T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases, and scorpion venom is an important source of kv1.3 channel inhibitors. Through conducting transcriptomic sequencing for the venom gland of Scorpiops pococki from Xizang province of China, this research aims to discover a novel functional gene encoding peptidic blocker of Kv1.3, and identify its function. Results We screened out a new peptide toxin KTX-Sp4 which had 43 amino acids including six cysteine residues. Electrophysiological experiments indicated that recombinant expression products of KTX-Sp4 blocked both endogenous and exogenous Kv1.3 channel concentration-dependently, and exhibited good selectivity on Kv1.3 over Kv1.1, Kv1.2, respectively. Mutation experiments showed that the Kv1 turret region was responsible for the selectivity of KTX-Sp4 peptide on Kv1.3 over Kv1.1. Conclusions This work not only provided a novel lead compound for the development of anti autoimmune disease drugs, but also enriched the molecular basis for the interaction between scorpion toxins and potassium channels, serving as an important theoretical basis for designing high selective Kv1.3 peptide inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074 People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074 People's Republic of China
| | - Yaxian Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074 People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanfang Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074 People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074 People's Republic of China
| | - Zhengtao Long
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074 People's Republic of China
| | - Shujuan Shi
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074 People's Republic of China
| | - Li Shuai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074 People's Republic of China.,National Demonstration Center for Experimental Ethnopharmacology Education, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074 People's Republic of China
| | - Jiukai Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074 People's Republic of China.,National Demonstration Center for Experimental Ethnopharmacology Education, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074 People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiyong Di
- School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027 People's Republic of China
| | - Shijin Yin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074 People's Republic of China.,National Demonstration Center for Experimental Ethnopharmacology Education, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074 People's Republic of China
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Venom gland transcriptomic and venom proteomic analyses of the scorpion Megacormus gertschi Díaz-Najera, 1966 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae: Megacorminae). Toxicon 2017; 133:95-109. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2017] [Revised: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Utkin YN. Modern trends in animal venom research - omics and nanomaterials. World J Biol Chem 2017; 8:4-12. [PMID: 28289514 PMCID: PMC5329713 DOI: 10.4331/wjbc.v8.i1.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Revised: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 12/28/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal venom research is a specialized investigation field, in which a number of different methods are used and this array is constantly expanding. Thus, recently emerged omics and nanotechnologies have already been successfully applied to venom research. Animal venoms have been studied for quite a long time. The traditional reductionist approach has been to isolate individual toxins and then study their structure and function. Unfortunately, the characterization of the venom as a whole system and its multiple effects on an entire organism were not possible until recent times. The development of new methods in mass spectrometry and sequencing have allowed such characterizations of venom, encompassing the identification of new toxins present in venoms at extremely low concentrations to changes in metabolism of prey organisms after envenomation. In particular, this type of comprehensive research has become possible due to the development of the various omics technologies: Proteomics, peptidomics, transcriptomics, genomics and metabolomics. As in other research fields, these omics technologies ushered in a revolution for venom studies, which is now entering the era of big data. Nanotechnology is a very new branch of technology and developing at an extremely rapid pace. It has found application in many spheres and has not bypassed the venom studies. Nanomaterials are quite promising in medicine, and most studies combining venoms and nanomaterials are dedicated to medical applications. Conjugates of nanoparticles with venom components have been proposed for use as drugs or diagnostics. For example, nanoparticles conjugated with chlorotoxin - a toxin in scorpion venom, which has been shown to bind specifically to glioma cells - are considered as potential glioma-targeted drugs, and conjugates of neurotoxins with fluorescent semiconductor nanoparticles or quantum dots may be used to detect endogenous targets expressed in live cells. The data on application of omics and nanotechnologies in venom research are systematized concisely in this paper.
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