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Tang T, Huang Y, Peng C, Liao Y, Lv Y, Shi Q, Gao B. A Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly of the Reef Stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa) Provides Novel Insights into Stonustoxin (sntx) Genes. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad215. [PMID: 37770059 PMCID: PMC10566576 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Reef stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa) is one of the most venomous fishes, but its biomedical study has been restricted to molecular cloning and purification of its toxins, instead of high-throughput genetic research on related toxin genes. In this study, we constructed a chromosome-level haplotypic genome assembly for the reef stonefish. The genome was assembled into 24 pseudo-chromosomes, and the length totaled 689.74 Mb, reaching a contig N50 of 11.97 Mb and containing 97.8% of complete BUSCOs. A total of 24,050 protein-coding genes were annotated, of which metalloproteinases, C-type lectins, and stonustoxins (sntx) were the most abundant putative toxin genes. Multitissue transcriptomic and venom proteomic data showed that sntx genes, especially those clustered within a 50-kb region on the chromosome 2, had higher transcription levels than other types of toxins as well as those sntx genes scatteringly distributed on other chromosomes. Further comparative genomic analysis predicted an expansion of sntx-like genes in the Percomorpha lineage including nonvenomous fishes, but Scorpaenoidei species experienced extra independent sntx duplication events, marking the clear-cut origin of authentic toxic stonustoxins. In summary, this high-quality genome assembly and related comparative analysis of toxin genes highlight valuable genetic differences for potential involvement in the evolution of venoms among Scorpaeniformes fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianle Tang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Yu Huang
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chao Peng
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- BGI-Marine Research Institute for Biomedical Technology, Shenzhen Huahong Marine Biomedicine Co. Ltd., Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanling Liao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Yunyun Lv
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Fishes Conservation and Utilization in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Life Sciences, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang, Sichuan, China
| | - Qiong Shi
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- BGI-Marine Research Institute for Biomedical Technology, Shenzhen Huahong Marine Biomedicine Co. Ltd., Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Fishes Conservation and Utilization in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Life Sciences, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang, Sichuan, China
| | - Bingmiao Gao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China
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Fish Cytolysins in All Their Complexity. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13120877. [PMID: 34941715 PMCID: PMC8704401 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13120877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of the effects observed upon envenomation by scorpaenoid fish species can be reproduced by the cytolysins present in their venoms. Fish cytolysins are multifunctional proteins that elicit lethal, cytolytic, cardiovascular, inflammatory, nociceptive, and neuromuscular activities, representing a novel class of protein toxins. These large proteins (MW 150–320 kDa) are composed by two different subunits, termed α and β, with about 700 amino acid residues each, being usually active in oligomeric form. There is a high degree of similarity between the primary sequences of cytolysins from different fish species. This suggests these molecules share similar mechanisms of action, which, at least regarding the cytolytic activity, has been proved to involve pore formation. Although the remaining components of fish venoms have interesting biological activities, fish cytolysins stand out because of their multifunctional nature and their ability to reproduce the main events of envenomation on their own. Considerable knowledge about fish cytolysins has been accumulated over the years, although there remains much to be unveiled. In this review, we compiled and compared the current information on the biochemical aspects and pharmacological activities of fish cytolysins, going over their structures, activities, mechanisms of action, and perspectives for the future.
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Hatakeyama T, Kishigawa A, Unno H. Molecular cloning and characterization of the two putative toxins expressed in the venom of the devil stinger Inimicus japonicus. Toxicon 2021; 201:9-20. [PMID: 34391787 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2021.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Various proteins are involved in fish venom toxicity, but limited information is available regarding their structure and mode of action. Here, we analyzed RNA transcripts in the dorsal spine of the devil stinger Inimicus japonicus using next-generation sequencing (NGS), and identified two putative protein toxins, a natterin-like protein (Ij-natterin) and a phospholipase A2 (Ij-PLA2), as well as a previously reported stonustoxin-like protein. The deduced amino acid sequence of Ij-natterin suggested that it acts as a pore-forming toxin through the cooperation of the N-terminal lectin-like domain and the C-terminal pore-forming domain. Ij-PLA2 showed significant homology with secreted Ca2+-dependent PLA2s from snake venom and mammals (sPLA2-I/II). The recombinant Ij-PLA2 protein exhibited PLA2 activity in the absence of Ca2+, in contrast to canonical sPLA2-I/II. Comparison of the amino acid sequences of Ij-PLA2 with the other sPLA2-I/II suggests that the C-terminal extended peptide region of Ij-PLA2 is involved in its Ca2+-independent activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomomitsu Hatakeyama
- Biomolecular Chemistry Laboratory, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagasaki University, Bunkyo-machi 1-14, Nagasaki, 852-8521, Japan.
| | - Akihiro Kishigawa
- Biomolecular Chemistry Laboratory, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagasaki University, Bunkyo-machi 1-14, Nagasaki, 852-8521, Japan
| | - Hideaki Unno
- Biomolecular Chemistry Laboratory, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagasaki University, Bunkyo-machi 1-14, Nagasaki, 852-8521, Japan; Organization for Marine Science and Technology, Nagasaki University, Bunkyo-machi 1-14, Nagasaki, 852-8521, Japan
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Klompen AML, Macrander J, Reitzel AM, Stampar SN. Transcriptomic Analysis of Four Cerianthid (Cnidaria, Ceriantharia) Venoms. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:md18080413. [PMID: 32764303 PMCID: PMC7460484 DOI: 10.3390/md18080413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tube anemones, or cerianthids, are a phylogenetically informative group of cnidarians with complex life histories, including a pelagic larval stage and tube-dwelling adult stage, both known to utilize venom in stinging-cell rich tentacles. Cnidarians are an entirely venomous group that utilize their proteinaceous-dominated toxins to capture prey and defend against predators, in addition to several other ecological functions, including intraspecific interactions. At present there are no studies describing the venom for any species within cerianthids. Given their unique development, ecology, and distinct phylogenetic-placement within Cnidaria, our objective is to evaluate the venom-like gene diversity of four species of cerianthids from newly collected transcriptomic data. We identified 525 venom-like genes between all four species. The venom-gene profile for each species was dominated by enzymatic protein and peptide families, which is consistent with previous findings in other cnidarian venoms. However, we found few toxins that are typical of sea anemones and corals, and furthermore, three of the four species express toxin-like genes closely related to potent pore-forming toxins in box jellyfish. Our study is the first to provide a survey of the putative venom composition of cerianthids and contributes to our general understanding of the diversity of cnidarian toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M. L. Klompen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, 1200 Sunnyside Ave., Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Jason Macrander
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28262, USA; (J.M.); (A.M.R.)
- Department of Biology, Florida Southern College, 111 Lake Hollingsworth, Drive Lakeland, FL 33801, USA
| | - Adam M. Reitzel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28262, USA; (J.M.); (A.M.R.)
| | - Sérgio N. Stampar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho” (UNESP), FCL, Assis, SP 19806, Brazil;
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The venoms of the lesser ( Echiichthys vipera) and greater ( Trachinus draco) weever fish- A review. Toxicon X 2020; 6:100025. [PMID: 32550581 PMCID: PMC7285994 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxcx.2020.100025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 11/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In comparison with other animal venoms, fish venoms remain relatively understudied. This is especially true for that of the lesser Echiichthys vipera and greater weever fish Trachinus draco which, apart from the isolation of their unique venom cytolysins, trachinine and dracotoxin, respectively, remain relatively uncharacterised. Envenomation reports mainly include mild symptoms consisting of nociception and inflammation. However, like most fish venoms, if the venom becomes systemic it causes cardiorespiratory and blood pressure changes. Although T. draco venom has not been studied since the 1990's, recent studies on E. vipera venom have discovered novel cytotoxic components on human cancer cells, but due to the scarcity of research on the molecular make-up of the venom, the molecule(s) causing this cytotoxicity remains unknown. This review analyses past studies on E. vipera and T. draco venom, the methods used in the , the venom constituents characterised, the reported symptoms of envenomation and compares these findings with those from other venomous Scorpaeniformes. Research on the weever fish venoms Echiichthys vipera and Trachinus draco has been scarce. E. vipera and T. draco venoms elicit cardiorespiratory symptoms in victims. E. vipera and T. draco contain unique cytolysins – Trachinine and Dracotoxin. Dracotoxin is haemolytic and contains membrane depolarising activities. E. vipera venom triggers apoptosis in human colon carcinoma cells.
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Abstract
The lionfish (Pterois volitans) is a venomous invasive species found in the Caribbean and Northwestern Atlantic. It poses a growing health problem because of the increase in frequency of painful stings, for which no treatment or antidote exists, and the long-term disability caused by the pain. Understanding the venom's algogenic properties can help identify better treatment for these envenomations. In this study, we provide the first characterization of the pain and inflammation caused by lionfish venom and examine the mechanisms through which it causes pain using a combination of in vivo and in vitro approaches including behavioral, physiological, calcium imaging, and electrophysiological testing. Intraplantar injections of the venom produce a significant increase in pain behavior, as well as a marked increase in mechanical sensitivity for up to 24 hours after injection. The algogenic substance(s) are heat-labile peptides that cause neurogenic inflammation at the site of injection and induction of Fos and microglia activation in the superficial layers of the dorsal horn. Finally, calcium imaging and electrophysiology experiments show that the venom acts predominantly on nonpeptidergic, TRPV1-negative, nociceptors, a subset of neurons implicated in sensing mechanical pain. These data provide the first characterization of the pain and inflammation caused by lionfish venom, as well as the first insight into its possible cellular mechanism of action.
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Xie B, Yu H, Kerkkamp H, Wang M, Richardson M, Shi Q. Comparative transcriptome analyses of venom glands from three scorpionfishes. Genomics 2018; 111:231-241. [PMID: 30458272 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2018.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Scorpionfishes (Scorpaenidae) are a relatively common cause of human envenomation. They often enter coastal waters and their stings can be quite hazardous, provoking extreme pain and causing the victims to take days to recover. There are few genomic resources available for the scorpionfishes. In this study, we elucidated the transcriptomic profile of the venom glands from three different scorpionfish species, namely Scorpaenopsis cirrosa, S. neglecta and S. possi. This is the first report of scorpionfish transcriptomes. After functional and pathway annotation, we employed toxin annotation to identify many species-specific (18, 13 and 19 respectively) and overlapping putative toxins among the three species. Our study represents a significant improvement in the genetic information about the venoms from these three species. Moreover, this work also provides an archive for future studies on evolution of fish toxins and can be used for comparative studies of other fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Xie
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden 2333BE, Netherlands; BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China.
| | - Huang Yu
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen 518083, China; BGI Education Center, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518083, China.
| | - Harald Kerkkamp
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden 2333BE, Netherlands.
| | - Min Wang
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen 518083, China.
| | - Michael Richardson
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden 2333BE, Netherlands.
| | - Qiong Shi
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen 518083, China; BGI Education Center, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518083, China.
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8
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Costa FLS, De Lima ME, Figueiredo SG, Ferreira RS, Prates NS, Sakamoto T, Salas CE. Sequence analysis of the cDNA encoding for SpCTx: a lethal factor from scorpionfish venom ( Scorpaena plumieri). J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2018; 24:24. [PMID: 30181739 PMCID: PMC6114736 DOI: 10.1186/s40409-018-0158-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Lethal factors are multifunctional oligomeric proteins found in the venomous apparatus of Scorpaeniformes fish. These toxins elicit not only an array of biological responses in vitro but also cardiovascular disorders and strong hemolytic, nociceptive and edematogenic activities in vivo. This work describes the cloning and molecular identification of two toxin subunits, denominated Sp-CTx-α and Sp-CTx-β, from scorpionfish venom (Scorpaena plumieri). Methods The primary structures were deduced after cDNA amplification by PCR with primers from conserved sequences described in Scorpaeniformes toxins. Following DNA sequencing and bioinformatic analysis, the tridimensional structures of both subunits were modeled. Results The translated sequences (702 amino acids, each subunit) show homology with other lethal factors, while alignment between Sp-CTx-α and Sp-CTx-β shows 54% identity. The subunits lack N-terminal signal sequences and display masses of approximately 80 kDa each. Both Sp-CTx subunits display a B30.2/SPRY domain at the C-terminal region with typically conserved motifs as described in these toxins. Secondary structure prediction identified six α-helices 18 residues long in both α and β subunits, some of them amphiphilic with their N-terminal flanked by many basic residues, creating a cationic site associated with the cytolytic activity of these toxins. Antimicrobial potential sites were identified in Sp-CTx and share some features with other peptides presenting variable and broad-spectrum activity. A phylogenetic tree built to represent these toxins supports the proximity between scorpionfish, lionfish and stonefish. Conclusion The study identified a putative toxin protein whose primary structure is similar to other fish toxins and with potential for production of antivenom against scorpionfish envenomation in Brazil. As a prelude to structure-function studies, we propose that the toxin is structurally related to pore-forming marine toxins. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s40409-018-0158-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fábio L S Costa
- 1Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901 Brazil
| | - Maria Elena De Lima
- 1Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901 Brazil
| | - Suely G Figueiredo
- 2Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES Brazil
| | - Rafaela S Ferreira
- 1Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901 Brazil
| | - Núbia S Prates
- 1Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901 Brazil
| | - Tetsu Sakamoto
- 1Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901 Brazil
| | - Carlos E Salas
- 1Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901 Brazil
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Kiriake A, Ishizaki S, Nagashima Y, Shiomi K. Occurrence of a stonefish toxin-like toxin in the venom of the rabbitfish Siganus fuscescens. Toxicon 2017; 140:139-146. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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10
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Sáenz A, Ortiz N, Lomonte B, Rucavado A, Díaz C. Comparison of biochemical and cytotoxic activities of extracts obtained from dorsal spines and caudal fin of adult and juvenile non-native Caribbean lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles). Toxicon 2017; 137:158-167. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Memar B, Jamili S, Shahbazzadeh D, Bagheri KP. The first report on coagulation and phospholipase A2 activities of Persian Gulf lionfish, Pterois russelli, an Iranian venomous fish. Toxicon 2016; 113:25-31. [PMID: 26853495 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Revised: 01/22/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Pterois russelli is a venomous fish belonging to scorpionidae family. Regarding to high significance value for tracing potential therapeutic molecules and special agents from venomous marine creatures, the present study was aimed to characterization of the Persian Gulf lionfish venom. Proteolytic, phospholipase, hemolytic, coagulation, edematogenic and dermonecrotic activities were determined for extracted venom. The LD50 of P. russelli venom was determined by intravenous injection in white Balb/c mice. Phospholipase A2 activity was recorded at 20 μg of total venom. Coagulation activity on human plasma was shown by Prothrombin Time (PT) and activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT) assays and coagulation visualized after 7 and 14 s respectively for 60 μg of crude venom. LD50 was calculated as 10.5 mg/kg. SDS-PAGE revealed the presence of major and minor protein bands between 6 and 205 kDa. Different amounts of crude venom ranged from 1.87 to 30 μg showed proteolytic activity on casein. The highest edematic activity was detected at 20 μg. Our findings showed that the edematic activity was dose dependent and persisted for 48 h after injection. The crude venom did not induce dermonecrotic activity on rabbit skin and showed no hemolytic activity on human, mouse and rabbit erythrocytes. This is the first report for phospholipase A2 and coagulation activity in venomous fish and venomous marine animals respectively. Proteolytic activity of P. russelli venom is in accordance with the other genara of scorpionidae family. According to venom activity on intrinsic and extrinsic coagulation pathways, lionfish venom would be contained an interesting pharmaceutical agent. This study is pending to further characterization of phospholipase A2, coagulation, and protease activities and also in vivo activity on animal model of surface and internal bleeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahareh Memar
- Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Technologies, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahla Jamili
- Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences and Technologies, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran; Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Delavar Shahbazzadeh
- Biotechnology Research Center, Medical Biotechnology Dept., Venom and Biotherapeutics Molecules Lab, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Kamran Pooshang Bagheri
- Biotechnology Research Center, Medical Biotechnology Dept., Venom and Biotherapeutics Molecules Lab, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
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Ziegman R, Alewood P. Bioactive components in fish venoms. Toxins (Basel) 2015; 7:1497-531. [PMID: 25941767 PMCID: PMC4448160 DOI: 10.3390/toxins7051497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 04/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal venoms are widely recognized excellent resources for the discovery of novel drug leads and physiological tools. Most are comprised of a large number of components, of which the enzymes, small peptides, and proteins are studied for their important bioactivities. However, in spite of there being over 2000 venomous fish species, piscine venoms have been relatively underrepresented in the literature thus far. Most studies have explored whole or partially fractioned venom, revealing broad pharmacology, which includes cardiovascular, neuromuscular, cytotoxic, inflammatory, and nociceptive activities. Several large proteinaceous toxins, such as stonustoxin, verrucotoxin, and Sp-CTx, have been isolated from scorpaenoid fish. These form pores in cell membranes, resulting in cell death and creating a cascade of reactions that result in many, but not all, of the physiological symptoms observed from envenomation. Additionally, Natterins, a novel family of toxins possessing kininogenase activity have been found in toadfish venom. A variety of smaller protein toxins, as well as a small number of peptides, enzymes, and non-proteinaceous molecules have also been isolated from a range of fish venoms, but most remain poorly characterized. Many other bioactive fish venom components remain to be discovered and investigated. These represent an untapped treasure of potentially useful molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah Ziegman
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, the University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Paul Alewood
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, the University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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von Reumont BM, Campbell LI, Richter S, Hering L, Sykes D, Hetmank J, Jenner RA, Bleidorn C. A Polychaete's powerful punch: venom gland transcriptomics of Glycera reveals a complex cocktail of toxin homologs. Genome Biol Evol 2014; 6:2406-23. [PMID: 25193302 PMCID: PMC4202326 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evu190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycerids are marine annelids commonly known as bloodworms. Bloodworms have an eversible proboscis adorned with jaws connected to venom glands. Bloodworms prey on invertebrates, and it is known that the venom glands produce compounds that can induce toxic effects in animals. Yet, none of these putative toxins has been characterized on a molecular basis. Here we present the transcriptomic profiles of the venom glands of three species of bloodworm, Glycera dibranchiata, Glycera fallax and Glycera tridactyla, as well as the body tissue of G. tridactyla. The venom glands express a complex mixture of transcripts coding for putative toxin precursors. These transcripts represent 20 known toxin classes that have been convergently recruited into animal venoms, as well as transcripts potentially coding for Glycera-specific toxins. The toxins represent five functional categories: Pore-forming and membrane-disrupting toxins, neurotoxins, protease inhibitors, other enzymes, and CAP domain toxins. Many of the transcripts coding for putative Glycera toxins belong to classes that have been widely recruited into venoms, but some are homologs of toxins previously only known from the venoms of scorpaeniform fish and monotremes (stonustoxin-like toxin), turrid gastropods (turripeptide-like peptides), and sea anemones (gigantoxin I-like neurotoxin). This complex mixture of toxin homologs suggests that bloodworms employ venom while predating on macroscopic prey, casting doubt on the previously widespread opinion that G. dibranchiata is a detritivore. Our results further show that researchers should be aware that different assembly methods, as well as different methods of homology prediction, can influence the transcriptomic profiling of venom glands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Björn M von Reumont
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lahcen I Campbell
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sandy Richter
- Molecular Evolution and Systematics of Animals, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lars Hering
- Animal Evolution & Development, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dan Sykes
- Imaging and Analysis Centre, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jörg Hetmank
- Molecular Evolution and Systematics of Animals, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ronald A Jenner
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christoph Bleidorn
- Molecular Evolution and Systematics of Animals, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Germany German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Chuang PS, Shiao JC. Toxin gene determination and evolution in scorpaenoid fish. Toxicon 2014; 88:21-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2014.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2014] [Revised: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 06/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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15
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Kiriake A, Madokoro M, Shiomi K. Enzymatic properties and primary structures of hyaluronidases from two species of lionfish (Pterois antennata and Pterois volitans). FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2014; 40:1043-1053. [PMID: 24395601 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-013-9904-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2013] [Accepted: 12/24/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Lionfish are representative venomous fish, having venomous glandular tissues in dorsal, pelvic and anal spines. Some properties and primary structures of proteinaceous toxins from the venoms of three species of lionfish, Pterois antennata, Pterois lunulata and Pterois volitans, have so far been clarified. Our recent survey established the presence of hyaluronidase, presumably a toxin-spreading factor, in the venoms of P. antennata and P. volitans. This prompted us to examine enzymatic properties and primary structures of lionfish hyaluronidases. The hyaluronidases of P. antennata and P. volitans were shown to be optimally active at pH 6.6, 37°C and 0.1 M NaCl and specifically active against hyaluronan. These enzymatic properties are almost the same as those of stonefish hyaluronidases. The primary structures (483 amino acid residues) of the lionfish hyaluronidases were elucidated by a cDNA cloning strategy using degenerate primers designed from the reported amino acid sequences of the stonefish hyaluronidases. Both lionfish hyaluronidases share as high as 99.6% of sequence identity with each other and also considerably high identities (72-77%) with the stonefish hyaluronidases but rather low identities (25-40%) with other hyaluronidases from mammals and venomous animals. In consistent with this, phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that the lionfish hyaluronidases, together with the stonefish hyaluronidases, form a cluster independently of other hyaluronidases. Nevertheless, the lionfish hyaluronidases as well as the stonefish hyaluronidases almost maintain structural features (active site, glyco_hydro_56 domain and cysteine location) observed in other hyaluronidases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya Kiriake
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Konan-4, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8477, Japan
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16
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Baumann K, Casewell NR, Ali SA, Jackson TNW, Vetter I, Dobson JS, Cutmore SC, Nouwens A, Lavergne V, Fry BG. A ray of venom: Combined proteomic and transcriptomic investigation of fish venom composition using barb tissue from the blue-spotted stingray (Neotrygon kuhlii). J Proteomics 2014; 109:188-98. [PMID: 24946716 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2014.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2014] [Revised: 06/05/2014] [Accepted: 06/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Fish venoms remain almost completely unstudied despite the large number of species. In part this is due to the inherent nature of fish venoms, in that they are highly sensitive to heat, pH, lyophilisation, storage and repeated freeze-thawing. They are also heavily contaminated with mucus, which makes proteomic study difficult. Here we describe a novel protein-handling protocol to remove mucus contamination, utilising ammonium sulphate and acetone precipitation. We validated this approach using barb venom gland tissue protein extract from the blue-spotted stingray Neotrygon kuhlii. We analysed the protein extract using 1D and 2D gels with LC-MS/MS sequencing. Protein annotation was underpinned by a venom gland transcriptome. The composition of our N. kuhlii venom sample revealed a variety of protein types that are completely novel to animal venom systems. Notably, none of the detected proteins exhibited similarity to the few toxin components previously characterised from fish venoms, including those found in other stingrays. Putative venom toxins identified here included cystatin, peroxiredoxin and galectin. Our study represents the first combined survey of gene and protein composition from the venom apparatus of any fish and our novel protein handling method will aid the future characterisation of toxins from other unstudied venomous fish lineages. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE These results show an efficient manner for removing mucus from fish venoms. These results are the first insights into the evolution of proteins present on stingrayvenom barbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Baumann
- Venom Evolution Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Nicholas R Casewell
- Venom Evolution Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia; Alistair Reid Venom Research Unit, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK; Molecular Ecology and Evolution Group, School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Syed A Ali
- Venom Evolution Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia; HRJ Research Institute of Chemistry, International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Timothy N W Jackson
- Venom Evolution Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia; Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia; School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - James S Dobson
- Venom Evolution Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Scott C Cutmore
- Venom Evolution Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Amanda Nouwens
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Vincent Lavergne
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Bryan G Fry
- Venom Evolution Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia; School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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