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Zhong W, Olugbami JO, Rathakrishnan P, Mohanty I, Moore SG, Garg N, Oyelere AK, Turner TL, McShan AC, Agarwal V. Discovery and Folding Dynamics of a Fused Bicyclic Cysteine Knot Undecapeptide from the Marine Sponge Halichondria bowerbanki. J Org Chem 2024. [PMID: 39189383 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.4c01104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
We describe the discovery and structure of an undecapeptide natural product from a marine sponge, termed halichondamide A, that is morphed into a fused bicyclic ring topology via two disulfide bonds. Molecular dynamics simulations allow us to posit that the installation of one disulfide bond biases the intermediate peptide conformation and predisposes the formation of the second disulfide bond. The natural product was found to be mildly cytotoxic against liver and breast cancer cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weimao Zhong
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Jeremiah O Olugbami
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo 200005, Nigeria
| | - Prashanth Rathakrishnan
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Ipsita Mohanty
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Samuel G Moore
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Neha Garg
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Adegboyega K Oyelere
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Thomas L Turner
- Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology Department, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Andrew C McShan
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Vinayak Agarwal
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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2
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Xian T, Cao M, Chen K, Zhao W, Liu Y, Yao W, Guang H, Yang Y, Su M, Zhang R, Ma J, Ma L, Gao J. Identification of a novel protein Hq023 of the hard tick Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis and preliminary evaluation of its analgesic effect in mice model. Parasitol Int 2024; 103:102933. [PMID: 39048024 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2024.102933] [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: 05/17/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Tick saliva contains a range of critical biological molecules which could inhibit host defenses and guarantee their food supply. Hq023, a novel cDNA sequence, was cloned from a cDNA library constructed from salivary glands of partially-engorged Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis. Hq023 has an open reading frame (ORF) of 408 bp coding a protein containing 135 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 15 kDa. Database homology showed that Hq023 protein was structurally similar to a natural toxin U33-theraphotoxin-Cg1c from the Chinese tarantula Chilobrachys guangxiensis. A recombinant protein was expressed with the novel cDNA in a prokaryotic system and its analgesic effect was evaluated in mice model. Both tail immersion and hot-plate tests uncovered an antinociceptive activity, while in the acetic acid-induced writhing test this effect was not observed. These results indicated that the novel recombinant protein Hq023 (rHq023) probably possessed a central antinociceptive activity. Finding of the novel protein might pave a new avenue for the development of tick-derived analgesics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Xian
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ordos Central Hospital, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ordos 017000, China; Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou 014000, China
| | - Meina Cao
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ordos Central Hospital, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ordos 017000, China
| | - Kaiting Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ordos Central Hospital, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ordos 017000, China
| | - Wenbin Zhao
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ordos Central Hospital, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ordos 017000, China
| | - Yueqing Liu
- Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou 014000, China
| | - Wenjing Yao
- Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou 014000, China
| | - Hui Guang
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ordos Central Hospital, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ordos 017000, China
| | - Yinran Yang
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ordos Central Hospital, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ordos 017000, China
| | - Muya Su
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ordos Central Hospital, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ordos 017000, China
| | - Ruijuan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Ordos Central Hospital, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ordos 017000, China
| | - Jing Ma
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ordos Central Hospital, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ordos 017000, China; Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450003, China
| | - Linyuan Ma
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ordos Central Hospital, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ordos 017000, China; Ordos Clinical Medical College, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Ordos 017000, China
| | - Jinliang Gao
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ordos Central Hospital, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ordos 017000, China; Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou 014000, China; Ordos Clinical Medical College, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Ordos 017000, China.
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McCarthy S, Gonen S. δ-Conotoxin Structure Prediction and Analysis through Large-Scale Comparative and Deep Learning Modeling Approaches. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2404786. [PMID: 39033537 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202404786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
The δ-conotoxins, a class of peptides produced in the venom of cone snails, are of interest due to their ability to inhibit the inactivation of voltage-gated sodium channels causing paralysis and other neurological responses, but difficulties in their isolation and synthesis have made structural characterization challenging. Taking advantage of recent breakthroughs in computational algorithms for structure prediction that have made modeling especially useful when experimental data is sparse, this work uses both the deep-learning-based algorithm AlphaFold and comparative modeling method RosettaCM to model and analyze 18 previously uncharacterized δ-conotoxins derived from piscivorous, vermivorous, and molluscivorous cone snails. The models provide useful insights into the structural aspects of these peptides and suggest features likely to be significant in influencing their binding and different pharmacological activities against their targets, with implications for drug development. Additionally, the described protocol provides a roadmap for the modeling of similar disulfide-rich peptides by these complementary methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen McCarthy
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Shane Gonen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
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4
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Erkoc P, Schiffmann S, Ulshöfer T, Henke M, Marner M, Krämer J, Predel R, Schäberle TF, Hurka S, Dersch L, Vilcinskas A, Fürst R, Lüddecke T. Determining the pharmacological potential and biological role of linear pseudoscorpion toxins via functional profiling. iScience 2024; 27:110209. [PMID: 39021791 PMCID: PMC11253529 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Arthropod venoms contain bioactive molecules attractive for biomedical applications. However, few of these have been isolated, and only a tiny number has been characterized. Pseudoscorpions are small arachnids whose venom has been largely overlooked. Here, we present the first structural and functional assessment of the checacin toxin family, discovered in the venom of the house pseudoscorpion (Chelifer cancroides). We combined in silico and in vitro analyses to establish their bioactivity profile against microbes and various cell lines. This revealed inhibitory effects against bacteria and fungi. We observed cytotoxicity against specific cell types and effects involving second messengers. Our work provides insight into the biomedical potential and evolution of pseudoscorpion venoms. We propose that plesiotypic checacins evolved to defend the venom gland against infection, whereas apotypic descendants evolved additional functions. Our work highlights the importance of considering small and neglected species in biodiscovery programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pelin Erkoc
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Susanne Schiffmann
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Thomas Ulshöfer
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Marina Henke
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Michael Marner
- Branch of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Jonas Krämer
- Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Strasse 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26–32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Reinhard Predel
- Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Strasse 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Till F. Schäberle
- Branch of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), 35392 Giessen, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26–32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Giessen-Marburg-Langen, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Sabine Hurka
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Branch of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Ludwig Dersch
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Branch of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Branch of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), 35392 Giessen, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26–32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Robert Fürst
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Pharmacy – Center for Drug Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Tim Lüddecke
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Branch of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), 35392 Giessen, Germany
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5
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Michálek O, King GF, Pekár S. Prey specificity of predatory venoms. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 38991997 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Venom represents a key adaptation of many venomous predators, allowing them to immobilise prey quickly through chemical rather than physical warfare. Evolutionary arms races between prey and a predator are believed to be the main factor influencing the potency and composition of predatory venoms. Predators with narrowly restricted diets are expected to evolve specifically potent venom towards their focal prey, with lower efficacy on alternative prey. Here, we evaluate hypotheses on the evolution of prey-specific venom, focusing on the effect of restricted diet, prey defences, and prey resistance. Prey specificity as a potential evolutionary dead end is also discussed. We then provide an overview of the current knowledge on venom prey specificity, with emphasis on snakes, cone snails, and spiders. As the current evidence for venom prey specificity is still quite limited, we also overview the best approaches and methods for its investigation and provide a brief summary of potential model groups. Finally, possible applications of prey-specific toxins are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Michálek
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, Brno, 611 37, Czech Republic
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Stano Pekár
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, Brno, 611 37, Czech Republic
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Serebrennikova M, Grafskaia E, Maltsev D, Ivanova K, Bashkirov P, Kornilov F, Volynsky P, Efremov R, Bocharov E, Lazarev V. TriplEP-CPP: Algorithm for Predicting the Properties of Peptide Sequences. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6869. [PMID: 38999985 PMCID: PMC11241344 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25136869] [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: 05/25/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Advancements in medicine and pharmacology have led to the development of systems that deliver biologically active molecules inside cells, increasing drug concentrations at target sites. This improves effectiveness and duration of action and reduces side effects on healthy tissues. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) show promise in this area. While traditional medicinal chemistry methods have been used to develop CPPs, machine learning techniques can speed up and reduce costs in the search for new peptides. A predictive algorithm based on machine learning models was created to identify novel CPP sequences using molecular descriptors using a combination of algorithms like k-nearest neighbors, gradient boosting, and random forest. Some potential CPPs were found and tested for cytotoxicity and penetrating ability. A new low-toxicity CPP was discovered from the Rhopilema esculentum venom proteome through this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Serebrennikova
- Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 119435, Russia; (M.S.); (K.I.); (V.L.)
- Moscow Center for Advanced Studies 20, Kulakova Str., Moscow 123592, Russia; (P.B.); (F.K.); (R.E.); (E.B.)
| | - Ekaterina Grafskaia
- Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 119435, Russia; (M.S.); (K.I.); (V.L.)
| | - Dmitriy Maltsev
- Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies, Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 117997, Russia;
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia;
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Kseniya Ivanova
- Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 119435, Russia; (M.S.); (K.I.); (V.L.)
- Moscow Center for Advanced Studies 20, Kulakova Str., Moscow 123592, Russia; (P.B.); (F.K.); (R.E.); (E.B.)
- Research Institute for Systems Biology and Medicine, Moscow 117246, Russia
| | - Pavel Bashkirov
- Moscow Center for Advanced Studies 20, Kulakova Str., Moscow 123592, Russia; (P.B.); (F.K.); (R.E.); (E.B.)
- Research Institute for Systems Biology and Medicine, Moscow 117246, Russia
| | - Fedor Kornilov
- Moscow Center for Advanced Studies 20, Kulakova Str., Moscow 123592, Russia; (P.B.); (F.K.); (R.E.); (E.B.)
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia;
| | - Pavel Volynsky
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia;
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg 194064, Russia
| | - Roman Efremov
- Moscow Center for Advanced Studies 20, Kulakova Str., Moscow 123592, Russia; (P.B.); (F.K.); (R.E.); (E.B.)
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia;
| | - Eduard Bocharov
- Moscow Center for Advanced Studies 20, Kulakova Str., Moscow 123592, Russia; (P.B.); (F.K.); (R.E.); (E.B.)
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia;
| | - Vassili Lazarev
- Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 119435, Russia; (M.S.); (K.I.); (V.L.)
- Moscow Center for Advanced Studies 20, Kulakova Str., Moscow 123592, Russia; (P.B.); (F.K.); (R.E.); (E.B.)
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Krämer J, Hölker P, Predel R. How to Overcome a Snail? Identification of Putative Neurotoxins of Snail-Feeding Firefly Larvae (Coleoptera: Lampyridae, Lampyris noctiluca). Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:272. [PMID: 38922166 PMCID: PMC11209139 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16060272] [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: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The larvae of some lampyrid beetles are highly specialized predators of snails. They have been observed to climb on the shells of their prey and use this exposed position to bite and inject secretions potentially originating from the midgut. Besides serving the purpose of extra-oral digestion (EOD), injected compounds also seem to have a paralyzing effect. Up to now, the toxins causing this paralyzing activity have not been identified. In the current study, we provide a first compositional analysis of the midgut secretion from lampyrid larvae, with a focus on identifying putative neurotoxins causing the observed paralyzing effect. For this purpose, we utilized a combined proteo-transcriptomic approach to characterize the compounds present in the midgut secretion of larval stages of Lampyris noctiluca. In terms of the absolute numbers of identified compounds, the midgut secretion is dominated by hydrolyzing enzymes comprising peptidases, carboxylesterases, and glycosidases. However, when considering expression levels, a few rather short cysteine-rich peptides exceed all other compounds. Some of these compounds show moderate similarity to putative neurotoxins identified in the venom of other arthropods and could be responsible for paralyzing effects. In addition to these potential toxins, we provide a list of peptides typical of the midgut secretion of L. noctiluca, supplemented by the corresponding precursor sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Krämer
- Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Strasse 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Patrick Hölker
- Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Strasse 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Reinhard Predel
- Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Strasse 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
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8
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Schendel V, Müller CHG, Kenning M, Maxwell M, Jenner RA, Undheim EAB, Sombke A. The venom and telopodal defence systems of the centipede Lithobius forficatus are functionally convergent serial homologues. BMC Biol 2024; 22:135. [PMID: 38867210 PMCID: PMC11170834 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01925-x] [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: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evolution of novelty is a central theme in evolutionary biology, yet studying the origins of traits with an apparently discontinuous origin remains a major challenge. Venom systems are a well-suited model for the study of this phenomenon because they capture several aspects of novelty across multiple levels of biological complexity. However, while there is some knowledge on the evolution of individual toxins, not much is known about the evolution of venom systems as a whole. One way of shedding light on the evolution of new traits is to investigate less specialised serial homologues, i.e. repeated traits in an organism that share a developmental origin. This approach can be particularly informative in animals with repetitive body segments, such as centipedes. RESULTS Here, we investigate morphological and biochemical aspects of the defensive telopodal glandular organs borne on the posterior legs of venomous stone centipedes (Lithobiomorpha), using a multimethod approach, including behavioural observations, comparative morphology, proteomics, comparative transcriptomics and molecular phylogenetics. We show that the anterior venom system and posterior telopodal defence system are functionally convergent serial homologues, where one (telopodal defence) represents a model for the putative early evolutionary state of the other (venom). Venom glands and telopodal glandular organs appear to have evolved from the same type of epidermal gland (four-cell recto-canal type) and while the telopodal defensive secretion shares a great degree of compositional overlap with centipede venoms in general, these similarities arose predominantly through convergent recruitment of distantly related toxin-like components. Both systems are composed of elements predisposed to functional innovation across levels of biological complexity that range from proteins to glands, demonstrating clear parallels between molecular and morphological traits in the properties that facilitate the evolution of novelty. CONCLUSIONS The evolution of the lithobiomorph telopodal defence system provides indirect empirical support for the plausibility of the hypothesised evolutionary origin of the centipede venom system, which occurred through functional innovation and gradual specialisation of existing epidermal glands. Our results thus exemplify how continuous transformation and functional innovation can drive the apparent discontinuous emergence of novelties on higher levels of biological complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Schendel
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Carsten H G Müller
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Strasse 26, Greifswald, 17489, Germany
| | - Matthes Kenning
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Strasse 26, Greifswald, 17489, Germany
| | - Michael Maxwell
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | | | - Eivind A B Undheim
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0316, Norway.
| | - Andy Sombke
- Centre for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Cell and Developmental Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse 17, Vienna, 1090, Austria.
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Austria.
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Walker AA, Chin YKY, Guo S, Jin J, Wilbrink E, Goudarzi MH, Wirth H, Gordon E, Weirauch C, King GF. Structure and bioactivity of an insecticidal trans-defensin from assassin bug venom. Structure 2024:S0969-2126(24)00193-X. [PMID: 38889720 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2024.05.016] [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: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Disulfide-rich peptides such as defensins play diverse roles in immunity and ion channel modulation, as well as constituting the bioactive components of many animal venoms. We investigated the structure and bioactivity of U-RDTX-Pp19, a peptide previously discovered in venom of the assassin bug Pristhesancus plagipennis. Recombinant Pp19 (rPp19) was found to possess insecticidal activity when injected into Drosophila melanogaster. A bioinformatic search revealed that domains homologous to Pp19 are produced by assassin bugs and diverse other arthropods. rPp19 co-eluted with native Pp19 isolated from P. plagipennis, which we found is more abundant in hemolymph than venom. We solved the three-dimensional structure of rPp19 using 2D 1H NMR spectroscopy, finding that it adopts a disulfide-stabilized structure highly similar to known trans-defensins, with the same cystine connectivity as human α-defensin (I-VI, II-IV, and III-V). The structure of Pp19 is unique among reported structures of arthropod peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew A Walker
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Protein and Peptide Science, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Yanni K-Y Chin
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Shaodong Guo
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jiayi Jin
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Evienne Wilbrink
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Eindhoven 5612 AR, the Netherlands
| | - Mohaddeseh Hedayati Goudarzi
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Protein and Peptide Science, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Hayden Wirth
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Protein and Peptide Science, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Eric Gordon
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Christiane Weirauch
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Protein and Peptide Science, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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You Y, Tang Y, Yin W, Liu X, Gao P, Zhang C, Tembrock LR, Zhao Y, Yang Z. From genome to proteome: Comprehensive identification of venom toxins from the Chinese funnel-web spider (Macrothelidae: Macrothele yani). Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 268:131780. [PMID: 38657926 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131780] [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: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Macrothelidae is a family of mygalomorph spiders containing the extant genera Macrothele and Vacrothele. China is an important center of diversity for Macrothele with 65 % of the known species occurring there. Previous work on Macrothele was able to uncover several important toxin compounds including Raventoxin which may have applications in biomedicine and agricultural chemistry. Despite the importance of Macrothele spiders, high-quality reference genomes are still lacking, which hinders our understanding and application of the toxin compounds. In this study, we assembled the genome of the Macrothele yani to help fill gaps in our understanding of toxin biology in this lineage of spiders to encourage the future study and applications of these compounds. The final assembled genome was 6.79 Gb in total length, had a contig N50 of 21.44 Mb, and scaffold N50 of 156.16 Mb. Hi-C scaffolding assigned 98.19 % of the genome to 46 pseudo-chromosomes with a BUSCO score of 95.7 % for the core eukaryotic gene set. The assembled genome was found to contain 75.62 % repetitive DNA and a total of 39,687 protein-coding genes were annotated making it the spider genome with highest number of genes. Through integrated analysis of venom gland transcriptomics and venom proteomics, a total of 194 venom toxins were identified, including 38 disulfide-rich peptide neurotoxins, among which 12 were ICK knottin peptides. In summary, we present the first high-quality genome assembly at the chromosomal level for any Macrothelidae spider, filling an important gap in our knowledge of these spiders. Such high-quality genomic data will be invaluable as a reference in resolving Araneae spider phylogenies and in screening different spider species for novel compounds applicable to numerous medical and agricultural applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongming You
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China
| | - Yani Tang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Palaeobiology, Institute of Palaeontology, Yunnan University, South Waihuan Road, Chenggong District, Kunming 650500, China; MEC International Joint Laboratory for Palaeobiology and Palaeoenvironment, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Wenhao Yin
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China
| | - Xinxin Liu
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China
| | - Pengfei Gao
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China
| | - Chenggui Zhang
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China
| | - Luke R Tembrock
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA..
| | - Yu Zhao
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China.
| | - Zizhong Yang
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China.
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11
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Xiao X, Luo X, Huang C, Feng X, Wu M, Lu M, Kuang J, Peng S, Guo Y, Zhang Z, Hu Z, Zhou X, Chen M, Liu Z. Transcriptome analysis reveals the peptide toxins diversity of Macrothele palpator venom. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:126577. [PMID: 37648132 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Spider venom is a large pharmacological repertoire of different bioactive peptide toxins. However, obtaining crude venom from some spiders is challenging. Thus, studying individual toxins through venom purification is a daunting task. In this study, we constructed the cDNA library and transcriptomic sequencing from the Macrothele palpator venom glands. Subsequently, 718 high-quality expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were identified, and grouped into three categories, including 449 toxin-like (62.53 %), 136 cellular component (18.94 %) and 133 non-matched (18.52 %) based on the gene function annotation. Additionally, 112 non-redundant toxin-like peptides were classified into 13 families (families A-M) based on their sequence homology and cysteine framework. Bioinformatics analysis revealed a high sequence similarity between families A-J and the toxins from Macrothele gigas in the NR database. In contrast, families K-M had a generally low sequence homology with known spider peptide toxins and unpredictable biological functions. Taken together, this study adds many new members to the spider toxin superfamily and provides a basis for identifying various potential biological tools in M. palpator venom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Xiao
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China; Peptide and small molecule drug R&D plateform, Furong Laboratory, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaoqing Luo
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China; Peptide and small molecule drug R&D plateform, Furong Laboratory, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China
| | - Cuiling Huang
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Xujun Feng
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China; Peptide and small molecule drug R&D plateform, Furong Laboratory, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China
| | - Meijing Wu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China; Peptide and small molecule drug R&D plateform, Furong Laboratory, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China
| | - Minjuan Lu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China; Peptide and small molecule drug R&D plateform, Furong Laboratory, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China
| | - Jiating Kuang
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Siyi Peng
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Yingmei Guo
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Zixuan Zhang
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Zhaotun Hu
- Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province, College of Biological and Food Engineering, Huaihua College, Huaihua, Hunan 418008, China
| | - Xi Zhou
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China; Peptide and small molecule drug R&D plateform, Furong Laboratory, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China.
| | - Minzhi Chen
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China; Peptide and small molecule drug R&D plateform, Furong Laboratory, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China.
| | - Zhonghua Liu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China; Peptide and small molecule drug R&D plateform, Furong Laboratory, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China.
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12
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Li J, Liu H, Xiao S, Fan S, Cheng X, Wu C. De Novo Discovery of Cysteine Frameworks for Developing Multicyclic Peptide Libraries for Ligand Discovery. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:28264-28275. [PMID: 38092662 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c11856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Conserved cysteine frameworks are essential components of disulfide-rich peptides (DRPs), which dominantly define the structural diversity of both naturally occurring and de novo-designed DRPs. However, there are only very limited numbers of conserved cysteine frameworks, and general methods enabling de novo discovery of cysteine frameworks with robust foldability are still not available. Here, we devised a "touchstone"-based strategy that relies on chasing oxidative foldability between two individual disulfide-rich folds on the phage surface to discover new cysteine frameworks from random sequences. Unique cysteine frameworks with a high degree of compatibility with phage display systems and broad sequence tolerance were successfully identified, which were subsequently exploited for the development of multicyclic DRP libraries, enabling the rapid discovery of new peptide ligands with low-nanomolar and picomolar binding affinity. This study provides an unprecedented method for exploring and exploiting the sequence and structure space of DRPs that is not readily accessible by existing strategies, holding the potential to revolutionize the study of DRPs and significantly advance the design and discovery of multicyclic peptide ligands and drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinjing Li
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Hongtan Liu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Shuling Xiao
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Shihui Fan
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Xueting Cheng
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
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13
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Guo R, Guo G, Wang A, Xu G, Lai R, Jin H. Spider-Venom Peptides: Structure, Bioactivity, Strategy, and Research Applications. Molecules 2023; 29:35. [PMID: 38202621 PMCID: PMC10779620 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29010035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Spiders (Araneae), having thrived for over 300 million years, exhibit remarkable diversity, with 47,000 described species and an estimated 150,000 species in existence. Evolving with intricate venom, spiders are nature's skilled predators. While only a small fraction of spiders pose a threat to humans, their venoms contain complex compounds, holding promise as drug leads. Spider venoms primarily serve to immobilize prey, achieved through neurotoxins targeting ion channels. Peptides constitute a major part of these venoms, displaying diverse pharmacological activities, and making them appealing for drug development. Moreover, spider-venom peptides have emerged as valuable tools for exploring human disease mechanisms. This review focuses on the roles of spider-venom peptides in spider survival strategies and their dual significance as pharmaceutical research tools. By integrating recent discoveries, it provides a comprehensive overview of these peptides, their targets, bioactivities, and their relevance in spider survival and medical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiyin Guo
- Center for Evolution and Conservation Biology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; (R.G.)
| | - Gang Guo
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University (Yunnan Cancer Hospital), Kunming 650118, China;
| | - Aili Wang
- Center for Evolution and Conservation Biology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; (R.G.)
| | - Gaochi Xu
- Center for Evolution and Conservation Biology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; (R.G.)
| | - Ren Lai
- Center for Evolution and Conservation Biology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; (R.G.)
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, National Resource Center for Non-Human Primates, Kunming-Primate Research Center, National Research Facility for Phenotypic & Genetic Analysis of Model Animals (Primate Facility), Sino-African Joint Research Center and Engineering Laboratory of Peptides, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming 650107, China
| | - Hui Jin
- Center for Evolution and Conservation Biology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; (R.G.)
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14
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You Y, Yin W, Tembrock LR, Wu Z, Gu X, Yang Z, Zhang C, Zhao Y, Yang Z. Transcriptome sequencing of wolf spider Lycosa sp. (Araneae: Lycosidae) venom glands provides insights into the evolution and diversity of disulfide-rich toxins. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. PART D, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2023; 48:101145. [PMID: 37748227 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2023.101145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Wolf spiders in the genus Lycosa are important pest predators in agroforestry ecosystems, capable of feeding on a wide range of pests through the use of complex venom which can to quickly immobilize and kill prey. Because of these characteristics the toxins in wolf spiders venom may prove to be natural sources for novel drug development and biopesticides. To better understand the toxins in Lycosa venom we sequenced the transcriptome from venom glands from an undescribed species of Lycosa and comparatively analyzed the data using known protein motifs. A series of 19 disulfide-rich peptide (DRP) toxin sequences were identified and categorized into seven groups based on the number and arrangement of cysteine residues. Notably, we identified three peptide sequences with low identity to any known toxin, which may be toxin peptides specific to this species of Lycosa. In addition, to further understand the evolutionary relationships of disulfide-rich peptide toxins in spider venom, we constructed phylogenetic trees of DRP toxins from three spiders species and found that the Lycosa sp. DRPs are comparatively diverse with previous research results. This study reveals the toxin diversity of wolf spiders (Lycosa sp.) at the transcriptomic level and provides initial insights into the evolution of DRP toxins in spiders, enriching our knowledge of toxin diversity and providing new compounds for functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongming You
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China.
| | - Wenhao Yin
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China
| | - Luke R Tembrock
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Zhiqiang Wu
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Xiaoliang Gu
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China
| | - Zhibin Yang
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China
| | - Chenggui Zhang
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China
| | - Zizhong Yang
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; Innovative Team of Dali University for Medicinal Insects & Arachnids Resources Digital Development, Dali 671000, China.
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Fitzpatrick LLJ, Ligabue-Braun R, Nekaris KAI. Slowly Making Sense: A Review of the Two-Step Venom System within Slow ( Nycticebus spp.) and Pygmy Lorises ( Xanthonycticebus spp.). Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:514. [PMID: 37755940 PMCID: PMC10536643 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15090514] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the early 2000s, studies of the evolution of venom within animals have rapidly expanded, offering new revelations on the origins and development of venom within various species. The venomous mammals represent excellent opportunities to study venom evolution due to the varying functional usages, the unusual distribution of venom across unrelated mammals and the diverse variety of delivery systems. A group of mammals that excellently represents a combination of these traits are the slow (Nycticebus spp.) and pygmy lorises (Xanthonycticebus spp.) of south-east Asia, which possess the only confirmed two-step venom system. These taxa also present one of the most intriguing mixes of toxic symptoms (cytotoxicity and immunotoxicity) and functional usages (intraspecific competition and ectoparasitic defence) seen in extant animals. We still lack many pieces of the puzzle in understanding how this venom system works, why it evolved what is involved in the venom system and what triggers the toxic components to work. Here, we review available data building upon a decade of research on this topic, focusing especially on why and how this venom system may have evolved. We discuss that research now suggests that venom in slow lorises has a sophisticated set of multiple uses in both intraspecific competition and the potential to disrupt the immune system of targets; we suggest that an exudate diet reveals several toxic plants consumed by slow and pygmy lorises that could be sequestered into their venom and which may help heal venomous bite wounds; we provide the most up-to-date visual model of the brachial gland exudate secretion protein (BGEsp); and we discuss research on a complement component 1r (C1R) protein in saliva that may solve the mystery of what activates the toxicity of slow and pygmy loris venom. We conclude that the slow and pygmy lorises possess amongst the most complex venom system in extant animals, and while we have still a lot more to understand about their venom system, we are close to a breakthrough, particularly with current technological advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Lucy Joscelyne Fitzpatrick
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
- Centre for Functional Genomics, Department of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Rodrigo Ligabue-Braun
- Department of Pharmacosciences, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, Porto Alegre 90050-170, Brazil;
| | - K. Anne-Isola Nekaris
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
- Centre for Functional Genomics, Department of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
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Ramírez DS, Alzate JF, Simone Y, van der Meijden A, Guevara G, Franco Pérez LM, González-Gómez JC, Prada Quiroga CF. Intersexual Differences in the Gene Expression of Phoneutria depilata (Araneae, Ctenidae) Toxins Revealed by Venom Gland Transcriptome Analyses. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:429. [PMID: 37505698 PMCID: PMC10467060 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15070429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The wandering spider, Phoneutria depilata, is one of Colombia's most active nocturnal arthropod predators of vertebrates and invertebrates. Its venom has been a relevant subject of study in the last two decades. However, the scarcity of transcriptomic data for the species limits our knowledge of the distinct components present in its venom for linking the mainly neurotoxic effects of the spider venom to a particular molecular target. The transcriptome of the P. depilata venom gland was analyzed to understand the effect of different diets or sex and the impact of these variables on the composition of the venom. We sequenced venom glands obtained from ten males and ten females from three diet treatments: (i) invertebrate: Tenebrio molitor, (ii) vertebrate: Hemidactylus frenatus, and (iii) mixed (T. molitor + H. frenatus). Of 17,354 assembled transcripts from all samples, 65 transcripts relating to venom production differed between males and females. Among them, 36 were classified as neurotoxins, 14 as serine endopeptidases, 11 as other proteins related to venom production, three as metalloprotease toxins, and one as a venom potentiator. There were no differences in transcripts across the analyzed diets, but when considering the effect of diets on differences between the sexes, 59 transcripts were differentially expressed. Our findings provide essential information on toxins differentially expressed that can be related to sex and the plasticity of the diet of P. depilata and thus can be used as a reference for venomics of other wandering spider species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Sierra Ramírez
- Grupo de Investigación Biología y Ecología de Artrópodos (BEA), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Altos de Santa Helena, Ibagué 730001, Colombia; (D.S.R.); (J.C.G.-G.)
| | - Juan F. Alzate
- Centro Nacional de Secuenciación Genómica (CNSG), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia
| | - Yuri Simone
- CIBIO/InBIO/Biopolis, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas 7, 4485-661 Vila do Conde, Portugal; (Y.S.); (A.v.d.M.)
| | - Arie van der Meijden
- CIBIO/InBIO/Biopolis, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas 7, 4485-661 Vila do Conde, Portugal; (Y.S.); (A.v.d.M.)
| | - Giovany Guevara
- Grupo de Investigación en Zoología (GIZ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Altos de Santa Helena, Ibagué 730001, Colombia;
| | - Lida Marcela Franco Pérez
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Universidad de Ibagué, Carrera 22 Calle 67, Ibagué 730001, Colombia;
| | - Julio César González-Gómez
- Grupo de Investigación Biología y Ecología de Artrópodos (BEA), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Altos de Santa Helena, Ibagué 730001, Colombia; (D.S.R.); (J.C.G.-G.)
| | - Carlos F. Prada Quiroga
- Grupo de Investigación Biología y Ecología de Artrópodos (BEA), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Altos de Santa Helena, Ibagué 730001, Colombia; (D.S.R.); (J.C.G.-G.)
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17
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Ahmed J, Walker AA, Perdomo HD, Guo S, Nixon SA, Vetter I, Okoh HI, Shehu DM, Shuaibu MN, Ndams IS, King GF, Herzig V. Two Novel Mosquitocidal Peptides Isolated from the Venom of the Bahia Scarlet Tarantula ( Lasiodora klugi). Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:418. [PMID: 37505687 PMCID: PMC10467143 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15070418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Effective control of diseases transmitted by Aedes aegypti is primarily achieved through vector control by chemical insecticides. However, the emergence of insecticide resistance in A. aegypti undermines current control efforts. Arachnid venoms are rich in toxins with activity against dipteran insects and we therefore employed a panel of 41 spider and 9 scorpion venoms to screen for mosquitocidal toxins. Using an assay-guided fractionation approach, we isolated two peptides from the venom of the tarantula Lasiodora klugi with activity against adult A. aegypti. The isolated peptides were named U-TRTX-Lk1a and U-TRTX-Lk2a and comprised 41 and 49 residues with monoisotopic masses of 4687.02 Da and 5718.88 Da, respectively. U-TRTX-Lk1a exhibited an LD50 of 38.3 pmol/g when injected into A. aegypti and its modeled structure conformed to the inhibitor cystine knot motif. U-TRTX-Lk2a has an LD50 of 45.4 pmol/g against adult A. aegypti and its predicted structure conforms to the disulfide-directed β-hairpin motif. These spider-venom peptides represent potential leads for the development of novel control agents for A. aegypti.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamila Ahmed
- Department of Zoology, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna 810107, Nigeria
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Andrew A. Walker
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Hugo D. Perdomo
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Shaodong Guo
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Samantha A. Nixon
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Hilary I. Okoh
- Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Oye 371104, Nigeria
| | - Dalhatu M. Shehu
- Department of Zoology, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna 810107, Nigeria
| | - Mohammed N. Shuaibu
- Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna 810107, Nigeria
- Centre for Biotechnology Research and Training, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna 810107, Nigeria
| | - Iliya S. Ndams
- Department of Zoology, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna 810107, Nigeria
| | - Glenn F. King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Volker Herzig
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556, Australia
- School of Science, Technology, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556, Australia
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18
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A subfraction obtained from the venom of the tarantula Poecilotheria regalis contains inhibitor cystine knot peptides and induces relaxation of rat aorta by inhibiting L-type voltage-gated calcium channels. Toxicon X 2023; 18:100151. [PMID: 36873112 PMCID: PMC9978846 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxcx.2023.100151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Venoms from tarantulas contain low molecular weight vasodilatory compounds whose biological action is conceived as part of the envenomation strategy due to its propagative effects. However, some properties of venom-induced vasodilation do not match those described by such compounds, suggesting that other toxins may cooperate with these ones to produce the observed biological effect. Owing to the distribution and function of voltage-gated ion channels in blood vessels, disulfide-rich peptides isolated from venoms of tarantulas could be conceived into potential vasodilatory compounds. However, only two peptides isolated from spider venoms have been investigated so far. This study describes for the first time a subfraction containing inhibitor cystine knot peptides, PrFr-I, obtained from the venom of the tarantula Poecilotheria regalis. This subfraction induced sustained vasodilation in rat aortic rings independent of vascular endothelium and endothelial ion channels. Furthermore, PrFr-I decreased calcium-induced contraction of rat aortic segments and reduced extracellular calcium influx to chromaffin cells by the blockade of L-type voltage-gated calcium channels. This mechanism was unrelated to the activation of potassium channels from vascular smooth muscle, since vasodilation was not affected in the presence of TEA, and PrFr-I did not modify the conductance of the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv10.1. This work proposes a new envenomating function of peptides from venoms of tarantulas, and establishes a new mechanism for venom-induced vasodilation.
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Key Words
- ACh, acetylcholine
- ADP, adenosine diphosphate
- Cav, voltage-gated calcium channel
- DMEM, Dulbecco's modified eagle's medium
- DRP, disulfide-rich peptide
- EC50, half maximal effective concentration
- Emax, maximum effect
- FBS, fetal bovine serum
- HPLC, high-performance liquid chromatography
- ICK peptide
- ICK, inhibitor cystine knot
- IKCa, intermediate conductance calcium-activated potassium channel
- Kv, voltage-gated potassium channel
- L-type calcium voltage-gated calcium
- LC-MS/MS, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometer
- MALDI, matrix-assisted desorption ionization
- Nav, voltage-gated sodium channel
- Phe, phenylephrine
- Poecilotheria regalis, venom
- RP, reverse phase
- Rat aorta
- SEM, standard error of the mean
- SKCa, small conductance calcium-activated potassium channel
- SNP, sodium nitroprusside
- TEA, tetraethylammonium
- TOF, time of flight
- TRP, transient receptor potential
- Vasodilation
- Vh, holding-voltage
- endothelium-intact (E+), endothelium-denuded (E−)
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19
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Drott MT, Park SC, Wang YW, Harrow L, Keller NP, Pringle A. Pangenomics of the death cap mushroom Amanita phalloides, and of Agaricales, reveals dynamic evolution of toxin genes in an invasive range. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023:10.1038/s41396-023-01432-x. [PMID: 37221394 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01432-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The poisonous European mushroom Amanita phalloides (the "death cap") is invading California. Whether the death caps' toxic secondary metabolites are evolving as it invades is unknown. We developed a bioinformatic pipeline to identify the MSDIN genes underpinning toxicity and probed 88 death cap genomes from an invasive Californian population and from the European range, discovering a previously unsuspected diversity of MSDINs made up of both core and accessory elements. Each death cap individual possesses a unique suite of MSDINs, and toxin genes are significantly differentiated between Californian and European samples. MSDIN genes are maintained by strong natural selection, and chemical profiling confirms MSDIN genes are expressed and result in distinct phenotypes; our chemical profiling also identified a new MSDIN peptide. Toxin genes are physically clustered within genomes. We contextualize our discoveries by probing for MSDINs in genomes from across the order Agaricales, revealing MSDIN diversity originated in independent gene family expansions among genera. We also report the discovery of an MSDIN in an Amanita outside the "lethal Amanitas" clade. Finally, the identification of an MSDIN gene and its associated processing gene (POPB) in Clavaria fumosa suggest the origin of MSDINs is older than previously suspected. The dynamic evolution of MSDINs underscores their potential to mediate ecological interactions, implicating MSDINs in the ongoing invasion. Our data change the understanding of the evolutionary history of poisonous mushrooms, emphasizing striking parallels to convergently evolved animal toxins. Our pipeline provides a roadmap for exploring secondary metabolites in other basidiomycetes and will enable drug prospecting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milton T Drott
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
- USDA-ARS Cereal Disease Laboratory, St. Paul, MN, USA.
| | - Sung Chul Park
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Yen-Wen Wang
- Departments of Botany and Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Lynn Harrow
- Departments of Botany and Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Nancy P Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Anne Pringle
- Departments of Botany and Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
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20
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Duran LH, Wilson DT, Salih M, Rymer TL. Interactions between physiology and behaviour provide insights into the ecological role of venom in Australian funnel-web spiders: Interspecies comparison. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285866. [PMID: 37216354 PMCID: PMC10202279 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Australian funnel-web spiders are iconic species, characterized as being the most venomous spiders in the world. They are also valued for the therapeutics and natural bioinsecticides potentially hidden in their venom molecules. Although numerous biochemical and molecular structural approaches have tried to determine the factors driving venom complexity, these approaches have not considered behaviour, physiology and environmental conditions collectively, which can play a role in the evolution, complexity, and function of venom components in funnel-webs. This study used a novel interdisciplinary approach to understand the relationships between different behaviours (assessed in different ecological contexts) and morphophysiological variables (body condition, heart rate) that may affect venom composition in four species of Australian funnel-web spiders. We tested defensiveness, huddling behaviour, frequency of climbing, and activity for all species in three ecological contexts: i) predation using both indirect (puff of air) and direct (prodding) stimuli; ii) conspecific tolerance; and iii) exploration of a new territory. We also assessed morphophysiological variables and venom composition of all species. For Hadronyche valida, the expression of some venom components was associated with heart rate and defensiveness during the predation context. However, we did not find any associations between behavioural traits and morphophysiological variables in the other species, suggesting that particular associations may be species-specific. When we assessed differences between species, we found that the species separated out based on the venom profiles, while activity and heart rate are likely more affected by individual responses and microhabitat conditions. This study demonstrates how behavioural and morphophysiological traits are correlated with venom composition and contributes to a broader understanding of the function and evolution of venoms in funnel-web spiders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Hernández Duran
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
- Australian Institute for Tropical Health and Medicine, Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - David Thomas Wilson
- Australian Institute for Tropical Health and Medicine, Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - Mohamed Salih
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tasmin Lee Rymer
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
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21
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Zhu B, Jin P, Zhang Y, Shen Y, Wang W, Li S. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses support a silk gland origin of spider venom glands. BMC Biol 2023; 21:82. [PMID: 37055766 PMCID: PMC10099834 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01581-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spiders comprise a hyperdiverse lineage of predators with venom systems, yet the origin of functionally novel spider venom glands remains unclear. Previous studies have hypothesized that spider venom glands originated from salivary glands or evolved from silk-producing glands present in early chelicerates. However, there is insufficient molecular evidence to indicate similarity among them. Here, we provide comparative analyses of genome and transcriptome data from various lineages of spiders and other arthropods to advance our understanding of spider venom gland evolution. RESULTS We generated a chromosome-level genome assembly of a model spider species, the common house spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum). Module preservation, GO semantic similarity, and differentially upregulated gene similarity analyses demonstrated a lower similarity in gene expressions between the venom glands and salivary glands compared to the silk glands, which questions the validity of the salivary gland origin hypothesis but unexpectedly prefers to support the ancestral silk gland origin hypothesis. The conserved core network in the venom and silk glands was mainly correlated with transcription regulation, protein modification, transport, and signal transduction pathways. At the genetic level, we found that many genes in the venom gland-specific transcription modules show positive selection and upregulated expressions, suggesting that genetic variation plays an important role in the evolution of venom glands. CONCLUSIONS This research implies the unique origin and evolutionary path of spider venom glands and provides a basis for understanding the diverse molecular characteristics of venom systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingyue Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China
| | - Pengyu Jin
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yiming Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China
| | - Yunxiao Shen
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Protection of Rare and Endangered Animals and Plants, Ministry of Education, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541004, China
| | - Shuqiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
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22
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A bivalent remipede toxin promotes calcium release via ryanodine receptor activation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1036. [PMID: 36823422 PMCID: PMC9950431 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36579-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Multivalent ligands of ion channels have proven to be both very rare and highly valuable in yielding unique insights into channel structure and pharmacology. Here, we describe a bivalent peptide from the venom of Xibalbanus tulumensis, a troglobitic arthropod from the enigmatic class Remipedia, that causes persistent calcium release by activation of ion channels involved in muscle contraction. The high-resolution solution structure of φ-Xibalbin3-Xt3a reveals a tandem repeat arrangement of inhibitor-cysteine knot (ICK) domains previously only found in spider venoms. The individual repeats of Xt3a share sequence similarity with a family of scorpion toxins that target ryanodine receptors (RyR). Single-channel electrophysiology and quantification of released Ca2+ stores within skinned muscle fibers confirm Xt3a as a bivalent RyR modulator. Our results reveal convergent evolution of RyR targeting toxins in remipede and scorpion venoms, while the tandem-ICK repeat architecture is an evolutionary innovation that is convergent with toxins from spider venoms.
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23
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Digestive enzymes and sphingomyelinase D in spiders without venom (Uloboridae). Sci Rep 2023; 13:2661. [PMID: 36792649 PMCID: PMC9932164 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29828-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Spiders have distinct predatory behaviours selected along Araneae's evolutionary history but are mainly based on the use of venom for prey paralysis. Uloboridae spiders have lost their venom glands secondarily during evolution. Because of this, they immobilise their prey by extensively wrapping, and digestion starts with the addition of digestive fluid. During the extra-oral digestion, the digestive fluid liquefies both the prey and the AcSp2 spidroins from the web fibres. Despite the efficiency of this process, the cocktail of enzymes involved in digestion in Uloboridae spiders remains unknown. In this study, the protein content in the midgut of Uloborus sp. was evaluated through enzymatic, proteomic, and phylogenetic analysis. Hydrolases such as peptidases (endo and exopeptidases: cysteine, serine, and metallopeptidases), carbohydrases (alpha-amylase, chitinase, and alpha-mannosidase), and lipases were biochemically assayed, and 50 proteins (annotated as enzymes, structural proteins, and toxins) were identified, evidencing the identity between the digestive enzymes present in venomous and non-venomous spiders. Even enzymes thought to be unique to venom, including enzymes such as sphingomyelinase D, were found in the digestive system of non-venomous spiders, suggesting a common origin between digestive enzymes and enzymes present in venoms. This is the first characterization of the molecules involved in the digestive process and the midgut protein content of a non-venomous spider.
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24
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Shaikh NY, Sunagar K. The deep-rooted origin of disulfide-rich spider venom toxins. eLife 2023; 12:83761. [PMID: 36757362 PMCID: PMC10017107 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Spider venoms are a complex concoction of enzymes, polyamines, inorganic salts, and disulfide-rich peptides (DRPs). Although DRPs are widely distributed and abundant, their bevolutionary origin has remained elusive. This knowledge gap stems from the extensive molecular divergence of DRPs and a lack of sequence and structural data from diverse lineages. By evaluating DRPs under a comprehensive phylogenetic, structural and evolutionary framework, we have not only identified 78 novel spider toxin superfamilies but also provided the first evidence for their common origin. We trace the origin of these toxin superfamilies to a primordial knot - which we name 'Adi Shakti', after the creator of the Universe according to Hindu mythology - 375 MYA in the common ancestor of Araneomorphae and Mygalomorphae. As the lineages under evaluation constitute nearly 60% of extant spiders, our findings provide fascinating insights into the early evolution and diversification of the spider venom arsenal. Reliance on a single molecular toxin scaffold by nearly all spiders is in complete contrast to most other venomous animals that have recruited into their venoms diverse toxins with independent origins. By comparatively evaluating the molecular evolutionary histories of araneomorph and mygalomorph spider venom toxins, we highlight their contrasting evolutionary diversification rates. Our results also suggest that venom deployment (e.g. prey capture or self-defense) influences evolutionary diversification of DRP toxin superfamilies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naeem Yusuf Shaikh
- Evolutionary Venomics Lab, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science BangaloreBengaluruIndia
| | - Kartik Sunagar
- Evolutionary Venomics Lab, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science BangaloreBengaluruIndia
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25
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Brewer MS, Cole TJ. Killer Knots: Molecular Evolution of Inhibitor Cystine Knot Toxins in Wandering Spiders (Araneae: Ctenidae). Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:toxins15020112. [PMID: 36828426 PMCID: PMC9958548 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15020112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Venom expressed by the nearly 50,000 species of spiders on Earth largely remains an untapped reservoir of a diverse array of biomolecules with potential for pharmacological and agricultural applications. A large fraction of the noxious components of spider venoms are a functionally diverse family of structurally related polypeptides with an inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) motif. The cysteine-rich nature of these toxins makes structural elucidation difficult, and most studies have focused on venom components from the small handful of medically relevant spider species such as the highly aggressive Brazilian wandering spider Phoneutria nigriventer. To alleviate difficulties associated with the study of ICK toxins in spiders, we devised a comprehensive approach to explore the evolutionary patterns that have shaped ICK functional diversification using venom gland transcriptomes and proteomes from phylogenetically distinct lineages of wandering spiders and their close relatives. We identified 626 unique ICK toxins belonging to seven topological elaborations. Phylogenetic tests of episodic diversification revealed distinct regions between cysteine residues that demonstrated differential evidence of positive or negative selection, which may have structural implications towards the specificity and efficacy of these toxins. Increased taxon sampling and whole genome sequencing will provide invaluable insights to further understand the evolutionary processes that have given rise to this diverse class of toxins.
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26
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Lu S, Fan S, Xiao S, Li J, Zhang S, Wu Y, Kong C, Zhuang J, Liu H, Zhao Y, Wu C. Disulfide-Directed Multicyclic Peptide Libraries for the Discovery of Peptide Ligands and Drugs. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:1964-1972. [PMID: 36633218 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c12462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Multicyclic peptides with stable 3D structures are a kind of novel and promising peptide formats for drug design and discovery as they have the potential to combine the best characteristics of small molecules and proteins. However, the development of multicyclic peptides is largely limited to naturally occurring products. It remains a big challenge to develop multicyclic peptides with new structures and functions without recourse to the existing natural scaffolds. Here, we report a general and robust method relying on the utility of new disulfide-directing motifs for designing and discovering diverse multicyclic peptides with potent protein-binding capability. These peptides, referred to as disulfide-directed multicyclic peptides (DDMPs), are tolerant to extensive sequence manipulations and variations of disulfide-pairing frameworks, enabling the development of de novo DDMP libraries useful for ligand and drug discovery. This study opens a new avenue for creating a new generation of multicyclic peptides in sequence and structure space inaccessible by natural scaffolds, thus would greatly benefit the field of peptide drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuaimin Lu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Shihui Fan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Shuling Xiao
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Jinjing Li
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Shilong Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Yapei Wu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Chuilian Kong
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Jie Zhuang
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Hongtan Liu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Yibing Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
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27
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Smith EG, Surm JM, Macrander J, Simhi A, Amir G, Sachkova MY, Lewandowska M, Reitzel AM, Moran Y. Micro and macroevolution of sea anemone venom phenotype. Nat Commun 2023; 14:249. [PMID: 36646703 PMCID: PMC9842752 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35794-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Venom is a complex trait with substantial inter- and intraspecific variability resulting from strong selective pressures acting on the expression of many toxic proteins. However, understanding the processes underlying toxin expression dynamics that determine the venom phenotype remains unresolved. By interspecific comparisons we reveal that toxin expression in sea anemones evolves rapidly and that in each species different toxin family dictates the venom phenotype by massive gene duplication events. In-depth analysis of the sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, revealed striking variation of the dominant toxin (Nv1) diploid copy number across populations (1-24 copies) resulting from independent expansion/contraction events, which generate distinct haplotypes. Nv1 copy number correlates with expression at both the transcript and protein levels with one population having a near-complete loss of Nv1 production. Finally, we establish the dominant toxin hypothesis which incorporates observations in other venomous lineages that animals have convergently evolved a similar strategy in shaping their venom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward G Smith
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Department of Biological Sciences, Charlotte, NC, USA. .,School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.
| | - Joachim M Surm
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Jason Macrander
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Department of Biological Sciences, Charlotte, NC, USA.,Florida Southern College, Biology Department, Lakeland, FL, USA
| | - Adi Simhi
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.,The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The School of Computer Science & Engineering, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Guy Amir
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.,The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The School of Computer Science & Engineering, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Maria Y Sachkova
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.,Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Magda Lewandowska
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Adam M Reitzel
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Department of Biological Sciences, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Yehu Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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28
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Meng X, Xu C, Fan S, Dong M, Zhuang J, Duan Z, Zhao Y, Wu C. Selection and evolution of disulfide-rich peptides via cellular protein quality control. Chem Sci 2023; 14:3668-3675. [PMID: 37006698 PMCID: PMC10055976 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc05343h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
A selection system leveraging cellular protein quality control (termed PQC-select) has been designed to select DRPs with robust foldability from random sequences, providing valuable scaffolds for developing peptide-based probes or therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoting Meng
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Chaoying Xu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Shihui Fan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Meng Dong
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Jie Zhuang
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Zengping Duan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Yibing Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
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Michálek O, Walker AA, Šedo O, Zdráhal Z, King GF, Pekár S. Composition and toxicity of venom produced by araneophagous white-tailed spiders (Lamponidae: Lampona sp.). Sci Rep 2022; 12:21597. [PMID: 36517485 PMCID: PMC9751281 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24694-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Prey-specialised spiders are adapted to capture specific prey items, including dangerous prey. The venoms of specialists are often prey-specific and less complex than those of generalists, but their venom composition has not been studied in detail. Here, we investigated the venom of the prey-specialised white-tailed spiders (Lamponidae: Lampona), which utilise specialised morphological and behavioural adaptations to capture spider prey. We analysed the venom composition using proteo-transcriptomics and taxon-specific toxicity using venom bioassays. Our analysis identified 208 putative toxin sequences, comprising 103 peptides < 10 kDa and 105 proteins > 10 kDa. Most peptides belonged to one of two families characterised by scaffolds containing eight or ten cysteine residues. Toxin-like proteins showed similarity to galectins, leucine-rich repeat proteins, trypsins and neprilysins. The venom of Lampona was shown to be more potent against the preferred spider prey than against alternative cricket prey. In contrast, the venom of a related generalist was similarly potent against both prey types. These data provide insights into the molecular adaptations of venoms produced by prey-specialised spiders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Michálek
- grid.10267.320000 0001 2194 0956Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Andrew A. Walker
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia ,grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Ondrej Šedo
- grid.10267.320000 0001 2194 0956Research Group Proteomics, Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic ,grid.10267.320000 0001 2194 0956Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zbyněk Zdráhal
- grid.10267.320000 0001 2194 0956Research Group Proteomics, Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic ,grid.10267.320000 0001 2194 0956Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Glenn F. King
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia ,grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Stano Pekár
- grid.10267.320000 0001 2194 0956Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
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Megaly AMA, Miyashita M, Abdel-Wahab M, Nakagawa Y, Miyagawa H. Molecular Diversity of Linear Peptides Revealed by Transcriptomic Analysis of the Venom Gland of the Spider Lycosa poonaensis. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14120854. [PMID: 36548751 PMCID: PMC9788040 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14120854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Spider venom is a complex mixture of bioactive components. Previously, we identified two linear peptides in Lycosa poonaensis venom using mass spectrometric analysis and predicted the presence of more linear peptides therein. In this study, a transcriptomic analysis of the L. poonaensis venom gland was conducted to identify other undetermined linear peptides in the venom. The results identified 87 contigs encoding peptides and proteins in the venom that were similar to those in other spider venoms. The number of contigs identified as neurotoxins was the highest, and 15 contigs encoding 17 linear peptide sequences were identified. Seven peptides that were representative of each family were chemically synthesized, and their biological activities were evaluated. All peptides showed significant antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, although their selectivity for bacterial species differed. All peptides also exhibited paralytic activity against crickets, but none showed hemolytic activity. The secondary structure analysis based on the circular dichroism spectroscopy showed that all these peptides adopt an amphiphilic α-helical structure. Their activities appear to depend on the net charge, the arrangement of basic and acidic residues, and the hydrophobicity of the peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alhussin Mohamed Abdelhakeem Megaly
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assuit 71524, Egypt
| | - Masahiro Miyashita
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
- Correspondence:
| | - Mohammed Abdel-Wahab
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assuit 71524, Egypt
| | - Yoshiaki Nakagawa
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Hisashi Miyagawa
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
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The Deadly Toxin Arsenal of the Tree-Dwelling Australian Funnel-Web Spiders. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232113077. [PMID: 36361863 PMCID: PMC9658043 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Australian funnel-web spiders are amongst the most dangerous venomous animals. Their venoms induce potentially deadly symptoms, including hyper- and hypotension, tachycardia, bradycardia and pulmonary oedema. Human envenomation is more frequent with the ground-dwelling species, including the infamous Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus); although, only two tree-dwelling species induce more severe envenomation. To unravel the mechanisms that lead to this stark difference in clinical outcomes, we investigated the venom transcriptome and proteome of arboreal Hadronyche cerberea and H. formidabilis. Overall, Hadronyche venoms comprised 44 toxin superfamilies, with 12 being exclusive to tree-dwellers. Surprisingly, the major venom components were neprilysins and uncharacterized peptides, in addition to the well-known ω- and δ-hexatoxins and double-knot peptides. The insecticidal effects of Hadronyche venom on sheep blowflies were more potent than Atrax venom, and the venom of both tree- and ground-dwelling species potently modulated human voltage-gated sodium channels, particularly NaV1.2. Only the venom of tree-dwellers exhibited potent modulation of voltage-gated calcium channels. H. formidabilis appeared to be under less diversifying selection pressure compared to the newly adapted tree-dweller, H. cerberea. Thus, this study contributes to unravelling the fascinating molecular and pharmacological basis for the severe envenomation caused by the Australian tree-dwelling funnel-web spiders.
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Wu Y, Fan S, Dong M, Li J, Kong C, Zhuang J, Meng X, Lu S, Zhao Y, Wu C. Structure-guided design of CPPC-paired disulfide-rich peptide libraries for ligand and drug discovery. Chem Sci 2022; 13:7780-7789. [PMID: 35865895 PMCID: PMC9258321 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc00924b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptides constrained through multiple disulfides (or disulfide-rich peptides, DRPs) have been an emerging frontier for ligand and drug discovery. Such peptides have the potential to combine the binding capability of biologics with the stability and bioavailability of smaller molecules. However, DRPs with stable three-dimensional (3D) structures are usually of natural origin or engineered from natural ones. Here, we report the discovery and identification of CPPC (cysteine-proline-proline-cysteine) motif-directed DRPs with stable 3D structures (i.e., CPPC-DRPs). A range of new CPPC-DRPs were designed or selected from either random or structure-convergent peptide libraries. Thus, for the first time we revealed that the CPPC-DRPs can maintain diverse 3D structures by taking advantage of constraints from unique dimeric CPPC mini-loops, including irregular structures and regular α-helix and β-sheet folds. New CPPC-DRPs that can specifically bind the receptors (CD28) on the cell surface were also successfully discovered and identified using our DRP-discovery platform. Overall, this study provides the basis for accessing an unconventional peptide structure space previously inaccessible by natural DRPs and computational designs, inspiring the development of new peptide ligands and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yapei Wu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Shihui Fan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Meng Dong
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Jinjing Li
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Chuilian Kong
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Jie Zhuang
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Xiaoting Meng
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Shuaimin Lu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Yibing Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
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Oliveira AL, Viegas MF, da Silva SL, Soares AM, Ramos MJ, Fernandes PA. The chemistry of snake venom and its medicinal potential. Nat Rev Chem 2022; 6:451-469. [PMID: 35702592 PMCID: PMC9185726 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-022-00393-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The fascination and fear of snakes dates back to time immemorial, with the first scientific treatise on snakebite envenoming, the Brooklyn Medical Papyrus, dating from ancient Egypt. Owing to their lethality, snakes have often been associated with images of perfidy, treachery and death. However, snakes did not always have such negative connotations. The curative capacity of venom has been known since antiquity, also making the snake a symbol of pharmacy and medicine. Today, there is renewed interest in pursuing snake-venom-based therapies. This Review focuses on the chemistry of snake venom and the potential for venom to be exploited for medicinal purposes in the development of drugs. The mixture of toxins that constitute snake venom is examined, focusing on the molecular structure, chemical reactivity and target recognition of the most bioactive toxins, from which bioactive drugs might be developed. The design and working mechanisms of snake-venom-derived drugs are illustrated, and the strategies by which toxins are transformed into therapeutics are analysed. Finally, the challenges in realizing the immense curative potential of snake venom are discussed, and chemical strategies by which a plethora of new drugs could be derived from snake venom are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana L. Oliveira
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- LAQV/Requimte, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Matilde F. Viegas
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- LAQV/Requimte, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Saulo L. da Silva
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- LAQV/Requimte, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Andreimar M. Soares
- Biotechnology Laboratory for Proteins and Bioactive Compounds from the Western Amazon, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, National Institute of Epidemiology in the Western Amazon (INCT-EpiAmO), Porto Velho, Brazil
- Sao Lucas Universitary Center (UniSL), Porto Velho, Brazil
| | - Maria J. Ramos
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- LAQV/Requimte, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro A. Fernandes
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- LAQV/Requimte, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Guido-Patiño JC, Plisson F. Profiling hymenopteran venom toxins: Protein families, structural landscape, biological activities, and pharmacological benefits. Toxicon X 2022; 14:100119. [PMID: 35372826 PMCID: PMC8971319 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxcx.2022.100119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hymenopterans are an untapped source of venom secretions. Their recent proteo-transcriptomic studies have revealed an extraordinary pool of toxins that participate in various biological processes, including pain, paralysis, allergic reactions, and antimicrobial activities. Comprehensive and clade-specific campaigns to collect hymenopteran venoms are therefore needed. We consider that data-driven bioprospecting may help prioritise sampling and alleviate associated costs. This work established the current protein landscape from hymenopteran venoms to evaluate possible sample bias by studying their origins, sequence diversity, known structures, and biological functions. We collected all 282 reported hymenopteran toxins (peptides and proteins) from the UniProt database that we clustered into 21 protein families from the three studied clades - wasps, bees, and ants. We identified 119 biological targets of hymenopteran toxins ranging from pathogen membranes to eukaryotic proteases, ion channels and protein receptors. Our systematic study further extended to hymenopteran toxins' therapeutic and biotechnological values, where we revealed promising applications in crop pests, human infections, autoimmune diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders. The hymenopteran toxin diversity includes 21 protein families from 81 species. Some toxins are shared across wasps, bees and ants, others are clade-specific. Their venoms contain membrane-active peptides, neurotoxins, allergens and enzymes. Hymenopteran toxins have been tested against a total of 119 biological targets. Hymenopteran toxins were predominantly evaluated as anti-infective agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Guido-Patiño
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados Del IPN (CINVESTAV), Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para La Biodiversidad (Langebio), Irapuato, Guanajuato, 36824, Mexico
| | - Fabien Plisson
- CONACYT, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados Del IPN (CINVESTAV), Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para La Biodiversidad (Langebio), Irapuato, Guanajuato, 36824, Mexico
- Corresponding author.
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Hwang SM, Jo YY, Cohen CF, Kim YH, Berta T, Park CK. Venom Peptide Toxins Targeting the Outer Pore Region of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 in Pain: Implications for Analgesic Drug Development. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105772. [PMID: 35628583 PMCID: PMC9147560 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) ion channel plays an important role in the peripheral nociceptive pathway. TRPV1 is a polymodal receptor that can be activated by multiple types of ligands and painful stimuli, such as noxious heat and protons, and contributes to various acute and chronic pain conditions. Therefore, TRPV1 is emerging as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of various pain conditions. Notably, various peptides isolated from venomous animals potently and selectively control the activation and inhibition of TRPV1 by binding to its outer pore region. This review will focus on the mechanisms by which venom-derived peptides interact with this portion of TRPV1 to control receptor functions and how these mechanisms can drive the development of new types of analgesics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Min Hwang
- Gachon Pain Center and Department of Physiology, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon 21999, Korea; (S.-M.H.); (Y.-H.K.)
| | - Youn-Yi Jo
- Gil Medical Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 21565, Korea;
| | - Cinder Faith Cohen
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45242, USA;
| | - Yong-Ho Kim
- Gachon Pain Center and Department of Physiology, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon 21999, Korea; (S.-M.H.); (Y.-H.K.)
| | - Temugin Berta
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45242, USA;
- Correspondence: (T.B.); (C.-K.P.)
| | - Chul-Kyu Park
- Gachon Pain Center and Department of Physiology, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon 21999, Korea; (S.-M.H.); (Y.-H.K.)
- Correspondence: (T.B.); (C.-K.P.)
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Herzig V, Chen YC, Chin YKY, Dekan Z, Chang YW, Yu HM, Alewood PF, Chen CC, King GF. The Tarantula Toxin ω-Avsp1a Specifically Inhibits Human CaV3.1 and CaV3.3 via the Extracellular S3-S4 Loop of the Domain 1 Voltage-Sensor. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10051066. [PMID: 35625803 PMCID: PMC9138389 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10051066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of T-type calcium channels (CaV3) prevents development of diseases related to cardiovascular and nerve systems. Further, knockout animal studies have revealed that some diseases are mediated by specific subtypes of CaV3. However, subtype-specific CaV3 inhibitors for therapeutic purposes or for studying the physiological roles of CaV3 subtypes are missing. To bridge this gap, we employed our spider venom library and uncovered that Avicularia spec. (“Amazonas Purple”, Peru) tarantula venom inhibited specific T-type CaV channel subtypes. By using chromatographic and mass-spectrometric techniques, we isolated and sequenced the active toxin ω-Avsp1a, a C-terminally amidated 36 residue peptide with a molecular weight of 4224.91 Da, which comprised the major peak in the venom. Both native (4.1 μM) and synthetic ω-Avsp1a (10 μM) inhibited 90% of CaV3.1 and CaV3.3, but only 25% of CaV3.2 currents. In order to investigate the toxin binding site, we generated a range of chimeric channels from the less sensitive CaV3.2 and more sensitive CaV3.3. Our results suggest that domain-1 of CaV3.3 is important for the inhibitory effect of ω-Avsp1a on T-type calcium channels. Further studies revealed that a leucine of T-type calcium channels is crucial for the inhibitory effect of ω-Avsp1a.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker Herzig
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (Y.K.-Y.C.); (Z.D.); (P.F.A.)
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556, Australia
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556, Australia
- Correspondence: (V.H.); (C.-C.C.); (G.F.K.); Tel.: +61-7-5456-5382 (V.H.); +886-2-2652-3522 (C.-C.C.); +61-7-3346-2025 (G.F.K.)
| | - Yong-Cyuan Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; (Y.-C.C.); (Y.-W.C.)
| | - Yanni K.-Y. Chin
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (Y.K.-Y.C.); (Z.D.); (P.F.A.)
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Zoltan Dekan
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (Y.K.-Y.C.); (Z.D.); (P.F.A.)
| | - Yu-Wang Chang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; (Y.-C.C.); (Y.-W.C.)
| | - Hui-Ming Yu
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan;
| | - Paul F. Alewood
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (Y.K.-Y.C.); (Z.D.); (P.F.A.)
| | - Chien-Chang Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; (Y.-C.C.); (Y.-W.C.)
- Correspondence: (V.H.); (C.-C.C.); (G.F.K.); Tel.: +61-7-5456-5382 (V.H.); +886-2-2652-3522 (C.-C.C.); +61-7-3346-2025 (G.F.K.)
| | - Glenn F. King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (Y.K.-Y.C.); (Z.D.); (P.F.A.)
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
- Correspondence: (V.H.); (C.-C.C.); (G.F.K.); Tel.: +61-7-5456-5382 (V.H.); +886-2-2652-3522 (C.-C.C.); +61-7-3346-2025 (G.F.K.)
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de Melo-Braga MN, Moreira RDS, Gervásio JHDB, Felicori LF. Overview of protein posttranslational modifications in Arthropoda venoms. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2022; 28:e20210047. [PMID: 35519418 PMCID: PMC9036706 DOI: 10.1590/1678-9199-jvatitd-2021-0047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Accidents with venomous animals are a public health issue worldwide. Among the species involved in these accidents are scorpions, spiders, bees, wasps, and other members of the phylum Arthropoda. The knowledge of the function of proteins present in these venoms is important to guide diagnosis, therapeutics, besides being a source of a large variety of biotechnological active molecules. Although our understanding about the characteristics and function of arthropod venoms has been evolving in the last decades, a major aspect crucial for the function of these proteins remains poorly studied, the posttranslational modifications (PTMs). Comprehension of such modifications can contribute to better understanding the basis of envenomation, leading to improvements in the specificities of potential therapeutic toxins. Therefore, in this review, we bring to light protein/toxin PTMs in arthropod venoms by accessing the information present in the UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot database, including experimental and putative inferences. Then, we concentrate our discussion on the current knowledge on protein phosphorylation and glycosylation, highlighting the potential functionality of these modifications in arthropod venom. We also briefly describe general approaches to study "PTM-functional-venomics", herein referred to the integration of PTM-venomics with a functional investigation of PTM impact on venom biology. Furthermore, we discuss the bottlenecks in toxinology studies covering PTM investigation. In conclusion, through the mining of PTMs in arthropod venoms, we observed a large gap in this field that limits our understanding on the biology of these venoms, affecting the diagnosis and therapeutics development. Hence, we encourage community efforts to draw attention to a better understanding of PTM in arthropod venom toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcella Nunes de Melo-Braga
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Raniele da Silva Moreira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - João Henrique Diniz Brandão Gervásio
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Liza Figueiredo Felicori
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
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do Nascimento SM, de Oliveira UC, Nishiyama-Jr MY, Tashima AK, Silva Junior PID. Presence of a neprilysin on Avicularia juruensis (Mygalomorphae: Theraphosidae) venom. TOXIN REV 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/15569543.2021.1878226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Soraia Maria do Nascimento
- Laboratory of Applied Toxinology – Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS/CEPID), Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program Interunits in Biotechnology, USP/IBu/IPT, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ursula Castro de Oliveira
- Laboratory of Applied Toxinology – Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS/CEPID), Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Milton Yutaka Nishiyama-Jr
- Laboratory of Applied Toxinology – Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS/CEPID), Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Pedro Ismael da Silva Junior
- Laboratory of Applied Toxinology – Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS/CEPID), Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program Interunits in Biotechnology, USP/IBu/IPT, São Paulo, Brazil
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Marchi FC, Mendes-Silva E, Rodrigues-Ribeiro L, Bolais-Ramos LG, Verano-Braga T. Toxinology in the proteomics era: a review on arachnid venom proteomics. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2022; 28:20210034. [PMID: 35291269 PMCID: PMC8893269 DOI: 10.1590/1678-9199-jvatitd-2021-0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The word venomics was coined to acknowledge the studies that use omics to investigate venom proteins and peptides. Venomics has evolved considerably over the last 20 years. The first works on scorpion or spider venomics were published in the early 2000's. Such studies relied on peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) to characterize venom complexity. After the introduction of new mass spectrometers with higher resolution, sensitivity and mass accuracy, and the next-generation nucleotide sequencing, the complexity of data reported in research on scorpion and spider venomics increased exponentially, which allowed more comprehensive studies. In the present review article, we covered key publications on scorpion venomics and spider venomics, presenting historical grounds and implemented technologies over the last years. The literature presented in this review was selected after searching the PubMed database using the terms "(scorpion venom) AND (proteome)" for scorpion venomics, and "(spider venom) AND (proteome)" for publications on spider venomics. We presented the key aspects related to proteomics in the covered papers including, but not restricted to, the employed proteomic strategy (i.e., PMF, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, shotgun/bottom-up and/or top-down/peptidome), and the type of mass spectrometer used. Some conclusions can be drawn from the present study. For example, the scorpion genus Tityus is the most studied concerning venomics, followed by Centruroides; whereas for spiders the studied genera were found more equally distributed. Another interesting conclusion is the lack of high throughput studies on post-translational modifications (PTMs) of scorpion and spider proteins. In our opinion, PTMs should be more studied as they can modulate the activity of scorpion and spider toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipi Calbaizer Marchi
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Edneia Mendes-Silva
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Lucas Rodrigues-Ribeiro
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Lucas Gabriel Bolais-Ramos
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Thiago Verano-Braga
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
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40
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Dongol Y, Choi PM, Wilson DT, Daly NL, Cardoso FC, Lewis RJ. Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Modulation by a New Spider Toxin Ssp1a Isolated From an Australian Theraphosid. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:795455. [PMID: 35002728 PMCID: PMC8740163 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.795455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the important role of voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channel-modulating spider toxins in elucidating the function, pharmacology, and mechanism of action of therapeutically relevant NaV channels, we screened the venom from Australian theraphosid species against the human pain target hNaV1.7. Using assay-guided fractionation, we isolated a 33-residue inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) peptide (Ssp1a) belonging to the NaSpTx1 family. Recombinant Ssp1a (rSsp1a) inhibited neuronal hNaV subtypes with a rank order of potency hNaV1.7 > 1.6 > 1.2 > 1.3 > 1.1. rSsp1a inhibited hNaV1.7, hNaV1.2 and hNaV1.3 without significantly altering the voltage-dependence of activation, inactivation, or delay in recovery from inactivation. However, rSsp1a demonstrated voltage-dependent inhibition at hNaV1.7 and rSsp1a-bound hNaV1.7 opened at extreme depolarizations, suggesting rSsp1a likely interacted with voltage-sensing domain II (VSD II) of hNaV1.7 to trap the channel in its resting state. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed key structural features of Ssp1a, including an amphipathic surface with hydrophobic and charged patches shown by docking studies to comprise the interacting surface. This study provides the basis for future structure-function studies to guide the development of subtype selective inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yashad Dongol
- Centre for Pain Research, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Phil M. Choi
- Centre for Pain Research, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - David T. Wilson
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Norelle L. Daly
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Fernanda C. Cardoso
- Centre for Pain Research, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Richard J. Lewis
- Centre for Pain Research, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Stingray Venom Proteins: Mechanisms of Action Revealed Using a Novel Network Pharmacology Approach. Mar Drugs 2021; 20:md20010027. [PMID: 35049882 PMCID: PMC8781517 DOI: 10.3390/md20010027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal venoms offer a valuable source of potent new drug leads, but their mechanisms of action are largely unknown. We therefore developed a novel network pharmacology approach based on multi-omics functional data integration to predict how stingray venom disrupts the physiological systems of target animals. We integrated 10 million transcripts from five stingray venom transcriptomes and 848,640 records from three high-content venom bioactivity datasets into a large functional data network. The network featured 216 signaling pathways, 29 of which were shared and targeted by 70 transcripts and 70 bioactivity hits. The network revealed clusters for single envenomation outcomes, such as pain, cardiotoxicity and hemorrhage. We carried out a detailed analysis of the pain cluster representing a primary envenomation symptom, revealing bibrotoxin and cholecystotoxin-like transcripts encoding pain-inducing candidate proteins in stingray venom. The cluster also suggested that such pain-inducing toxins primarily activate the inositol-3-phosphate receptor cascade, inducing intracellular calcium release. We also found strong evidence for synergistic activity among these candidates, with nerve growth factors cooperating with the most abundant translationally-controlled tumor proteins to activate pain signaling pathways. Our network pharmacology approach, here applied to stingray venom, can be used as a template for drug discovery in neglected venomous species.
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42
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Lüddecke T, Vilcinskas A. Heilen mit Tiergiften. CHEM UNSERER ZEIT 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ciuz.202100005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tim Lüddecke
- Fraunhofer Institut für Molekularbiologie und Angewandte Ökologie IME Abteilung Bioressourcen Ohlebergsweg 12 35392 Gießen
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Macpherson A, Birtley JR, Broadbridge RJ, Brady K, Schulze MSED, Tang Y, Joyce C, Saunders K, Bogle G, Horton J, Kelm S, Taylor RD, Franklin RJ, Selby MD, Laabei M, Wonfor T, Hold A, Stanley P, Vadysirisack D, Shi J, van den Elsen J, Lawson ADG. The Chemical Synthesis of Knob Domain Antibody Fragments. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:1757-1769. [PMID: 34406751 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.1c00472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cysteine-rich knob domains found in the ultralong complementarity determining regions of a subset of bovine antibodies are capable of functioning autonomously as 3-6 kDa peptides. While they can be expressed recombinantly in cellular systems, in this paper we show that knob domains are also readily amenable to a chemical synthesis, with a co-crystal structure of a chemically synthesized knob domain in complex with an antigen showing structural equivalence to the biological product. For drug discovery, following the immunization of cattle, knob domain peptides can be synthesized directly from antibody sequence data, combining the power and diversity of the bovine immune repertoire with the ability to rapidly incorporate nonbiological modifications. We demonstrate that, through rational design with non-natural amino acids, a paratope diversity can be massively expanded, in this case improving the efficacy of an allosteric peptide. As a potential route to further improve stability, we also performed head-to-tail cyclizations, exploiting the proximity of the N and C termini to synthesize functional, fully cyclic antibody fragments. Lastly, we highlight the stability of knob domains in plasma and, through pharmacokinetic studies, use palmitoylation as a route to extend the plasma half-life of knob domains in vivo. This study presents an antibody-derived medicinal chemistry platform, with protocols for solid-phase synthesis of knob domains, together with the characterization of their molecular structures, in vitro pharmacology, and pharmacokinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Macpherson
- UCB Pharma, Slough SL1 3WE, U.K
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, U.K
| | | | | | | | | | - Yalan Tang
- UCB-Ra Pharma, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140, United States
| | - Callum Joyce
- UCB Pharma, Slough SL1 3WE, U.K
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, U.K
| | | | | | - John Horton
- Peptide Protein Research, Bishops Waltham SO32 1QD, U.K
| | | | | | | | | | - Maisem Laabei
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, U.K
| | - Toska Wonfor
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, U.K
| | | | | | | | | | - Jean van den Elsen
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, U.K
- Centre for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, U.K
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Simone Y, van der Meijden A. Armed stem to stinger: a review of the ecological roles of scorpion weapons. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2021; 27:e20210002. [PMID: 34527038 PMCID: PMC8425188 DOI: 10.1590/1678-9199-jvatitd-2021-0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Scorpions possess two systems of weapons: the pincers (chelae) and the stinger (telson). These are placed on anatomically and developmentally well separated parts of the body, that is, the oral appendages and at the end of the body axis. The otherwise conserved body plan of scorpions varies most in the shape and relative dimensions of these two weapon systems, both across species and in some cases between the sexes. We review the literature on the ecological function of these two weapon systems in each of three contexts of usage: (i) predation, (ii) defense and (iii) sexual contests. In the latter context, we will also discuss their usage in mating. We first provide a comparative background for each of these contexts of usage by giving examples of other weapon systems from across the animal kingdom. Then, we discuss the pertinent aspects of the anatomy of the weapon systems, particularly those aspects relevant to their functioning in their ecological roles. The literature on the functioning and ecological role of both the chelae and the telson is discussed in detail, again organized by context of usage. Particular emphasis is given on the differences in morphology or usage between species or higher taxonomic groups, or between genders, as such cases are most insightful to understand the roles of each of the two distinct weapon systems of the scorpions and their evolutionary interactions. We aimed to synthesize the literature while minimizing conjecture, but also to point out gaps in the literature and potential future research opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri Simone
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Porto, Portugal
| | - Arie van der Meijden
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Porto, Portugal
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45
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Medema MH, de Rond T, Moore BS. Mining genomes to illuminate the specialized chemistry of life. Nat Rev Genet 2021; 22:553-571. [PMID: 34083778 PMCID: PMC8364890 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-021-00363-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
All organisms produce specialized organic molecules, ranging from small volatile chemicals to large gene-encoded peptides, that have evolved to provide them with diverse cellular and ecological functions. As natural products, they are broadly applied in medicine, agriculture and nutrition. The rapid accumulation of genomic information has revealed that the metabolic capacity of virtually all organisms is vastly underappreciated. Pioneered mainly in bacteria and fungi, genome mining technologies are accelerating metabolite discovery. Recent efforts are now being expanded to all life forms, including protists, plants and animals, and new integrative omics technologies are enabling the increasingly effective mining of this molecular diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marnix H Medema
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tristan de Rond
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Bradley S Moore
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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46
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Zha J, Li J, Fan S, Duan Z, Zhao Y, Wu C. An evolution-inspired strategy to design disulfide-rich peptides tolerant to extensive sequence manipulation. Chem Sci 2021; 12:11464-11472. [PMID: 34567500 PMCID: PMC8409457 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc02952e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural disulfide-rich peptides (DRPs) are valuable scaffolds for the development of new bioactive molecules and therapeutics. However, there are only a limited number of topologically distinct DRP folds in nature, and most of them suffer from the problem of in vitro oxidative folding. Thus, strategies to design DRPs with new constrained topologies beyond the scope of natural folds are desired. Herein we report a general evolution-inspired strategy to design new DRPs with diverse disulfide frameworks, which relies on the incorporation of two cysteine residues and a random peptide sequence into a precursor disulfide-stabilized fold. These peptides can spontaneously fold in redox buffers to the expected tricyclic topologies with high yields. Moreover, we demonstrated that these DRPs can be used as templates for the construction of phage-displayed peptide libraries, enabling the discovery of new DRP ligands from fully randomized sequences. This study thus paves the way for the development of new DRP ligands and therapeutics with structures not derived from natural DRPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zha
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China .,College of Continuing Education, Guizhou Minzu University Guiyang 550025 China
| | - Jinjing Li
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Shihui Fan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Zengping Duan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Yibing Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
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47
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Lüddecke T, Herzig V, von Reumont BM, Vilcinskas A. The biology and evolution of spider venoms. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 97:163-178. [PMID: 34453398 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Spiders are diverse, predatory arthropods that have inhabited Earth for around 400 million years. They are well known for their complex venom systems that are used to overpower their prey. Spider venoms contain many proteins and peptides with highly specific and potent activities suitable for biomedical or agrochemical applications, but the key role of venoms as an evolutionary innovation is often overlooked, even though this has enabled spiders to emerge as one of the most successful animal lineages. In this review, we discuss these neglected biological aspects of spider venoms. We focus on the morphology of spider venom systems, their major components, biochemical and chemical plasticity, as well as ecological and evolutionary trends. We argue that the effectiveness of spider venoms is due to their unprecedented complexity, with diverse components working synergistically to increase the overall potency. The analysis of spider venoms is difficult to standardize because they are dynamic systems, fine-tuned and modified by factors such as sex, life-history stage and biological role. Finally, we summarize the mechanisms that drive spider venom evolution and highlight the need for genome-based studies to reconstruct the evolutionary history and physiological networks of spider venom compounds with more certainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Lüddecke
- Department for Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, Gießen, 35392, Germany.,LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, Frankfurt am Main, 60325, Germany
| | - Volker Herzig
- GeneCology Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia.,School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia
| | - Björn M von Reumont
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, Frankfurt am Main, 60325, Germany.,Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, Gießen, 35392, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Department for Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, Gießen, 35392, Germany.,LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, Frankfurt am Main, 60325, Germany.,Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, Gießen, 35392, Germany
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48
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Xun C, Wang L, Yang H, Xiao Z, Deng M, Xu R, Zhou X, Chen P, Liu Z. Origin and Characterization of Extracellular Vesicles Present in the Spider Venom of Ornithoctonus hainana. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13080579. [PMID: 34437450 PMCID: PMC8402349 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13080579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes and microvesicles, are membranous vesicles released from nearly all cellular types. They contain various bioactive molecules, and their molecular composition varies depending on their cellular origin. As research into venomous animals has progressed, EVs have been discovered in the venom of snakes and parasitic wasps. Although vesicle secretion in spider venom glands has been observed, these secretory vesicles’ origin and biological properties are unknown. In this study, the origin of the EVs from Ornithoctonus hainana venom was observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The Ornithoctonus hainana venom extracellular vesicles (HN-EVs) were isolated and purified by density gradient centrifugation. HN-EVs possess classic membranous vesicles with a size distribution ranging from 50 to 150 nm and express the arthropod EV marker Tsp29Fb. The LC-MS/MS analysis identified a total of 150 proteins, which were divided into three groups according to their potential function: conservative vesicle transport-related proteins, virulence-related proteins, and other proteins of unknown function. Functionally, HN-EVs have hyaluronidase activity and inhibit the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) by affecting the cytoskeleton and cell cycle. Overall, this study investigates the biological characteristics of HN-EVs for the first time and sheds new light on the envenomation process of spider venom.
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49
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Kuhn-Nentwig L, Lischer HEL, Pekár S, Langenegger N, Albo MJ, Isaia M, Nentwig W. Linear Peptides-A Combinatorial Innovation in the Venom of Some Modern Spiders. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:705141. [PMID: 34295924 PMCID: PMC8290080 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.705141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In the venom of spiders, linear peptides (LPs), also called cytolytical or antimicrobial peptides, represent a largely neglected group of mostly membrane active substances that contribute in some spider species considerably to the killing power of spider venom. By next-generation sequencing venom gland transcriptome analysis, we investigated 48 spider species from 23 spider families and detected LPs in 20 species, belonging to five spider families (Ctenidae, Lycosidae, Oxyopidae, Pisauridae, and Zodariidae). The structural diversity is extraordinary high in some species: the lynx spider Oxyopes heterophthalmus contains 62 and the lycosid Pardosa palustris 60 different LPs. In total, we identified 524 linear peptide structures and some of them are in lycosids identical on amino acid level. LPs are mainly encoded in complex precursor structures in which, after the signal peptide and propeptide, 13 or more LPs (Hogna radiata) are connected by linkers. Besides Cupiennius species, also in Oxyopidae, posttranslational modifications of some precursor structures result in the formation of two-chain peptides. It is obvious that complex precursor structures represent a very suitable and fast method to produce a high number and a high diversity of bioactive LPs as economically as possible. At least in Lycosidae, Oxyopidae, and in the genus Cupiennius, LPs reach very high Transcripts Per Kilobase Million values, indicating functional importance within the envenomation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Kuhn-Nentwig
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Heidi E. L. Lischer
- Interfaculty Bioinformatics Unit, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Stano Pekár
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - Maria J. Albo
- Departamento de Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias, UdelaR, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Ecología y Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Investigaciones Biologicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Marco Isaia
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Wolfgang Nentwig
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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50
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Han Q, Huang L, Li J, Wang Z, Gao H, Yang Z, Zhou Z, Liu Z. Neurotoxins in the venom gland of Calommata signata, a burrowing spider. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY D-GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2021; 40:100871. [PMID: 34315107 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2021.100871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Calommata signata, a burrowing spider, represents a special type of predation mode in spiders, and its utilization of toxins is different from that of web-weaving spiders and wandering spiders. The existing researches on spider toxins are mainly focused on the web-weaving and wandering spiders, but little attention on that of the burrowing spiders. Through transcriptome sequencing of C. signata venom gland and the remaining part as the counterpart tissue, 25 putative neurotoxin precursors were identified. These most neurotoxins were novel because their low similarities with the known sequences except for that of over 50% similarities in four neuropeptide toxins. The 25 neuropeptide toxins were divided into five families according to the constitution of cysteines for the possible disulfide bonds and the similarities of the deduced amino acid sequences. Besides neuropeptide toxins, other potential toxins in the venom gland were also analyzed. Unlike web-weaving spiders and wandering spiders, only a few neurotoxin genes were significantly expressed in the venom gland of C. signata. In the non-peptide toxin genes, only CsTryp_SPc-1, CsPA2-1, CsVa5-2 and four PDI genes were abundantly expressed in the venom gland. The present study provided an improved understanding on the spider toxin diversity and useful information for the exploitation of spider toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Han
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Lixin Huang
- Department of Applied Microbiology, Jiangsu Lixiahe District Institute of Agricultural Sciences/National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Microbiology, Yangzhou 225007, China
| | - Jingjing Li
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zhaoying Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Haoli Gao
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zhiming Yang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zhangjin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zewen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China.
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