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Dersch L, Stahlhut A, Eichberg J, Paas A, Hardes K, Vilcinskas A, Lüddecke T. Engineering a wolf spider A-family toxin towards increased antimicrobial activity but low toxicity. Toxicon 2024:107810. [PMID: 38880255 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.107810] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Spider-derived peptides with insecticidal, antimicrobial and/or cytolytic activities, also known as spider venom antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), can be found in the venoms of RTA-clade spiders. They show translational potential as therapeutic leads. A set of 52 AMPs has been described in the Chinese wolf spider (Lycosa shansia), and many have been shown to exhibit antibacterial effects. Here we explored the potential to enhance their antimicrobial activity using bioengineering. We generated a panel of artificial derivatives of an A-family peptide and screened their activity against selected microbial pathogens, vertebrate cells and insects. In several cases, we increased the antimicrobial activity of the derivatives while retaining the low cytotoxicity of the parental molecule. Furthermore, we injected the peptides into adult Drosophila suzukii and found no evidence of insecticidal effects, confirming the low levels of toxicity. Our data therefore suggest that spider venom linear peptides naturally defend the venom gland against microbial colonization and can be modified into more potent antimicrobial agents that could help to battle infectious diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludwig Dersch
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Antonia Stahlhut
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Johanna Eichberg
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany; BMBF Junior Research Group in Infection Research "ASCRIBE", Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Anne Paas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Kornelia Hardes
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany; BMBF Junior Research Group in Infection Research "ASCRIBE", Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany; Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Tim Lüddecke
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
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Fusco T, Fattorini S, Fortini L, Ruzzier E, Di Giulio A. Ground spiders (Chelicerata, Araneae) of an urban green space: intensive sampling in a protected area of Rome (Italy) reveals a high diversity and new records to the Italian territory. Biodivers Data J 2024; 12:e122896. [PMID: 38883208 PMCID: PMC11179096 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.12.e122896] [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: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Urbanisation is a rapidly growing global phenomenon leading to habitat destruction, fragmentation and degradation. However, urban areas can offer opportunities for conservation, particularly through the presence of green spaces which can even provide important habitats for imperilled species. Spiders, which play crucial roles in ecosystem functioning, include many species that can successfully exploit urban environments. Placed in the middle of the Mediterranean global biodiversity hotspot, Italy possesses an exceptionally rich spider fauna, yet comprehensive data on urban spider communities are still limited. More information on urban spiders in Italy would be extremely beneficial to support conservation efforts, especially in central and southern Italy, where knowledge on the spider fauna is largely incomplete. New information The current study focused on the spider diversity of a large protected area (Appia Antica Regional Park) in urban Rome, Italy. A total of 120 spider species belonging to 83 genera and 28 families were identified, with 70 species being new records to the Province of Rome, 39 to the Latium Region and two (Pelecopsisdigitulus Bosmans & Abrous, 1992 and Palliduphantesarenicola (Denis, 1964)) to Italy.Forty-one species were recorded during autumn/winter sampling and 107 in spring/summer. The spider fauna recorded from the study area included about 37% of the total spider fauna known from the Province of Rome, 28% of that of the Latium Region and 7% of the entire Italian territory. The most represented families in terms of species richness were Gnaphosidae and Linyphiidae, which accounted for more than 40% of the sampled fauna. Lycosidae were the most abundant family (29% of captured individuals), followed by Zodariidae (16% of captured individuals), Linyphiidae (13% of captured individuals) and Gnaphosidae (7.5% of captured individuals). From a biogeographical point of view, most of the collected species belonged to chorotypes that extend for large areas across Europe and the Mediterranean. The research highlights the role of urban green spaces as refuges for spiders and the importance of arachnological research in urban areas as sources of information on spider biodiversity at larger scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Fusco
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, Rome, Italy Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446 Rome Italy
| | - Simone Fattorini
- Università dell'Aquila, Dipartimento di Medicina clinica, sanità pubblica, scienze della vita e dell'ambiente, L'Aquila, Italy Università dell'Aquila, Dipartimento di Medicina clinica, sanità pubblica, scienze della vita e dell'ambiente L'Aquila Italy
| | - Lorenzo Fortini
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, Rome, Italy Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446 Rome Italy
| | - Enrico Ruzzier
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, Rome, Italy Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446 Rome Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center Palermo Italy
| | - Andrea Di Giulio
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, Rome, Italy Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446 Rome Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center Palermo Italy
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Xue Q, Swevers L, Taning CNT. Drosophila X virus-like particles as delivery carriers for improved oral insecticidal efficacy of scorpion Androctonus australis peptide against the invasive fruit fly, Drosophila suzukii. INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 31:847-858. [PMID: 37681406 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Insect-specific neurotoxic peptides derived from the venoms of scorpions and spiders can cause acute paralysis and death when injected into insects, offering a promising insecticidal component for insect pest control. However, effective delivery systems are required to help neurotoxic peptides pass through the gut barrier into the hemolymph, where they can act. Here, we investigated the potential of a novel nanocarrier, Drosophila X virus-like particle (DXV-VLP), for delivering a neurotoxin from the scorpion Androctonus australis Hector (AaIT) against the invasive pest fruit fly, Drosophila suzukii. Our results show that the fusion proteins of DXV polyproteins with AaIT peptide at their C-termini could be sufficiently produced in Lepidoptera Hi5 cells in a soluble form using the recombinant baculovirus expression system, and could self-assemble into VLPs with similar particle morphology and size to authentic DXV virions. In addition, the AaIT peptides displayed on DXV-VLPs retained their toxicity, as demonstrated in injection bioassays that resulted in severe mortality (72%) in adults after 72 h. When fed to adults, mild mortality was observed in the group treated with DXV-AaIT (38%), while no mortality occurred in the group treated with AaIT peptide, thus indicating the significant role of DXV-VLPs in delivering AaIT peptides. Overall, this proof-of-concept study demonstrates for the first time that VLPs can be exploited to enhance oral delivery of insect-specific neurotoxic peptides in the context of pest control. Moreover, it provides insights for further improvements and potentially the development of neurotoxin-based bioinsecticides and/or transgenic crops for insect pest control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Xue
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Luc Swevers
- Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biosciences and Applications, National Centre for Scientific Research "Demokritos", Athens, Greece
| | - Clauvis Nji Tizi Taning
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Wang K, Yan Y, Huang L, Sun H, Yu N, Liu Z. Insecticidal activity of the spider neurotoxin PPTX-04 through modulating insect voltage-gated sodium channel. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 201:105853. [PMID: 38685212 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2024.105853] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Ion channels on cell membrane are molecular targets of more than half peptide neurotoxins from spiders. From Pardosa pseudoannulata, a predatory spider on a range of insect pests, we characterized a peptide neurotoxin PPTX-04 with an insecticidal activity. PPTX-04 showed high toxicity to Nilaparvata lugens, a main prey of P. pseudoannulata, and the toxicity was not affected by the resistance to etofenprox (IUPAC chemical name:1-ethoxy-4-[2-methyl-1-[(3-phenoxyphenyl)methoxy]propan-2-yl]benzene, purity: 99%). On N. lugens voltage-gated sodium channel NlNav1 expressed in Xenopus oocytes, PPTX-04 prolonged the channel opening and induced tail currents, which is similar to pyrethroid insecticides. However, PPTX-04 potency on NlNav1 was not affected by mutations conferring pyrethroid resistance in insects, which revealed that PPTX-04 and pyrethroids should act on different receptors in NlNav1. In contrast, two mutations at the extracellular site 4 significantly reduced PPTX-04 potency, which indicated that PPTX-04 would act on a potential receptor containing the site 4 in NlNav1. The result from the molecular docking supported the conclusion that the binding pocket of PPTX-04 in NlNav1 should contain the site 4. In summary, PPTX-04 had high insecticidal activity through acting on a distinct receptor site in insect Nav, and was a potential resource to control insect pests and manage resistance to pyrethroids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kan Wang
- Key laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yangyang Yan
- Key laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, 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
| | - Huahua Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 30071, China
| | - Na Yu
- Key laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, 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, Nanjing 210095, China.
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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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Peng Z, Wei C, Cai J, Zou Z, Chen J. Characterization of an antimicrobial peptide family from the venom gland of Heteropoda venatoria. Toxicon 2024; 241:107657. [PMID: 38428753 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.107657] [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: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Spider venom boasts extensive peptide diversity, constituting a natural biochemical arsenal for defense and predation. The new family HvAMPs, including 9 homologous members, were identified from the unnormalized cDNA library of Heteropoda venatoria venom gland by Sanger sequencing. The putative mature peptide is composed of 22 aliphatic amino acid residues. The mature peptides of HvAMP1 and HvAMP5, with 3 different amino acids, were synthesized and both were shown to adopt an amphipathic α-helical structure and amphipathicity in SDS buffer by CD spectroscopy. In comparison to HvAMP1, HvAMP5 exhibits higher antibacterial activity, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria, coupled with reduced hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity. Results from SYTO 9/PI staining indicate that HvAMP5 acts by disrupting bacterial cell membranes. Analysis of the relationships between structures and functions suggests that HvAMP5 enhances antibacterial activity and reduces mammalian cell toxicity by increasing positive charge and proline substitution. The three residues variation can augment the electrostatic attraction of antibacterial peptides to the bacterial phospholipid bilayer. The present study suggests that the HvAMPs may exert lytic action against cells of different origins to increase cellular and tissue barrier permeability to facilitate spider's defense or predation. Moreover, HvAMP5 holds promise as a novel antibacterial agent for treating Gram-positive bacterial infections. Simultaneously, the numerous diverse amino acid residue substitutions within the HvAMP family offer a template for future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihao Peng
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410000, China
| | - Chao Wei
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410000, China
| | - Jisen Cai
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410000, China
| | - Zhaoxia Zou
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410000, China; School of Public Health & Laboratory Medicine, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua, 418000, China.
| | - Jinjun Chen
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410000, China; Hunan Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Cell Mechanics and Function Analysis, Changsha, 418000, China.
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Jiménez J, Kemmerer M, King GF, Polston JE, Bonning BC. Coat protein of a whitefly-vectored plant virus as a delivery system to target whitefly. Microb Biotechnol 2024; 17:e14468. [PMID: 38635158 PMCID: PMC11025618 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14468] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The sweet potato whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is responsible for significant crop losses and presents one of the greatest challenges for global agricultural pest management. Management of whitefly populations and associated plant viral diseases is hindered by widespread whitefly resistance to chemical insecticides. An alternative control approach involves the use of insect-specific neurotoxins, but these require delivery from the whitefly gut into the haemocoel. Here we demonstrate that the coat protein (CP) of a begomovirus, Tomato yellow leaf curl virus, is sufficient for delivery of fused proteins into the whitefly haemocoel without virion assembly. Following feeding on the recombinant CP-P-mCherry fusion (where -P- is a proline-rich linker), mCherry fluorescence was detected in the dorsal aorta and pericardial cells of the whitefly, but not in those of whitefly fed on negative control treatments, indicating effective CP-mediated delivery of mCherry into the whitefly haemocoel. Significant mortality was observed in whiteflies fed on a fusion of CP-P to the insect-specific neurotoxin Hv1a, but not in whiteflies fed on CP-P fused to a disarmed Hv1a mutant. Begomovirus coat protein - insect neurotoxin fusions hold considerable potential for transgenic resistance to whitefly providing valuable tools for whitefly management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Jiménez
- Department of Entomology and NematologyUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
- Present address:
Instituto de Ciencias Agrarias – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICA‐CSIC)MadridSpain
| | - Mariah Kemmerer
- Department of Entomology and NematologyUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
- Present address:
Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of DelawareNewarkDelawareUSA
| | - Glenn F. King
- Centre for Future Medicines, Institute for Molecular BioscienceThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein ScienceThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Jane E. Polston
- Department of Plant PathologyUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Bryony C. Bonning
- Department of Entomology and NematologyUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
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Li M, Mao K, Huang M, Liao Y, Fu J, Pan K, Shi Q, Gao B. Venomics Reveals the Venom Complexity of Sea Anemone Heteractis magnifica. Mar Drugs 2024; 22:71. [PMID: 38393042 PMCID: PMC10890322 DOI: 10.3390/md22020071] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The venoms of various sea anemones are rich in diverse toxins, which usually play a dual role in capturing prey and deterring predators. However, the complex components of such venoms have not been well known yet. Here, venomics of integrating transcriptomic and proteomic technologies was applied for the first time to identify putative protein and peptide toxins from different tissues of the representative sea anemone, Heteractis magnifica. The transcriptomic analysis of H. magnifica identified 728 putative toxin sequences, including 442 and 381 from the tentacles and the column, respectively, and they were assigned to 68 gene superfamilies. The proteomic analysis confirmed 101 protein and peptide toxins in the venom, including 91 in the tentacles and 39 in the column. The integrated venomics also confirmed that some toxins such as the ShK-like peptides and defensins are co-expressed in both the tentacles and the column. Meanwhile, a homology analysis was conducted to predict the three-dimensional structures and potential activity of seven representative toxins. Altogether, this venomics study revealed the venom complexity of H. magnifica, which will help deepen our understanding of cnidarian toxins, thereby supporting the in-depth development of valuable marine drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China; (M.L.); (K.M.); (M.H.); (Y.L.); (J.F.); (K.P.)
| | - Kailin Mao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China; (M.L.); (K.M.); (M.H.); (Y.L.); (J.F.); (K.P.)
| | - Meiling Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China; (M.L.); (K.M.); (M.H.); (Y.L.); (J.F.); (K.P.)
| | - Yanling Liao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China; (M.L.); (K.M.); (M.H.); (Y.L.); (J.F.); (K.P.)
| | - Jinxing Fu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China; (M.L.); (K.M.); (M.H.); (Y.L.); (J.F.); (K.P.)
| | - Kun Pan
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China; (M.L.); (K.M.); (M.H.); (Y.L.); (J.F.); (K.P.)
| | - Qiong Shi
- Laboratory of Aquatic Genomics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518057, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, Shenzhen 518081, China
| | - Bingmiao Gao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China; (M.L.); (K.M.); (M.H.); (Y.L.); (J.F.); (K.P.)
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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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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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Barrientos JA, Prieto CE, Pina S, Henriques SS, Sousa P, Schindler S, Reino L, Beja P, Santana J. Arachnid Fauna (Araneae and Opiliones) from the Castro Verde Special Protection Area, southern Portugal. Biodivers Data J 2023; 11:e110415. [PMID: 38098784 PMCID: PMC10719938 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.11.e110415] [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: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background With the increasing recognition of the significance of arachnid conservation, it is crucial to allocate greater efforts towards implementing targeted monitoring programmes. Despite recent studies, our understanding of arachnid populations in Portugal remains limited. This study serves as the initial inventory of arachnids (Araneae and Opiliones) within the Castro Verde Special Protection Area (SPA) located in Beja, southern Portugal. The surveys were conducted during the spring of 2012 across 80 open grasslands that were grazed by cattle and sheep. New information A total of 71 species of Araneae and two species of Opiliones have been identified. Notably, three spider species, namely Argennasubnigra, Civizelotesibericus and Walckenaeriacucullata, are documented for the first time in Portugal. Additionally, two harvestmen species (Dasylobusibericus and Homalenotusbuchneri) and 14 spider species (Cheiracanthiumpennatum, Haplodrassusrhodanicus, Marinarozelotesminutus, Tapinocybaalgirica, Agraecinalineata, Tibellusmacellus, Talaverapetrensis, Tetragnathaintermedia, Dipoenaumbratilis, Enoplognathadiversa, Neottiurauncinata, Ruborridionmusivum, Theridionpinastri and Xysticusgrallator) are recorded for the first time in the Beja District. The occurrence of each documented species within the SPA, including family and species details, is presented, underscoring the significance of the Castro Verde SPA for arachnid conservation. These findings contribute novel insights into the biodiversity of the Castro Verde SPA, emphasising the necessity of incorporating this area into arachnid diversity conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A. Barrientos
- c/ Balmes, 181, 3º, 2ª. 08006, Barcelona, Spainc/ Balmes, 181, 3º, 2ª. 08006BarcelonaSpain
| | - Carlos E. Prieto
- Departamento de Zoología y Biología Celular Animal, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU). Apdo. 644, 48080, Bilbao, SpainDepartamento de Zoología y Biología Celular Animal, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU). Apdo. 644, 48080BilbaoSpain
| | - Sílvia Pina
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661VairãoPortugal
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisboa, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017LisboaPortugal
| | - Sérgio S Henriques
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisboa, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017LisboaPortugal
- Global Center for Species Survival, Indianapolis Zoo, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of AmericaGlobal Center for Species Survival, Indianapolis ZooIndianapolis, IndianaUnited States of America
- International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Species Survival Commission (SSC), Spider and Scorpion Specialist Group, Gland, SwitzerlandInternational Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Species Survival Commission (SSC), Spider and Scorpion Specialist GroupGlandSwitzerland
| | - Pedro Sousa
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661VairãoPortugal
- International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Species Survival Commission (SSC), Spider and Scorpion Specialist Group, Gland, SwitzerlandInternational Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Species Survival Commission (SSC), Spider and Scorpion Specialist GroupGlandSwitzerland
| | - Stefan Schindler
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661VairãoPortugal
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisboa, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017LisboaPortugal
- Community Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Community Ecology and Conservation Research Group, Kamýcká 129, CZ-165 00, Prague, Czech RepublicCommunity Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Community Ecology and Conservation Research Group, Kamýcká 129, CZ-165 00PragueCzech Republic
| | - Luís Reino
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661VairãoPortugal
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisboa, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017LisboaPortugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, PortugalBIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661VairãoPortugal
| | - Pedro Beja
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661VairãoPortugal
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisboa, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017LisboaPortugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, PortugalBIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661VairãoPortugal
| | - Joana Santana
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661VairãoPortugal
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisboa, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017LisboaPortugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, PortugalBIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661VairãoPortugal
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12
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Yu N, Yan Y, Han Q, Zhang L, Liu Z. Insecticidal toxicity of ω-Atypitoxin-Cs1a and its inhibitory effects on insect voltage-gated calcium channels. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:4879-4885. [PMID: 37506304 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Excessive use of chemical insecticides raises concerns about insecticide resistance, urging the development of novel insecticides. Peptide neurotoxins from spider venom are an incredibly rich source of ion channel modulators with potent insecticidal activity. A neurotoxin U1-Atypitoxin-Cs1a from the spider Calommata signata was annotated previously. It was of interest to investigate its insecticidal activity and potential molecular targets. RESULTS Cs1a was heterologously expressed, purified and pharmacologically characterized here. The recombinant neurotoxin inhibited high-voltage-activated calcium channel currents with an median inhibitory concentration (IC50 ) value of 0.182 ± 0.026 μm on cockroach DUM neurons and thus was designated as ω-Atypitoxin-Cs1a. The recombinant Cs1a was toxic to three insect pests of agricultural importance, Nilaparvata lugens, Spodoptera frugiperda and Plutella xylostella with median lethal concentration (LD50 ) values of 0.121, 0.172 and 0.356 nmol g-1 , respectively, at 24 h postinjection. Cs1a was equivalently toxic to both insecticide-susceptible and -resistant insects. Cs1a exhibited low toxicity to Danio rerio with an LD50 of 2.316 nmol g-1 . CONCLUSION Our results suggest that ω-Atypitoxin-Cs1a is a potent CaV channel inhibitor and an attractive candidate reagent for pest control and resistance management. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Yu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yangyang Yan
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qianqian Han
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lingchun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zewen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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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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14
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Raisch T, Raunser S. The modes of action of ion-channel-targeting neurotoxic insecticides: lessons from structural biology. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2023; 30:1411-1427. [PMID: 37845413 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-01113-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Insecticides are indispensable tools for plant protection in modern agriculture. Despite having highly heterogeneous structures, many neurotoxic insecticides use similar principles to inhibit or deregulate neuronal ion channels. Insecticides targeting pentameric ligand-gated channels are structural mimetics of neurotransmitters or manipulate and deregulate the proteins. Those binding to (pseudo-)tetrameric voltage-gated(-like) channels, on the other hand, are natural or synthetic compounds that directly block the ion-conducting pore or prevent conformational changes in the transmembrane domain necessary for opening and closing the pore. The use of a limited number of inhibition mechanisms can be problematic when resistances arise and become more widespread. Therefore, there is a rising interest in the development of insecticides with novel mechanisms that evade resistance and are pest-insect-specific. During the last decade, most known insecticide targets, many with bound compounds, have been structurally characterized, bringing the rational design of novel classes of agrochemicals within closer reach than ever before.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Raisch
- Department of Structural Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany.
| | - Stefan Raunser
- Department of Structural Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany.
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15
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Yin WH, You YM, Tembrock LR, Ding LJ, Zhang CG, Zhao Y, Yang ZZ. Transcriptome-based analyses reveal venom diversity in two araneomorph spiders, Psechrus triangulus and Hippasa lycosina. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. PART D, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2023; 47:101101. [PMID: 37352672 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2023.101101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
The spiders Psechrus triangulus and Hippasa lycosina are widely distributed in Yunnan Province, China, and are important natural enemies of agricultural pests, yet studies regarding the composition of their venom are lacking. In this study, cDNA libraries were constructed from venom gland tissue of P. triangulus and H. lycosina and used for transcriptomic analysis. From the analysis, 39 and 31 toxin-like sequences were predicted for P. triangulus and H. lycosina, respectively. The predicted neurotoxin sequences were categorized according to cysteine sequence motifs, and the predicted neurotoxin sequences of P. triangulus and H. lycosina could be classified into 9 and 6 toxin families, respectively. In addition, potential acetylcholinesterase, hyaluronidase, and astaxanthin-like metalloproteinases were identified through annotation. In summary, transcriptomic techniques were invaluable in mining the gene expression information from these two spider species to explore the toxin composition of their venom and determine how they differ. Studies of this type provide essential baseline data for studying the evolution and physiological activities of spider toxins and for the potential development of medicinal compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Hao Yin
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China
| | - Yong-Ming You
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China
| | - Luke R Tembrock
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Li-Jun Ding
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China
| | - Cheng-Gui Zhang
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China.
| | - Zi-Zhong Yang
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Entomological Biopharmaceutical R & D, Dali University, Dali 671000, China; National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Entomoceutics, Dali University, Dali 671000, China.
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16
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Chen J, Zhang X, Lin C, Gao B. Synthesis and insecticidal activity of cysteine-free conopeptides from Conus betulinus. Toxicon 2023; 233:107253. [PMID: 37586612 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
The cone snail Conus betulinus is a vermivorous species that is widely distributed in the South China Sea. Its crude venom contains various peptides used to prey on marine worms. In previous studies, a systematic analysis of the peptide toxin sequences from C. betulinus was carried out using a multiomics technique. In this study, 10 cysteine-free peptides that may possess insecticidal activity were selected from a previously constructed conopeptide library of C. betulinus using the CPY-Fe conopeptide as a template. These conopeptides were prepared by solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), then characterized by the reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry. Insect cytotoxicity and injection experiments revealed that these cysteine-free peptides exerted favorable insecticidal effects, and two of them (Bt010 and Bt016) exhibited high insecticidal efficacy with LD50 of 9.07 nM and 10.93 nM, respectively. In addition, the 3D structures of these peptides were predicted by homology modeling, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the nucleotide data of conopeptides to analyze the relationships among structures, functions, and evolution. A preliminary mechanism for the insecticidal activity of the cysteine-free conopeptides was predicted by molecular docking. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the insecticidal activity of cysteine-free conopeptides derived from Conus betulinus, signaling that they could potentially be developed into bioinsecticides with desirable properties such as easy preparation, low cost, and high potency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Xueying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Chengzhang Lin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Bingmiao Gao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Tropical Herbs, School of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.
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17
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Alvarado-Gonzalez C, Clement H, Ballinas-Casarrubias L, Escarcega-Avila A, Arenas-Sosa I, Lopez-Contreras KS, Zamudio F, Corzo G, Espino-Solis GP. Identification and Venom Characterization of Two Scorpions from the State of Chihuahua Mexico: Chihuahuanus coahuliae and Chihuahuanus crassimannus. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:416. [PMID: 37505685 PMCID: PMC10467103 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15070416] [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: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chihuahua is the largest state in Mexico. The ecosystem of this region is composed of large area of bushes, forests, and grasslands, which allows for a specific diversity of fauna; among them are interesting species of non-lethal scorpions. Most of the Chihuahuan scorpions have been previously morphologically and molecularly described; however, this manuscript could be the first to describe the composition of those venoms. This work aimed at the collection of two scorpion species from the region of Jiménez (Southwest of the State of Chihuahua), which belong to the species Chihuahuanus cohauilae and Chihuahuanus crassimanus; the two species were taxonomically and molecularly identified using a 16S DNA marker. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) of C. coahuilae and C. crassimanus venoms allowed the identification of three fractions lethal to mice. Additionally, three fractions of each scorpion displayed an effect on house crickets. In the end, three new fractions from the venom of C. coahuilae were positive for antimicrobial activity, although none from C. crassimanus venom displayed growth inhibition. Despite being a preliminary study, the venom biochemical analysis of these two uncharacterized scorpion species opens the opportunity to find new molecules with potential applications in the biomedical and biotechnological fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Alvarado-Gonzalez
- Traslational Research Laboratory, Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias Biomédicas, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario s/n, Campus II, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico; (C.A.-G.); (K.S.L.-C.)
- Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario s/n, Campus II, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico;
| | - Herlinda Clement
- Instituto de Biotecnología—UNAM, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 2001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62210, Mexico; (H.C.); (I.A.-S.); (F.Z.); (G.C.)
| | - Lourdes Ballinas-Casarrubias
- Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario s/n, Campus II, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico;
| | - Angelica Escarcega-Avila
- Veterinary Sciences Department, Autonomous University of Ciudad Juarez, Ciudad Juarez 32310, Mexico;
| | - Ivan Arenas-Sosa
- Instituto de Biotecnología—UNAM, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 2001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62210, Mexico; (H.C.); (I.A.-S.); (F.Z.); (G.C.)
| | - Karla Sofia Lopez-Contreras
- Traslational Research Laboratory, Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias Biomédicas, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario s/n, Campus II, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico; (C.A.-G.); (K.S.L.-C.)
| | - Fernando Zamudio
- Instituto de Biotecnología—UNAM, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 2001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62210, Mexico; (H.C.); (I.A.-S.); (F.Z.); (G.C.)
| | - Gerardo Corzo
- Instituto de Biotecnología—UNAM, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 2001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62210, Mexico; (H.C.); (I.A.-S.); (F.Z.); (G.C.)
| | - Gerardo Pavel Espino-Solis
- Traslational Research Laboratory, Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias Biomédicas, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario s/n, Campus II, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico; (C.A.-G.); (K.S.L.-C.)
- Laboratorio Nacional de Citometría de Flujo, Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias Biomédicas, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario s/n, Campus II, Chihuahua 31125, Mexico
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18
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Regalado L, Sario S, Mendes RJ, Valle J, Harvey PJ, Teixeira C, Gomes P, Andreu D, Santos C. Towards a Sustainable Management of the Spotted-Wing Drosophila: Disclosing the Effects of Two Spider Venom Peptides on Drosophila suzukii. INSECTS 2023; 14:533. [PMID: 37367349 DOI: 10.3390/insects14060533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
The spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) is a polyphagous pest that causes severe damage and economic losses to soft-skinned fruit production. Current control methods are dominated by inefficient cultural practices and broad-spectrum insecticides that, in addition to having toxic effects on non-target organisms, are becoming less effective due to acquired resistance. The increasing awareness of the real impact of insecticides on health and the environment has promoted the exploration of new insecticidal compounds, addressing novel molecular targets. This study explores the efficacy of two orally delivered spider venom peptides (SVPs), J-atracotoxin-Hv1c (Hv1c) and µ-theraphotoxin-Hhn2b (TRTX), to manage D. suzukii, through survival assays and the evaluation of gene expression associated with detoxification pathways. Treatment with TRTX at 111.5 µM for 48 h enhanced fly longevity compared with the control group. Gene expression analysis suggests that detoxification and stress-related mechanisms, such as expression of P450 proteins and apoptotic stimuli signaling, are triggered in D. suzukii flies in response to these treatments. Our results highlight the potential interest of SVPs to control this pest, shedding light on how to ultimately develop improved target-specific formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Regalado
- iB2, Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4050-453 Porto, Portugal
| | - Sara Sario
- iB2, Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4050-453 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rafael J Mendes
- iB2, Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4050-453 Porto, Portugal
| | - Javier Valle
- Proteomics and Protein Chemistry Unit, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Peta J Harvey
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Cátia Teixeira
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4050-453 Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Gomes
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4050-453 Porto, Portugal
| | - David Andreu
- Proteomics and Protein Chemistry Unit, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Conceição Santos
- iB2, Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4050-453 Porto, Portugal
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Ho TNT, Turner A, Pham SH, Nguyen HT, Nguyen LTT, Nguyen LT, Dang TT. Cysteine-rich peptides: From bioactivity to bioinsecticide applications. Toxicon 2023; 230:107173. [PMID: 37211058 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107173] [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: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Greater levels of insect resistance and constraints on the use of current pesticides have recently led to increased crop losses in agricultural production. Further, the health and environmental impacts of pesticides now restrict their application. Biologics based on peptides are gaining popularity as efficient crop protection agents with low environmental toxicity. Cysteine-rich peptides (whether originated from venoms or plant defense substances) are chemically stable and effective as insecticides in agricultural applications. Cysteine-rich peptides fulfill the stability and efficacy requirements for commercial uses and provide an environmentally benign alternative to small-molecule insecticides. In this article, cysteine-rich insecticidal peptide classes identified from plants and venoms will be highlighted, focusing on their structural stability, bioactivity and production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thao N T Ho
- Institute of Applied Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 1B TL29, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - A Turner
- Molecular Biology Department, University of Texas, 100 E 24th St. Austin, USA
| | - Son H Pham
- Institute of Applied Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 1B TL29, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Ha T Nguyen
- National Key Laboratory of Polymer and Composite Materials, Department of Energy Materials, Faculty of Materials Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Linh T T Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, 280 an Duong Vuong Street, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Luan T Nguyen
- National Key Laboratory of Polymer and Composite Materials, Department of Energy Materials, Faculty of Materials Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Tien T Dang
- Institute of Applied Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 1B TL29, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
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20
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Zhao QY, Chen X, Wang RZ, Chen YM, Zang LS. Comparative Analysis of the Venom Proteins from Two Eupelmid Egg Parasitoids Anastatus japonicus and Mesocomys trabalae. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12050700. [PMID: 37237513 DOI: 10.3390/biology12050700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Parasitic wasps are abundant and diverse Hymenoptera insects that lay their eggs inside or on the external surface of the host and inject venom into the host to create a more favorable environment for the larvae to survive and regulate the host's immunity, metabolism, and development. But research on the composition of egg parasitoid venom is very limited. In this study, we used a combination of transcriptomic and proteomic approaches to identify the protein fractions of the venom in both eupelmid egg parasitoids, Anastatus japonicus and Mesocomys trabalae. We identified 3422 up-regulated venom gland genes (UVGs) in M. trabalae and 3709 in A. japonicus and analyzed their functions comparatively. By proteome sequencing, we identified 956 potential venom proteins in the venom pouch of M. trabalae, of which 186 were contained in UVGs simultaneously. A total of 766 proteins were detected in the venom of A. japonicus, of which 128 venom proteins were highly expressed in the venom glands. At the same time, the functional analysis of these identified venom proteins was carried out separately. We found the venom proteins in M. trabalae are well known but not in A. japonicus, which may be related to the host range. In conclusion, identifying venom proteins in both egg parasitoid species provides a database for studying the function of egg parasitoid venom and its parasitic mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian-Yu Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Xu Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Run-Zhi Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Yong-Ming Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Lian-Sheng Zang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
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21
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Lüddecke T, Dersch L, Schulte L, Hurka S, Paas A, Oberpaul M, Eichberg J, Hardes K, Klimpel S, Vilcinskas A. Functional Profiling of the A-Family of Venom Peptides from the Wolf Spider Lycosa shansia. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:toxins15050303. [PMID: 37235338 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15050303] [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: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The venoms of spiders from the RTA (retro-lateral tibia apophysis) clade contain diverse short linear peptides (SLPs) that offer a rich source of therapeutic candidates. Many of these peptides have insecticidal, antimicrobial and/or cytolytic activities, but their biological functions are unclear. Here, we explore the bioactivity of all known members of the A-family of SLPs previously identified in the venom of the Chinese wolf spider (Lycosa shansia). Our broad approach included an in silico analysis of physicochemical properties and bioactivity profiling for cytotoxic, antiviral, insecticidal and antibacterial activities. We found that most members of the A-family can form α-helices and resemble the antibacterial peptides found in frog poison. The peptides we tested showed no cytotoxic, antiviral or insecticidal activities but were able to reduce the growth of bacteria, including clinically relevant strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Listeria monocytogenes. The absence of insecticidal activity may suggest that these peptides have no role in prey capture, but their antibacterial activity may help to defend the venom gland against infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Lüddecke
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ludwig Dersch
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Lennart Schulte
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sabine Hurka
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Anne Paas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Markus Oberpaul
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- BMBF Junior Research Group in Infection Research "ASCRIBE", Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Johanna Eichberg
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- BMBF Junior Research Group in Infection Research "ASCRIBE", Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Kornelia Hardes
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- BMBF Junior Research Group in Infection Research "ASCRIBE", Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Sven Klimpel
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60439 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
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22
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Hellinger R, Sigurdsson A, Wu W, Romanova EV, Li L, Sweedler JV, Süssmuth RD, Gruber CW. Peptidomics. NATURE REVIEWS. METHODS PRIMERS 2023; 3:25. [PMID: 37250919 PMCID: PMC7614574 DOI: 10.1038/s43586-023-00205-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Peptides are biopolymers, typically consisting of 2-50 amino acids. They are biologically produced by the cellular ribosomal machinery or by non-ribosomal enzymes and, sometimes, other dedicated ligases. Peptides are arranged as linear chains or cycles, and include post-translational modifications, unusual amino acids and stabilizing motifs. Their structure and molecular size render them a unique chemical space, between small molecules and larger proteins. Peptides have important physiological functions as intrinsic signalling molecules, such as neuropeptides and peptide hormones, for cellular or interspecies communication, as toxins to catch prey or as defence molecules to fend off enemies and microorganisms. Clinically, they are gaining popularity as biomarkers or innovative therapeutics; to date there are more than 60 peptide drugs approved and more than 150 in clinical development. The emerging field of peptidomics comprises the comprehensive qualitative and quantitative analysis of the suite of peptides in a biological sample (endogenously produced, or exogenously administered as drugs). Peptidomics employs techniques of genomics, modern proteomics, state-of-the-art analytical chemistry and innovative computational biology, with a specialized set of tools. The complex biological matrices and often low abundance of analytes typically examined in peptidomics experiments require optimized sample preparation and isolation, including in silico analysis. This Primer covers the combination of techniques and workflows needed for peptide discovery and characterization and provides an overview of various biological and clinical applications of peptidomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Hellinger
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Arnar Sigurdsson
- Institut für Chemie, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wenxin Wu
- School of Pharmacy and Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Elena V Romanova
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Lingjun Li
- School of Pharmacy and Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | | | - Christian W Gruber
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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23
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Chi QN, Jia SX, Yin H, Wang LE, Fu XY, Ma YN, Sun MP, Qi YK, Li Z, Du SS. Efficient synthesis and anticancer evaluation of spider toxin peptide LVTX-8-based analogues with enhanced stability. Bioorg Chem 2023; 134:106451. [PMID: 36907048 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Cytotoxic peptides derived from spider venoms have been considered as promising candidates for anticancer treatment. The novel cell penetrating peptide LVTX-8, which is a 25-residue amphipathic α-helical peptide isolated from spider Lycosa vittata, exhibited potent cytotoxicity and is a potential precursor for further anticancer drug development. Nevertheless, LVTX-8 may be easily degraded by multiple proteases, inducing the proteolytic stability problem and short half-life. In this study, ten LVTX-8-based analogs were rationally designed and the efficient manual synthetic method was established by the DIC/Oxyma based condensation system. The cytotoxicity of synthetic peptides was systematically evaluated against seven cancer cell lines. Seven of the derived peptides exhibited high cytotoxicity towards tested cancer in vitro, which was better than or comparable to that of natural LVTX-8. In particular, both N-acetyl and C-hydrazide modified LVTX-8 (825) and the conjugate methotrexate (MTX)-GFLG-LVTX-8 (827) possessed more durable anticancer efficiency, higher proteolytic stability, as well as lower hemolysis. Finally, we confirmed that LVTX-8 could disrupt the integrity of cell membrane, target the mitochondria and reduce the mitochondrial membrane potential to induce the cell death. Taken together, the structural modifications were conducted on LVTX-8 for the first time and the stability significantly improved derivatives 825 and 827 may provide useful references for the modifications of cytotoxic peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao-Na Chi
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Shi-Xi Jia
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Hao Yin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266073, China
| | - Li-E Wang
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Reproductive Center, Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital, Qingdao 266004, China
| | - Xing-Yan Fu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266073, China
| | - Yan-Nan Ma
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266073, China
| | - Ming-Pu Sun
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Yun-Kun Qi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266073, China.
| | - Zhibo Li
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China.
| | - Shan-Shan Du
- State Key Laboratory Base for Eco-Chemical Engineering in College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266073, China.
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24
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Cardoso FC, Walker AA, King GF, Gomez MV. Holistic profiling of the venom from the Brazilian wandering spider Phoneutria nigriventer by combining high-throughput ion channel screens with venomics. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1069764. [PMID: 36865382 PMCID: PMC9972223 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1069764] [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: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Spider venoms are a unique source of bioactive peptides, many of which display remarkable biological stability and neuroactivity. Phoneutria nigriventer, often referred to as the Brazilian wandering spider, banana spider or "armed" spider, is endemic to South America and amongst the most dangerous venomous spiders in the world. There are 4,000 envenomation accidents with P. nigriventer each year in Brazil, which can lead to symptoms including priapism, hypertension, blurred vision, sweating, and vomiting. In addition to its clinical relevance, P. nigriventer venom contains peptides that provide therapeutic effects in a range of disease models. Methods: In this study, we explored the neuroactivity and molecular diversity of P. nigriventer venom using fractionation-guided high-throughput cellular assays coupled to proteomics and multi-pharmacology activity to broaden the knowledge about this venom and its therapeutic potential and provide a proof-of-concept for an investigative pipeline to study spider-venom derived neuroactive peptides. We coupled proteomics with ion channel assays using a neuroblastoma cell line to identify venom compounds that modulate the activity of voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels, as well as the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Results: Our data revealed that P. nigriventer venom is highly complex compared to other neurotoxin-rich venoms and contains potent modulators of voltage-gated ion channels which were classified into four families of neuroactive peptides based on their activity and structures. In addition to the reported P. nigriventer neuroactive peptides, we identified at least 27 novel cysteine-rich venom peptides for which their activity and molecular target remains to be determined. Discussion: Our findings provide a platform for studying the bioactivity of known and novel neuroactive components in the venom of P. nigriventer and other spiders and suggest that our discovery pipeline can be used to identify ion channel-targeting venom peptides with potential as pharmacological tools and to drug leads.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. C. Cardoso
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia,Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia,*Correspondence: F. C. Cardoso,
| | - A. A. Walker
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia,Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - G. F. King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia,Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - M. V. Gomez
- Department of Neurotransmitters, Institute of Education and Research, Santa Casa, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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25
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Neto OBS, Valladão R, Coelho GR, Dias R, Pimenta DC, Lopes AR. Spiders' digestive system as a source of trypsin inhibitors: functional activity of a member of atracotoxin structural family. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2389. [PMID: 36765114 PMCID: PMC9918498 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29576-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Spiders are important predators of insects and their venoms play an essential role in prey capture. Spider venoms have several potential applications as pharmaceutical compounds and insecticides. However, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of the digestive system (DS) of spiders show that DS is also a rich source of new peptidase inhibitor molecules. Biochemical, transcriptomic and proteomic data of crude DS extracts show the presence of molecules with peptidase inhibitor potential in the spider Nephilingis cruentata. Therefore, the aims of this work were to isolate and characterize molecules with trypsin inhibitory activity. The DS of fasting adult females was homogenized under acidic conditions and subjected to heat treatment. After that, samples were submitted to ion exchange batch and high-performance reverse-phase chromatography. The fractions with trypsin inhibitory activity were confirmed by mass spectrometry, identifying six molecules with inhibitory potential. The inhibitor NcTI (Nephilingis cruentata trypsin inhibitor) was kinetically characterized, showing a KD value of 30.25 nM ± 8.13. Analysis of the tertiary structure by molecular modeling using Alpha-Fold2 indicates that the inhibitor NcTI structurally belongs to the MIT1-like atracotoxin family. This is the first time that a serine peptidase inhibitory function is attributed to this structural family and the inhibitor reactive site residue is identified. Sequence analysis indicates that these molecules may be present in the DS of other spiders and could be associated to the inactivation of prey trypsin (serine peptidase) ingested by the spiders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Bento Silva Neto
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, 05503900, Brazil.,Programa Interunidades (USP, Instituto Butantan, IPT) de pós-graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508000, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Valladão
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, 05503900, Brazil.,Programa Interunidades (USP, Instituto Butantan, IPT) de pós-graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508000, Brazil
| | | | - Renata Dias
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiás, Brazil
| | | | - Adriana Rios Lopes
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, 05503900, Brazil. .,Programa Interunidades (USP, Instituto Butantan, IPT) de pós-graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508000, Brazil.
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26
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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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27
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Guimarães DO, Ferro M, Santos TS, Costa TR, Yoneyama KAG, Rodrigues VDM, Henrique-Silva F, Rodrigues RS. Transcriptomic and biochemical analysis from the venom gland of the neotropical ant Odontomachus chelifer. Toxicon 2023; 223:107006. [PMID: 36572114 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2022.107006] [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: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The genus Odontomachus is widely distributed in neotropical areas throughout Central and South America. It is a stinging ant that subdues its prey (insects) by injecting them a cocktail of toxic molecules (venom). Ant venoms are generally composed of formic acid, alkaloids, hydrocarbons, amines, peptides, and proteins. Odontomachus chelifer is an ant that inhabits neotropical regions from Mexico to Argentina. Unlike the venom of other animals such as scorpions, spiders and snakes, this ant venom has seldom been analyzed comprehensively, and their compositions are not yet completely known. In the present study, we performed a partial investigation of enzymatic and functional activities of O. chelifer ant venom, and we provide a global insight on the transcripts expressed in the venom gland to better understand their properties. The crude venom showed phospholipase A2 and antiparasitic activities. RNA sequencing (Illumina platform) of the venom gland of O. chelifer generated 61, 422, 898 reads and de novo assembly Trinity generated 50,220 contigs. BUSCO analysis against Arthropoda_db10 showed that 92.89% of the BUSCO groups have complete gene representation (single-copy or duplicated), while 4.05% are only partially recovered, and 3.06% are missing. The 30 most expressed genes in O. chelifer venom gland transcriptome included important transcripts involved in venom function such as U-poneritoxin (01)-Om1a-like (pilosulin), chitinase 2, venom allergen 3, chymotrypsin 1 and 2 and glutathione S-transferase. Analysis of the molecular function revealed that the largest number of transcripts were related to catalytic activity, including phospholipases. These data emphasize the potential of O. chelifer venom for prospection of molecules with biotechnological application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Oliveira Guimarães
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Milene Ferro
- Department of General and Applied Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - Thamires Silva Santos
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Tassia Rafaela Costa
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Kelly Aparecida Geraldo Yoneyama
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Veridiana de Melo Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Flávio Henrique-Silva
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Genetics and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luis, Km 235, São Carlos, 13565-905, SP, Brazil.
| | - Renata Santos Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia - UFU, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
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28
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Liu C, Yan Q, Yi K, Hu T, Wang J, Zhang Z, Li H, Luo Y, Zhang D, Meng E. A secretory system for extracellular production of spider neurotoxin huwentoxin-I in Escherichia coli. Prep Biochem Biotechnol 2022; 53:914-922. [PMID: 36573266 DOI: 10.1080/10826068.2022.2158473] [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] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Due to their advantages in structural stability and versatility, cysteine-rich peptides, which are secreted from the venom glands of venomous animals, constitute a naturally occurring pharmaceutical arsenal. However, the correct folding of disulfide bonds is a challenging task in the prokaryotic expression system like Escherichia coli due to the reducing environment. Here, a secretory expression plasmid pSE-G1M5-SUMO-HWTX-I for the spider neurotoxin huwentoxin-I (HWTX-I) with three disulfides as a model of cysteine-rich peptides was constructed. By utilizing the signal peptide G1M5, the fusion protein 6 × His-SUMO-HWTX-I was successfully secreted into extracellular medium of BL21(DE3). After enrichment using cation-exchange chromatography and purification utilizing the Ni-NTA column, 6 × His-SUMO-HWTX-I was digested via Ulp1 kinase to release recombinant HWTX-I (rHWTX-I), which was further purified utilizing RP-HPLC. Finally, both impurities with low and high molecular weights were completely removed. The molecular mass of rHWTX-I was identified as being 3750.8 Da, which was identical to natural HWTX-I with three disulfide bridges. Furthermore, by utilizing whole-cell patch clamp, the sodium currents of hNav1.7 could be inhibited by rHWTX-I and the IC50 value was 419 nmol/L.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changjun Liu
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Genetic Improvement and Multiple Utilization of Economic Crops in Hunan Province, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Remediation and Safe Utilization of Heavy Metal-polluted Soils, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan, PR China
| | - Qing Yan
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan, PR China
| | - Ke Yi
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan, PR China
| | - Tianhao Hu
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan, PR China
| | - Jianjie Wang
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan, PR China
| | - Zheyang Zhang
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan, PR China
| | - Huimin Li
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan, PR China
| | - Yutao Luo
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan, PR China
| | - Dongyi Zhang
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan, PR China
| | - Er Meng
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Genetic Improvement and Multiple Utilization of Economic Crops in Hunan Province, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Remediation and Safe Utilization of Heavy Metal-polluted Soils, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan, PR China
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29
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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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30
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Pinto CPG, Walker AA, King GF, Rossi GD. Immunosuppressive, antimicrobial and insecticidal activities of inhibitor cystine knot peptides produced by teratocytes of the endoparasitoid wasp Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). INSECT SCIENCE 2022. [PMID: 36434808 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Teratocytes are specialized cells released by parasitoid wasps into their hosts. They are known for producing regulatory molecules that aid the development of immature parasitoids. We have recently reported the primary structures of cystine-rich peptides, including some containing inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) motifs, produced by teratocytes of the parasitoid Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). ICKs are known for their stability and diverse biological functions. In this study, we produced four putative ICK peptides from the teratocytes of C. flavipes using solid-phase peptide synthesis or recombinant expression in E. coli, and investigated their functions on host immune modulation as well their potential to impair the development of two lepidopterans after ingestion of the peptides. In addition, the peptides were assayed against pathogens and human cells. The peptides did not influence total hemocyte count but suppressed cellular immunity, detectable as a reduction of hemocyte encapsulation (CftICK-I, CftICK-II, CftICK-III) and spread indexes (CftICK-IV) in the host. None of the peptides influenced the activities of prophenoloxidase and phenoloxidase in the hemolymph of larval Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). CftICK-I and CftICK-II with previously unknown function showed antifungal activity against Candida albicans but were non-toxic to human cells. CftICK-I, CftICK-II, and CftICK-III increased larval mortality and reduced leaf consumption of D. saccharalis, a permissive host for C. flavipes. The CftICK-III also increased larval mortality and reduced leaf consumption of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a non-permissive host for C. flavipes. This study highlights biological functions and biotechnological potential of ICK peptides from the teratocytes of C. flavipes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciro P G Pinto
- School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - Andrew A Walker
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Guilherme D Rossi
- School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, Brazil
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31
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Nishiduka ES, Abreu TF, Abukawa FM, Oliveira UC, Tardivo CEO, Nascimento SM, Meissner GO, Chaim OM, Juliano MA, Kitano ES, Zelanis A, Serrano SMT, da Silva PI, Junqueira-de-Azevedo IL, Nishiyama-Jr MY, Tashima AK. Multiomics Profiling of Toxins in the Venom of the Amazonian Spider Acanthoscurria juruenicola. J Proteome Res 2022; 21:2783-2797. [PMID: 36260604 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.2c00593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Acanthoscurria juruenicola is an Amazonian spider described for the first time almost a century ago. However, little is known about their venom composition. Here, we present a multiomics characterization of A. juruenicola venom by a combination of transcriptomics, proteomics, and peptidomics approaches. Transcriptomics of female venom glands resulted in 93,979 unique assembled mRNA transcript encoding proteins. A total of 92 proteins were identified in the venom by mass spectrometry, including 14 mature cysteine-rich peptides (CRPs). Quantitative analysis showed that CRPs, cysteine-rich secretory proteins, metalloproteases, carbonic anhydrases, and hyaluronidase comprise >90% of the venom proteome. Relative quantification of venom toxins was performed by DIA and DDA, revealing converging profiles of female and male specimens by both methods. Biochemical assays confirmed the presence of active hyaluronidases, phospholipases, and proteases in the venom. Moreover, the venom promoted in vivo paralytic activities in crickets, consistent with the high concentration of CRPs. Overall, we report a comprehensive analysis of the arsenal of toxins of A. juruenicola and highlight their potential biotechnological and pharmacological applications. Mass spectrometry data were deposited to the ProteomeXchange Consortium via the PRIDE repository with the dataset identifier PXD013149 and via the MassIVE repository with the dataset identifier MSV000087777.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika S Nishiduka
- Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-901, Brazil
| | - Thiago F Abreu
- Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-901, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Midori Abukawa
- Laboratory of Applied Toxinology, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signalig, CeTICS, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Ursula C Oliveira
- Laboratory of Applied Toxinology, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signalig, CeTICS, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Caio E O Tardivo
- Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-901, Brazil
| | - Soraia M Nascimento
- Laboratory of Applied Toxinology, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signalig, CeTICS, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Gabriel O Meissner
- Department of Cell Biology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba 81531-980, Puerto Rico, Brazil
| | - Olga M Chaim
- Department of Cell Biology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba 81531-980, Puerto Rico, Brazil.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Maria A Juliano
- Department of Biophysics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo 04021-001, Brazil
| | - Eduardo S Kitano
- Laboratory of Applied Toxinology, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signalig, CeTICS, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - André Zelanis
- Functional Proteomics Laboratory, Department of Science and Technology, Federal University of São Paulo, (ICT-UNIFESP), São José dos Campos 12231-280, Brazil
| | - Solange M T Serrano
- Laboratory of Applied Toxinology, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signalig, CeTICS, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Pedro I da Silva
- Laboratory of Applied Toxinology, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signalig, CeTICS, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Inácio L Junqueira-de-Azevedo
- Laboratory of Applied Toxinology, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signalig, CeTICS, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Milton Y Nishiyama-Jr
- Laboratory of Applied Toxinology, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signalig, CeTICS, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Alexandre K Tashima
- Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-901, Brazil
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32
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Wei Z, Xu J, Peng X, Yuan Z, Zhao C, Guo K, Zhang X, He Y, Zhang Z, Wu Y, Shen G, Qian K. Preparation and performance characteristics of spider venom peptide nanocapsules. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:4261-4267. [PMID: 35716064 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND ω-hexatoxin-Hvn1b is an insecticidal toxin produced by the Tasmanian funnel-web spider (Hadronyche venenata), that can be exploited for development of novel bioinsecticides. Due to its larger size and low membrane permeability, this toxin usually has a slower mode of action compared to conventional small molecule insecticides. Nanoscale materials have unique optical, electrical, mechanical and biological properties, and show great application prospects for pesticide delivery. RESULTS The physical and chemical properties of nanocapsules were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, laser particle size analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, contact angle testing and with a fluorescence spectrophotometer. The results indicated that the nanocapsules were spherical, with an average particle size of 197.70 nm, the encapsulation efficiency rate was 75.82% and the Zeta potential was -32.90 mV. Penetration experiments showed that the nanocapsules could promote protein passage through the intestinal tract of Spodoptera litura and reach the body fluid. Then we expressed ω-hexatoxin-Hvn1b by prokaryotic expression. Bioassay results showed that the oral toxicity of ω-hexatoxin-Hvn1b nanocapsules to S. litura was higher than that of the ω-hexatoxin-Hvn1b. CONCLUSION In this paper, we reported a construction method of spider venom peptide nanocapsules based on polylactic-co-glycolic acid by multiple emulsion for delivery of protein to improve the insecticidal effect and oral activity of ω-hexatoxin-Hv1a. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Wei
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Junhu Xu
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinya Peng
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zitong Yuan
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenchen Zhao
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Kunyan Guo
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuqian Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying He
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zan Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Wu
- The National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Guangmao Shen
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Kun Qian
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
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Wang M, Xu P, Yang Z, Si M. Analysis of eight spider venom glands using Raman spectroscopy. J Mol Struct 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2022.133009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Sea Anemones, Actinoporins, and Cholesterol. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158771. [PMID: 35955905 PMCID: PMC9369217 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158771] [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: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Spanish or Spanish-speaking scientists represent a remarkably populated group within the scientific community studying pore-forming proteins. Some of these scientists, ourselves included, focus on the study of actinoporins, a fascinating group of metamorphic pore-forming proteins produced within the venom of several sea anemones. These toxic proteins can spontaneously transit from a water-soluble fold to an integral membrane ensemble because they specifically recognize sphingomyelin in the membrane. Once they bind to the bilayer, they subsequently oligomerize into a pore that triggers cell-death by osmotic shock. In addition to sphingomyelin, some actinoporins are especially sensible to some other membrane components such as cholesterol. Our group from Universidad Complutense of Madrid has focused greatly on the role played by sterols in this water–membrane transition, a question which still remains only partially solved and constitutes the main core of the article below.
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Improving the Annotation of the Venom Gland Transcriptome of Pamphobeteus verdolaga, Prospecting Novel Bioactive Peptides. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14060408. [PMID: 35737069 PMCID: PMC9228390 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14060408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Spider venoms constitute a trove of novel peptides with biotechnological interest. Paucity of next-generation-sequencing (NGS) data generation has led to a description of less than 1% of these peptides. Increasing evidence supports the underestimation of the assembled genes a single transcriptome assembler can predict. Here, the transcriptome of the venom gland of the spider Pamphobeteus verdolaga was re-assembled, using three free access algorithms, Trinity, SOAPdenovo-Trans, and SPAdes, to obtain a more complete annotation. Assembler’s performance was evaluated by contig number, N50, read representation on the assembly, and BUSCO’s terms retrieval against the arthropod dataset. Out of all the assembled sequences with all software, 39.26% were common between the three assemblers, and 27.88% were uniquely assembled by Trinity, while 27.65% were uniquely assembled by SPAdes. The non-redundant merging of all three assemblies’ output permitted the annotation of 9232 sequences, which was 23% more when compared to each software and 28% more when compared to the previous P. verdolaga annotation; moreover, the description of 65 novel theraphotoxins was possible. In the generation of data for non-model organisms, as well as in the search for novel peptides with biotechnological interest, it is highly recommended to employ at least two different transcriptome assemblers.
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Wang Z, Zhu K, Li H, Gao L, Huang H, Ren Y, Xiang H. Chromosome-level genome assembly of the black widow spider Latrodectus elegans illuminates composition and evolution of venom and silk proteins. Gigascience 2022; 11:6593146. [PMID: 35639632 PMCID: PMC9154082 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giac049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The black widow spider has both extraordinarily neurotoxic venom and three-dimensional cobwebs composed of diverse types of silk. However, a high-quality reference genome for the black widow spider was still unavailable, which hindered deep understanding and application of the valuable biomass. FINDINGS We assembled the Latrodectus elegans genome, including a genome size of 1.57 Gb with contig N50 of 4.34 Mb and scaffold N50 of 114.31 Mb. Hi-C scaffolding assigned 98.08% of the genome to 14 pseudo-chromosomes, and with BUSCO, completeness analysis revealed that 98.4% of the core eukaryotic genes were completely present in this genome. Annotation of this genome identified that repetitive sequences account for 506.09 Mb (32.30%) and 20,167 protein-coding genes, and specifically, we identified 55 toxin genes and 26 spidroins and provide preliminary analysis of their composition and evolution. CONCLUSIONS We present the first chromosome-level genome assembly of a black widow spider and provide substantial toxin and spidroin gene resources. These high-qualified genomic data add valuable resources from a representative spider group and contribute to deep exploration of spider genome evolution, especially in terms of the important issues on the diversification of venom and web-weaving pattern. The sequence data are also firsthand templates for further application of the spider biomass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongkai Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, PR China.,School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xian, 710072, PR China
| | - Kesen Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, PR China
| | - Haorong Li
- School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xian, 710072, PR China
| | - Lei Gao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, PR China
| | - Huanying Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, PR China
| | - Yandong Ren
- School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xian, 710072, PR China
| | - Hui Xiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, PR China
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von Reumont BM, Anderluh G, Antunes A, Ayvazyan N, Beis D, Caliskan F, Crnković A, Damm M, Dutertre S, Ellgaard L, Gajski G, German H, Halassy B, Hempel BF, Hucho T, Igci N, Ikonomopoulou MP, Karbat I, Klapa MI, Koludarov I, Kool J, Lüddecke T, Ben Mansour R, Vittoria Modica M, Moran Y, Nalbantsoy A, Ibáñez MEP, Panagiotopoulos A, Reuveny E, Céspedes JS, Sombke A, Surm JM, Undheim EAB, Verdes A, Zancolli G. Modern venomics-Current insights, novel methods, and future perspectives in biological and applied animal venom research. Gigascience 2022; 11:6588117. [PMID: 35640874 PMCID: PMC9155608 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giac048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Venoms have evolved >100 times in all major animal groups, and their components, known as toxins, have been fine-tuned over millions of years into highly effective biochemical weapons. There are many outstanding questions on the evolution of toxin arsenals, such as how venom genes originate, how venom contributes to the fitness of venomous species, and which modifications at the genomic, transcriptomic, and protein level drive their evolution. These questions have received particularly little attention outside of snakes, cone snails, spiders, and scorpions. Venom compounds have further become a source of inspiration for translational research using their diverse bioactivities for various applications. We highlight here recent advances and new strategies in modern venomics and discuss how recent technological innovations and multi-omic methods dramatically improve research on venomous animals. The study of genomes and their modifications through CRISPR and knockdown technologies will increase our understanding of how toxins evolve and which functions they have in the different ontogenetic stages during the development of venomous animals. Mass spectrometry imaging combined with spatial transcriptomics, in situ hybridization techniques, and modern computer tomography gives us further insights into the spatial distribution of toxins in the venom system and the function of the venom apparatus. All these evolutionary and biological insights contribute to more efficiently identify venom compounds, which can then be synthesized or produced in adapted expression systems to test their bioactivity. Finally, we critically discuss recent agrochemical, pharmaceutical, therapeutic, and diagnostic (so-called translational) aspects of venoms from which humans benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bjoern M von Reumont
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Department for Applied Bioinformatics, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Senckenberg Frankfurt, Senckenberganlage 25, 60235 Frankfurt, Germany.,Justus Liebig University Giessen, Institute for Insectbiotechnology, Heinrich Buff Ring 26-32, 35396 Giessen, Germany
| | - Gregor Anderluh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Agostinho Antunes
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal.,Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Naira Ayvazyan
- Orbeli Institute of Physiology of NAS RA, Orbeli ave. 22, 0028 Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Dimitris Beis
- Developmental Biology, Centre for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
| | - Figen Caliskan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Letters, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, TR-26040 Eskisehir, Turkey
| | - Ana Crnković
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Maik Damm
- Technische Universität Berlin, Department of Chemistry, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Lars Ellgaard
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Goran Gajski
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Mutagenesis Unit, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Hannah German
- Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Beata Halassy
- University of Zagreb, Centre for Research and Knowledge Transfer in Biotechnology, Trg Republike Hrvatske 14, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Benjamin-Florian Hempel
- BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies BCRT, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Tim Hucho
- Translational Pain Research, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Nasit Igci
- Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, 50300 Nevsehir, Turkey
| | - Maria P Ikonomopoulou
- Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies in Food, Madrid,E28049, Spain.,The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Izhar Karbat
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Maria I Klapa
- Metabolic Engineering and Systems Biology Laboratory, Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas (FORTH/ICE-HT), Patras GR-26504, Greece
| | - Ivan Koludarov
- Justus Liebig University Giessen, Institute for Insectbiotechnology, Heinrich Buff Ring 26-32, 35396 Giessen, Germany
| | - Jeroen Kool
- Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tim Lüddecke
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Senckenberg Frankfurt, Senckenberganlage 25, 60235 Frankfurt, Germany.,Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, 35392 Gießen, Germany
| | - Riadh Ben Mansour
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Gafsa University, Campus Universitaire Siidi Ahmed Zarrouk, 2112 Gafsa, Tunisia
| | - Maria Vittoria Modica
- Dept. of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via Po 25c, I-00198 Roma, Italy
| | - Yehu Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Ayse Nalbantsoy
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, 35100 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - María Eugenia Pachón Ibáñez
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology, and Preventive Medicine, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alexios Panagiotopoulos
- Metabolic Engineering and Systems Biology Laboratory, Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas (FORTH/ICE-HT), Patras GR-26504, Greece.,Animal Biology Division, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Patras, GR-26500, Greece
| | - Eitan Reuveny
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Javier Sánchez Céspedes
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology, and Preventive Medicine, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andy Sombke
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Joachim M Surm
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Eivind A B Undheim
- University of Oslo, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Postboks 1066 Blindern 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Aida Verdes
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Giulia Zancolli
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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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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da Silva CN, Nunes KP, Dourado LFN, Vieira TO, Mariano XM, Cunha Junior ADS, de Lima ME. From the PnTx2-6 Toxin to the PnPP-19 Engineered Peptide: Therapeutic Potential in Erectile Dysfunction, Nociception, and Glaucoma. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:831823. [PMID: 35480885 PMCID: PMC9035689 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.831823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The venom of the “armed” spider Phoneutria nigriventer comprises several potent toxins. One of the most toxic components from this venom is the neurotoxin PnTx2-6 (LD50 = ∼ 0.7 μg/mouse, 48 residues, five disulfide bridges, MW = 5,289.31 Da), which slows down the inactivation of various Na+ channels. In mice and rats, this toxin causes priapism, an involuntary and painful erection, similar to what is observed in humans bitten by P. nigriventer. While not completely elucidated, it is clear that PnTx2-6 potentiates erectile function via NO/cGMP signaling, but it has many off-target effects. Seeking to obtain a simpler and less toxic molecule able to retain the pharmacological properties of this toxin, we designed and synthesized the peptide PnPP-19 (19 residues, MW = 2,485.6 Da), representing a discontinuous epitope of PnTx2-6. This synthetic peptide also potentiates erectile function via NO/cGMP, but it does not target Na+ channels, and therefore, it displays nontoxic properties in animals even at high doses. PnPP-19 effectively potentiates erectile function not only after subcutaneous or intravenous administration but also following topical application. Surprisingly, PnPP-19 showed central and peripheral antinociceptive activity involving the opioid and cannabinoid systems, suggesting applicability in nociception. Furthermore, considering that PnPP-19 increases NO availability in the corpus cavernosum, this peptide was also tested in a model of induced intraocular hypertension, characterized by low NO levels, and it showed promising results by decreasing the intraocular pressure which prevents retinal damage. Herein, we discuss how was engineered this smaller active non-toxic peptide with promising results in the treatment of erectile dysfunction, nociception, and glaucoma from the noxious PnTx2-6, as well as the pitfalls of this ongoing journey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Nunes da Silva
- Departmentamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Maria Elena de Lima, ; Carolina Nunes da Silva, ; Kenia Pedrosa Nunes,
| | - Kenia Pedrosa Nunes
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Maria Elena de Lima, ; Carolina Nunes da Silva, ; Kenia Pedrosa Nunes,
| | | | - Thayllon Oliveira Vieira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina e Biomedicina Faculdade Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Xavier Maia Mariano
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina e Biomedicina Faculdade Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Maria Elena de Lima
- Departmentamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina e Biomedicina Faculdade Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Maria Elena de Lima, ; Carolina Nunes da Silva, ; Kenia Pedrosa Nunes,
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40
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Santhosh KN, Pavana D, Shruthi BR, Thippeswamy NB. Protein profile of scorpion venom from Hottentotta rugiscutis and its immunogenic potential in inducing long term memory response. Toxicon 2022; 205:71-78. [PMID: 34826434 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2021.11.121] [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: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The scorpions of the Buthidae family exhibit diverse toxins with proven pharmacological activities and yet underexplored. The Hottentotta rugiscutis is a commonly found south-Indian buthid scorpion, whose venom proteomic profile is unknown. In this study, the venom was biochemically and immunologically characterized by SDS-PAGE, MALDI-TOF MS, Western blot and ELISA. The regional and seasonal variation in the venom composition from the same species was also assessed at the molecular mass level. The venom was further studied in albino mice to understand its impact on various blood parameters. The venom has varied MW proteins from 6 to 275 kDa, four of them were found to be major immunodominant proteins. The mass spectra have revealed that some proteins are predominantly present in the venom of 3-4.5 kDa or 6.5-8.0 kDa, which could be the K+ or Na+ channel blockers respectively whose ratio varied by season. The obtained venom-mass spectra could also be used as H. rugiscutis specific finger-print in identifying the region-specific species. The venom was found to elicit a stress-induced innate immune response in mice, giving rise to a strong Th2 mediated humoral immune response. Overall, this study has provided a glimpse of the venom composition and its immunogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kambaiah Nagaraj Santhosh
- Department of Postgraduate Studies and Research in Microbiology, Jnana Sahyadri Campus, Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India.
| | - Dattatreya Pavana
- Department of Postgraduate Studies and Research in Microbiology, Jnana Sahyadri Campus, Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India.
| | - Balakrishna Rao Shruthi
- Department of Postgraduate Studies and Research in Microbiology, Jnana Sahyadri Campus, Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India.
| | - Nayaka Boramuthi Thippeswamy
- Department of Postgraduate Studies and Research in Microbiology, Jnana Sahyadri Campus, Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India.
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41
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OUP accepted manuscript. Syst Biol 2022; 71:1281-1289. [DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syac021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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42
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Cerca J, Armstrong EE, Vizueta J, Fernández R, Dimitrov D, Petersen B, Prost S, Rozas J, Petrov D, Gillespie RG. The Tetragnatha kauaiensis Genome Sheds Light on the Origins of Genomic Novelty in Spiders. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:evab262. [PMID: 34849853 PMCID: PMC8693713 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Spiders (Araneae) have a diverse spectrum of morphologies, behaviors, and physiologies. Attempts to understand the genomic-basis of this diversity are often hindered by their large, heterozygous, and AT-rich genomes with high repeat content resulting in highly fragmented, poor-quality assemblies. As a result, the key attributes of spider genomes, including gene family evolution, repeat content, and gene function, remain poorly understood. Here, we used Illumina and Dovetail Chicago technologies to sequence the genome of the long-jawed spider Tetragnatha kauaiensis, producing an assembly distributed along 3,925 scaffolds with an N50 of ∼2 Mb. Using comparative genomics tools, we explore genome evolution across available spider assemblies. Our findings suggest that the previously reported and vast genome size variation in spiders is linked to the different representation and number of transposable elements. Using statistical tools to uncover gene-family level evolution, we find expansions associated with the sensory perception of taste, immunity, and metabolism. In addition, we report strikingly different histories of chemosensory, venom, and silk gene families, with the first two evolving much earlier, affected by the ancestral whole genome duplication in Arachnopulmonata (∼450 Ma) and exhibiting higher numbers. Together, our findings reveal that spider genomes are highly variable and that genomic novelty may have been driven by the burst of an ancient whole genome duplication, followed by gene family and transposable element expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Cerca
- Berkeley Evolab, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, UC Berkeley, California, USA
- Frontiers in Evolutionary Zoology, Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Norway
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ellie E Armstrong
- Berkeley Evolab, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, UC Berkeley, California, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, California, USA
| | - Joel Vizueta
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística & Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
- Villum Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rosa Fernández
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC—Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Dimitar Dimitrov
- Department of Natural History, University Museum of Bergen, University of Bergen, Norway
| | - Bent Petersen
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, The GLOBE Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
- Centre of Excellence for Omics-Driven Computational Biodiscovery, Faculty of Applied Sciences, AIMST University, Kedah, Malaysia
| | - Stefan Prost
- Central Research Laboratories, Natural History Museum Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- University of Veterinary Medicine, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Vienna, Austria
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, National Zoological Garden, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Julio Rozas
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística & Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Dmitri Petrov
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, California, USA
| | - Rosemary G Gillespie
- Berkeley Evolab, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, UC Berkeley, California, USA
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43
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A Deep Learning Approach with Data Augmentation to Predict Novel Spider Neurotoxic Peptides. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212291. [PMID: 34830173 PMCID: PMC8619404 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
As major components of spider venoms, neurotoxic peptides exhibit structural diversity, target specificity, and have great pharmaceutical potential. Deep learning may be an alternative to the laborious and time-consuming methods for identifying these peptides. However, the major hurdle in developing a deep learning model is the limited data on neurotoxic peptides. Here, we present a peptide data augmentation method that improves the recognition of neurotoxic peptides via a convolutional neural network model. The neurotoxic peptides were augmented with the known neurotoxic peptides from UniProt database, and the models were trained using a training set with or without the generated sequences to verify the augmented data. The model trained with the augmented dataset outperformed the one with the unaugmented dataset, achieving accuracy of 0.9953, precision of 0.9922, recall of 0.9984, and F1 score of 0.9953 in simulation dataset. From the set of all RNA transcripts of Callobius koreanus spider, we discovered neurotoxic peptides via the model, resulting in 275 putative peptides of which 252 novel sequences and only 23 sequences showing homology with the known peptides by Basic Local Alignment Search Tool. Among these 275 peptides, four were selected and shown to have neuromodulatory effects on the human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y. The augmentation method presented here may be applied to the identification of other functional peptides from biological resources with insufficient data.
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Pinto CPG, Walker AA, Robinson SD, Chin YKY, King GF, Rossi GD. Venom composition of the endoparasitoid wasp Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and functional characterization of a major venom peptide. Toxicon 2021; 202:1-12. [PMID: 34547307 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Endoparasitoid wasps use complex biochemical arsenals to suppress the normal humoral and cellular immune responses of their hosts in order to transform them into a suitable environment for development of their eggs and larvae. Venom injected during oviposition is a key component of this arsenal, but the functions of individual venom toxins are still poorly understood. Furthermore, there has been little investigation of the potential biotechnological use of these venom toxins, for example for control of agricultural pests. The endoparasitoid Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a biocontrol agent reared in biofactories and released extensively in Brazil to control the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). The objectives of this work were to reveal venom components produced by C. flavipes and explore the function of a major venom peptide, Cf4. Using a combined proteomic/transcriptomic approach, we identified 38 putative venom toxins including both linear and disulfide-rich peptides, hydrolases, protease inhibitors, apolipophorins, lipid-binding proteins, and proteins of the odorant binding families. Because of its high abundance in the venom, we selected Cf4, a 33-residue peptide with three disulfide bonds, for synthesis and further characterization. We found that synthetic Cf4 reduced the capacity of D. saccharalis hemocytes to encapsulate foreign bodies without any effect on phenoloxidase activity, consistent with a role in disruption of the cellular host immune response. Feeding leaves coated with Cf4 to neonate D. saccharalis resulted in increased mortality and significantly reduced feeding compared to caterpillars fed untreated leaves, indicating that Cf4 is a potential candidate for insect pest control through ingestion. This study adds to our knowledge of endoparasitoid wasp venoms composition, host regulation mechanisms and their biotechnological potential for pest management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciro P G Pinto
- School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Andrew A Walker
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Samuel D Robinson
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Yanni K-Y Chin
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Guilherme D Rossi
- School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil.
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Dashevsky D, Rodriguez J. A Short Review of the Venoms and Toxins of Spider Wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae). Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13110744. [PMID: 34822528 PMCID: PMC8622703 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13110744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitoid wasps represent the plurality of venomous animals, but have received extremely little research in proportion to this taxonomic diversity. The lion’s share of investigation into insect venoms has focused on eusocial hymenopterans, but even this small sampling shows great promise for the development of new active substances. The family Pompilidae is known as the spider wasps because of their reproductive habits which include hunting for spiders, delivering a paralyzing sting, and entombing them in burrows with one of the wasp’s eggs to serve as food for the developing larva. The largest members of this family, especially the tarantula hawks of the genus Pepsis, have attained notoriety for their large size, dramatic coloration, long-term paralysis of their prey, and incredibly painful defensive stings. In this paper we review the existing research regarding the composition and function of pompilid venoms, discuss parallels from other venom literatures, identify possible avenues for the adaptation of pompilid toxins towards human purposes, and future directions of inquiry for the field.
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A Pseudoscorpion's Promising Pinch: The venom of Chelifer cancroides contains a rich source of novel compounds. Toxicon 2021; 201:92-104. [PMID: 34416254 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2021.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
With pedipalps modified for venom injection, some pseudoscorpions possess a unique venom delivery system, which evolved independently from those of other arachnids like scorpions and spiders. Up to now, only a few studies have been focused on pseudoscorpion venom, which either identified a small fraction of venom compounds, or were based on solely transcriptomic approaches. Only one study addressed the bioactivity of pseudoscorpion venom. Here, we expand existing knowledge about pseudoscorpion venom by providing a comprehensive proteomic and transcriptomic analysis of the venom of Chelifer cancroides. We identified the first putative genuine toxins in the venom of C. cancroides and we showed that a large fraction of the venom comprises novel compounds. In addition, we tested the activity of the venom at specific ion channels for the first time. These tests demonstrate that the venom of C. cancroides causes inhibition of a voltage-gated insect potassium channel (Shaker IR) and modulates the inactivation process of voltage-gated sodium channels from Varroa destructor. For one of the smallest venomous animals ever studied, today's toolkits enabled a comprehensive venom analysis. This is demonstrated by allocating our identified venom compounds to more than half of the prominent ion signals in MALDI-TOF mass spectra of venom samples. The present study is a starting point for understanding the complex composition and activity of pseudoscorpion venom and provides a potential rich source of bioactive compounds useable for basic research and industrial application.
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Pereira AE, Huynh MP, Carlson AR, Haase A, Kennedy RM, Shelby KS, Coudron TA, Hibbard BE. Assessing the Single and Combined Toxicity of the Bioinsecticide Spear and Cry3Bb1 Protein Against Susceptible and Resistant Western Corn Rootworm Larvae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 114:2220-2228. [PMID: 34453170 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toab160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), poses a serious threat to maize (Zea mays L.) growers in the U.S. Corn Belt. Transgenic corn expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Berliner is the major management tactic along with crop rotation. Bt crops targeting WCR populations have been widely planted throughout the Corn Belt. Rootworms have developed resistance to nearly all management strategies including Bt corn. Therefore, there is a need for new products that are not cross-resistant with the current Bt proteins. In this study, we evaluated the susceptibility of WCR strains resistant and susceptible to Cry3Bb1 to the biological insecticide Spear-T (GS-omega/kappa-Hexatoxin-Hv1a) alone and combined with Cry3Bb1 protein. The activity of Hv1a alone was similar between Cry3Bb1-resistant and susceptible strains (LC50s = 0.95 mg/cm2 and 1.50 mg/cm2, respectively), suggesting that there is no cross-resistance with Cry3Bb1 protein. Effective concentration (EC50), molt inhibition concentration (MIC50), and inhibition concentration (IC50) values of Hv1a alone were also similar between both strains, based on non-overlapping confidence intervals. Increased mortality (64%) was observed on resistant larvae exposed to Hv1a (0.6 mg/cm2) + Cry3Bb1 protein (170.8 µg/cm2) compared to 0% mortality when exposed to Cry3Bb1 alone and 34% mortality to Hv1a alone (0.3 mg/cm2). The time of larval death was not significantly different between Hv1a alone (3.79 mg/cm2) and Hv1a (0.6 mg/cm2) + Cry3Bb1 (170.8 µg/cm2). New control strategies that are not cross-resistant with current insecticides and Bt proteins are needed to better manage the WCR, and Hv1a together with Cry3Bb1 may fit this role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano E Pereira
- Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Man P Huynh
- Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | | | | | | | - Kent S Shelby
- Biological Control of Insect Research Laboratory, USDA/ARS, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Thomas A Coudron
- Biological Control of Insect Research Laboratory, USDA/ARS, Columbia, MO, USA
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Pałasz A, Krzystanek M. Spider Neurotoxins as Modulators of NMDA Receptor Signaling. Neuromolecular Med 2021; 24:250-256. [PMID: 34562203 PMCID: PMC9402494 DOI: 10.1007/s12017-021-08692-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Molecules that selectively act on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors may have a multidirectional effect by modulating the activity of NMDARs, affecting their active sites as well as by changing the composition of their subunits. The results of the clinical trials conducted so far in mood disorders and schizophrenia indicate that such agents may become new effective drugs for the treatment of these diseases. Number of spider neurotoxins e.g. ctenitoxins extracted from Phoneutria sp. venom act as potent and selective NMDAR blockers that do not disturb cortical and hippocampal glutamate signaling, LTP generation and synaptic neurochemistry. Possibly this intriguing kind of promising neuroregulatory peptides and polyamines can be clinically applicable in a wide spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders, including epilepsy, neurotrauma and ischemic injuries. These novel medications can potentially be helpful in the future treatment of stroke and several neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Pałasz
- Department of Histology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland.
| | - Marek Krzystanek
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinic of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Ziolowa 45/47, 40-635, Katowice, Poland
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49
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Chung SH, Bigham M, Lappe RR, Chan B, Nagalakshmi U, Whitham SA, Dinesh‐Kumar SP, Jander G. A sugarcane mosaic virus vector for rapid in planta screening of proteins that inhibit the growth of insect herbivores. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2021; 19:1713-1724. [PMID: 33763921 PMCID: PMC8428830 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm) is a notorious pest that threatens maize production worldwide. Current control measures involve the use of chemical insecticides and transgenic maize expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins. Although additional transgenes have confirmed insecticidal activity, limited research has been conducted in maize, at least partially due to the technical difficulty of maize transformation. Here, we describe implementation of a sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) vector for rapidly testing the efficacy of both endogenous maize genes and heterologous genes from other organisms for the control of S. frugiperda in maize. Four categories of proteins were tested using the SCMV vector: (i) maize defence signalling proteins: peptide elicitors (Pep1 and Pep3) and jasmonate acid conjugating enzymes (JAR1a and JAR1b); (ii) maize defensive proteins: the previously identified ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP2) and maize proteinase inhibitor (MPI), and two proteins with predicted but unconfirmed anti-insect activities, an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) and a lectin (JAC1); (iii) lectins from other plant species: Allium cepa agglutinin (ACA) and Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA); and (iv) scorpion and spider toxins: peptides from Urodacus yaschenkoi (UyCT3 and UyCT5) and Hadronyche versuta (Hvt). In most cases, S. frugiperda larval growth was reduced by transient SCMV-mediated overexpression of genes encoding these proteins. Additionally, experiments with a subset of the SCMV-expressed genes showed effectiveness against two aphid species, Rhopalosiphum maidis (corn leaf aphid) and Myzus persicae (green peach aphid). Together, these results demonstrate that SCMV vectors are a rapid screening method for testing the efficacy and insecticidal activity of candidate genes in maize.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ryan R. Lappe
- Department of Plant Pathology and MicrobiologyIowa State UniversityAmesIAUSA
| | - Barry Chan
- Department of Plant Biology and The Genome CenterCollege of Biological SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCAUSA
| | - Ugrappa Nagalakshmi
- Department of Plant Biology and The Genome CenterCollege of Biological SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCAUSA
| | - Steven A. Whitham
- Department of Plant Pathology and MicrobiologyIowa State UniversityAmesIAUSA
| | - Savithramma P. Dinesh‐Kumar
- Department of Plant Biology and The Genome CenterCollege of Biological SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCAUSA
| | - Georg Jander
- Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant ResearchIthacaNYUSA
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50
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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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