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Peigneur S, Tibery D, Tytgat J. The Helix Ring Peptide U 11 from the Venom of the Ant, Tetramorium bicarinatum, Acts as a Putative Pore-Forming Toxin. MEMBRANES 2024; 14:114. [PMID: 38786948 PMCID: PMC11123039 DOI: 10.3390/membranes14050114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
An insect neuroactive helix ring peptide called U11-MYRTX-Tb1a (abbreviated as U11) from the venom of the ant, Tetramorium bicarinatum. U11 is a 34-amino-acid peptide that is claimed to be one of the most paralytic peptides ever reported from ant venoms acting against blowflies and honeybees. The peptide features a compact triangular ring helix structure stabilized by a single disulfide bond, which is a unique three-dimensional scaffold among animal venoms. Pharmacological assays using Drosophila S2 cells have demonstrated that U11 is not cytotoxic but instead suggest that it may modulate potassium channels via the presence of a functional dyad. In our work described here, we have tested this hypothesis by investigating the action of synthetically made U11 on a wide array of voltage-gated K and Na channels since it is well known that these channels play a crucial role in the phenomenon of paralysis. Using the Xenopus laevis oocyte heterologous expression system and voltage clamp, our results have not shown any modulatory effect of 1 μM U11 on the activity of Kv1.1, Kv1.3, Kv1.4, Kv1.5, Shaker IR, Kv4.2, Kv7.1, Kv10.1, Kv11.1 and KQT1, nor on DmNav and BgNav. Instead, 10 μM U11 caused a quick and irreversible cytolytic effect, identical to the cytotoxic effect caused by Apis mellifera venom, which indicates that U11 can act as a pore-forming peptide. Interestingly, the paralytic dose (PD50) on blowflies and honeybees corresponds with the concentration at which U11 displays clear pore-forming activity. In conclusion, our results indicate that the insecticidal and paralytic effects caused by U11 may be explained by the putative pore formation of the peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Peigneur
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), P.O. Box 922, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (S.P.); (D.T.)
| | - Diogo Tibery
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), P.O. Box 922, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (S.P.); (D.T.)
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Jan Tytgat
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), P.O. Box 922, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (S.P.); (D.T.)
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Ringeval A, Farhat S, Fedosov A, Gerdol M, Greco S, Mary L, Modica MV, Puillandre N. DeTox: a pipeline for the detection of toxins in venomous organisms. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae094. [PMID: 38493344 PMCID: PMC10944572 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Venomous organisms have independently evolved the ability to produce toxins 101 times during their evolutionary history, resulting in over 200 000 venomous species. Collectively, these species produce millions of toxins, making them a valuable resource for bioprospecting and understanding the evolutionary mechanisms underlying genetic diversification. RNA-seq is the preferred method for characterizing toxin repertoires, but the analysis of the resulting data remains challenging. While early approaches relied on similarity-based mapping to known toxin databases, recent studies have highlighted the importance of structural features for toxin detection. The few existing pipelines lack an integration between these complementary approaches, and tend to be difficult to run for non-experienced users. To address these issues, we developed DeTox, a comprehensive and user-friendly tool for toxin research. It combines fast execution, parallelization and customization of parameters. DeTox was tested on published transcriptomes from gastropod mollusks, cnidarians and snakes, retrieving most putative toxins from the original articles and identifying additional peptides as potential toxins to be confirmed through manual annotation and eventually proteomic analysis. By integrating a structure-based search with similarity-based approaches, DeTox allows the comprehensive characterization of toxin repertoire in poorly-known taxa. The effect of the taxonomic bias in existing databases is minimized in DeTox, as mirrored in the detection of unique and divergent toxins that would have been overlooked by similarity-based methods. DeTox streamlines toxin annotation, providing a valuable tool for efficient identification of venom components that will enhance venom research in neglected taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allan Ringeval
- Institut Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sarah Farhat
- Institut Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Alexander Fedosov
- Institut Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
- Department of Zoology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, P. O. Box 50007, SE-104 05, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marco Gerdol
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Roma, Italy
| | - Samuele Greco
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Lou Mary
- Institut Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Maria Vittoria Modica
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Roma, Italy
| | - Nicolas Puillandre
- Institut Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
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Paes LCF, Lima DB, Silva DMAD, Valentin JT, Aquino PEAD, García-Jareño AB, Orzaéz M, Fonteles MMDF, Martins AMC. Exploring the neuroprotective potential of antimicrobial peptides from Dinoponera quadriceps venom against pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in vivo. Toxicon 2024; 237:107538. [PMID: 38030096 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107538] [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: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Epilepsy affects around 50 million people worldwide and 30% of patients have difficulty controlling the disease. The search for substances that can fill the existing gaps in the treatment of epilepsy is of great importance. Arthropod venoms are promising sources for this purpose due to the presence of small peptides that modulate the activity of ion channels and neuron receptors. The aim of this study was to investigate dinoponeratoxins from the Dinoponera quadriceps ant venom (M-PONTX-Dq3a, M-PONTX-Dq3b and M-PONTX-Dq3c) as potential anticonvulsants. We evaluated them in a seizure model induced by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) in male swiss mice. Interestingly, intraperitoneal treatment with each peptide increased the time until the first seizure and the percentage of survival, with M-PONTX-Dq3b showing the best results. M-PONTX-Dq3a was discarded due to the appearance of some signs of toxicity with the increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the striatum. Both, M-PONTX-Dq3b and M-PONTX-Dq3c decreased iNOS and TNF-α in the hippocampus. Notably, M-PONTX-Dq3c treatment decreased the levels of MDA and nitrite in the cortex and hippocampus. Our results indicate that, M-PONTX-Dq3b and M-PONTX-Dq3c have anticonvulsant activity and exhibit anti-inflammatory effects in epilepsy, offering new perspectives for biopharmaceutical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia Correia Fernandes Paes
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal Do Ceará, Fortaleza, 60430372, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Dânya Bandeira Lima
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal Do Ceará, Fortaleza, 60430372, Ceará, Brazil.
| | - Daniel Moreira Alves da Silva
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal Do Ceará, Fortaleza, 60430372, Ceará, Brazil
| | - José Tiago Valentin
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal Do Ceará, Fortaleza, 60430372, Ceará, Brazil
| | | | - Alicia Belén García-Jareño
- Targeted Therapies on Cancer and Inflammation Lab and Peptide Synthesis Platform, Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, 46012, Spain
| | - Mar Orzaéz
- Targeted Therapies on Cancer and Inflammation Lab and Peptide Synthesis Platform, Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, 46012, Spain
| | - Marta Maria de França Fonteles
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal Do Ceará, Fortaleza, 60430372, Ceará, Brazil; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, 60430-275, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Alice Maria Costa Martins
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal Do Ceará, Fortaleza, 60430372, Ceará, Brazil; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, 60430-275, Ceará, Brazil.
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Nonato da Silva Júnior P, Serra Nunes JV, Duque BR, Batista Pereira AJ, Magalhães EP, Oliveira CS, Freire KA, Pedron CN, Oliveira VX, Sampaio TL, Costa Martins AM. Effect from dinoponeratoxin M-PONTXDq3a arginine and lysine substituted analogues against Staphylococcus aureus strains. Toxicon 2023; 231:107190. [PMID: 37301297 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107190] [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: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The growing incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections is associated with increased mortality rates, which has generated interest in the development of antimicrobial peptides (AMP), such as those found in the giant ant Dinoponera quadríceps. In order to improve the net positive charge and the antibacterial activity of the AMP, amino acids with positive side chain single substituted analogues have been proposed, mainly arginine or lysine. The present work aims to study the antimicrobial activity of the analogues of M-PONTX-Dq3a, a 23 amino acid AMP identified in the D. quadriceps venom. M-PONTX-Dq3a[1-15], a fragment containing the 15 central amino acids, and eight derivatives of single arginine or lysine substituted analogues were proposed. The antimicrobial activity of peptides was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 P (MSSA) and ATCC 33591 (MRSA) strains, followed by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum lethal concentration (MLC), and minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) measurement. The membrane permeability was then assessed via crystal violet assay and flow cytometry analysis. The effect of exposure time on microbial viability (Time-Kill) was evaluated. Finally, ultrastructural alterations were evaluated through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both arginine-substituted peptides [Arg]3M-PONTX-Dq3a[1-15] and [Arg]4M-PONTX-Dq3a[1-15], showed lowest MIC and MLC values (each 0.78 μM). In the biofilm formation assays, the peptide [Arg]3M-PONTX-Dq3a [1-15] showed MBIC of 3.12 μM against the two tested strains. Both peptides were able to alter the membrane permeability approximately by 80%. The treatment with MIC was able to eliminate bacteria after 2 h of contact on the other hand, treatment with half of the MIC, the population of both bacterial strains remained constant for up to 12 h, indicating a possible bacteriostatic effect. The SEM results showed that the treatment with the lowest concentration (0.78 μM) of both peptides caused disruption of the cell membrane, destabilization of the intercellular interaction and the CLM of [Arg]4M-PONTX-Dq3a [1-15] resulted in the complete eradication of the bacteria. Thus, this study describes two AMPs active against MSSA and MRSA and also inhibits the biofilm formation of these stains. This study finds [Arg]3M-PONTX-Dq3a[1-15] and [Arg]4M-PONTX-Dq3a[1-15] as alternative substances to treat resistant and/or biofilm-forming strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Nonato da Silva Júnior
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - João Victor Serra Nunes
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Bruna Ribeiro Duque
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Ana Júlia Batista Pereira
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Emanuel Paula Magalhães
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Cyntia Silva Oliveira
- Department of Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Vani Xavier Oliveira
- Center for Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil; Department of Biophyics, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Tiago Lima Sampaio
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Alice Maria Costa Martins
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
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Unraveling the Role of Antimicrobial Peptides in Insects. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065753. [PMID: 36982826 PMCID: PMC10059942 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are short, mainly positively charged, amphipathic molecules. AMPs are important effectors of the immune response in insects with a broad spectrum of antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic activity. In addition to these well-known roles, AMPs exhibit many other, often unobvious, functions in the host. They support insects in the elimination of viral infections. AMPs participate in the regulation of brain-controlled processes, e.g., sleep and non-associative learning. By influencing neuronal health, communication, and activity, they can affect the functioning of the insect nervous system. Expansion of the AMP repertoire and loss of their specificity is connected with the aging process and lifespan of insects. Moreover, AMPs take part in maintaining gut homeostasis, regulating the number of endosymbionts as well as reducing the number of foreign microbiota. In turn, the presence of AMPs in insect venom prevents the spread of infection in social insects, where the prey may be a source of pathogens.
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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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Hurka S, Lüddecke T, Paas A, Dersch L, Schulte L, Eichberg J, Hardes K, Brinkrolf K, Vilcinskas A. Bioactivity Profiling of In Silico Predicted Linear Toxins from the Ants Myrmica rubra and Myrmica ruginodis. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14120846. [PMID: 36548743 PMCID: PMC9784689 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14120846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The venoms of ants (Formicidae) are a promising source of novel bioactive molecules with potential for clinical and agricultural applications. However, despite the rich diversity of ant species, only a fraction of this vast resource has been thoroughly examined in bioprospecting programs. Previous studies focusing on the venom of Central European ants (subfamily Myrmicinae) identified a number of short linear decapeptides and nonapeptides resembling antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Here, we describe the in silico approach and bioactivity profiling of 10 novel AMP-like peptides from the fellow Central European myrmicine ants Myrmica rubra and Myrmica ruginodis. Using the sequences of known ant venom peptides as queries, we screened the venom gland transcriptomes of both species. We found transcripts of nine novel decapeptides and one novel nonapeptide. The corresponding peptides were synthesized for bioactivity profiling in a broad panel of assays consisting of tests for cytotoxicity as well as antiviral, insecticidal, and antimicrobial activity. U-MYRTX-Mrug5a showed moderately potent antimicrobial effects against several bacteria, including clinically relevant pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus epidermidis, but high concentrations showed negligible cytotoxicity. U-MYRTX-Mrug5a is, therefore, a probable lead for the development of novel peptide-based antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Hurka
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Correspondence: (S.H.); (T.L.)
| | - Tim Lüddecke
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- Correspondence: (S.H.); (T.L.)
| | - Anne Paas
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Ludwig Dersch
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Lennart Schulte
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Johanna Eichberg
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- BMBF Junior Research Group in Infection Research “ASCRIBE”, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Kornelia Hardes
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- BMBF Junior Research Group in Infection Research “ASCRIBE”, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Karina Brinkrolf
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, 35392 Giessen, Germany
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Cai L, Yang F, Wang Y, Yang J, Zhu Y, Ma X, Höfer J, Wang Y, Ma Y, Xiao L. A combined protein toxin screening based on the transcriptome and proteome of Solenopsis invicta. Proteome Sci 2022; 20:15. [PMID: 36131344 PMCID: PMC9494847 DOI: 10.1186/s12953-022-00197-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Multi-omics technology provides a good tool to analyze the protein toxin composition and search for the potential pathogenic factors of Solenopsis invicta, under the great harm of the accelerated invasion in southern China. Methods Species collection, functional annotation, toxin screening, and 3D modeling construction of three interested toxins were performed based on the successfully constructed transcriptome and proteome of S. invicta. Results A total of 33,231 unigenes and 721 proteins were obtained from the constructed transcriptome and proteome, of which 9,842 (29.62%) and 4,844 (14.58%) unigenes, as well as 469 (65.05%) and 71 (99.45%) proteins were annotated against the databases of Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, respectively. After comparing with the uniprot toxin database, a total of 316 unigenes and 47 proteins (calglandulin, venom allergen 3, and venom prothrombin activator hopsarin-D, etc.) were successfully screened. Conclusions The update of annotations at the transcriptome and proteome levels presents a progression in the comprehension of S. invicta in China. We also provide a protein toxin list that could be used for further exploration of toxicity as well as its antagonistic strategy by S. invicta. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12953-022-00197-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuyang Cai
- Basic School of Medicine, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Fengling Yang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, Jilin, China.,Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Yongfang Wang
- Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Jishun Yang
- Medical Insurance Center, Navy Medical Center, Navy Medical Center of PLA, Shanghai, 200050, China
| | - Yina Zhu
- Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Xueqi Ma
- Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Juan Höfer
- Escuela de Ciencias del Mar, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, 2340000, Región de Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Yichao Wang
- Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai, 200433, China. .,Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou Central Hospital, Taizhou, 318000, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Yajun Ma
- Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Liang Xiao
- Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai, 200433, China.
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Zhang Q, Xu J, Zhou X, Liu Z. CAP superfamily proteins from venomous animals: Who we are and what to do? Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 221:691-702. [PMID: 36099994 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.09.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs), antigen 5 (Ag5), and pathogenesis-related (PR-1) superfamily proteins (CAP superfamily proteins) are found in diverse species across the bacterial, fungal, plant, mammalian, and venomous animal kingdoms. Notably, CAP proteins are found in a remarkable range of species across the venomous animal kingdom and are present almost ubiquitously in venoms, even when venoms are produced in very small quantities. Meanwhile, in comparison to mammals, venomous animals are underappreciated and easy to ignore. Overwhelming evidence suggests that CAP proteins derived from venomous animals exhibit diverse activities, including ion channel, inflammatory, proteolysis, and immune regulatory activities. To understand the potential biological functions of CAP proteins in venom more effectively, we need to examine the significance of the evolution of venomous animals in the animal kingdom, for their survival. In this article, we will review the current status of research on CAP proteins in venomous animals, including their isolation, characterization, known biological activities, and sequence alignments. We will also discuss the rapid evolution of CAP proteins with varied subtypes in venomous animals. A treasure trove of information can be obtained by studying the CAP proteins in venomous animals; hence, it is necessary to explore these proteins further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Zhang
- The National & Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China; Peptide and small molecule drug R&D plateform, Furong Laboratory, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, Hunan, China
| | - Jiawei Xu
- The National & Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China; Peptide and small molecule drug R&D plateform, Furong Laboratory, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, Hunan, China
| | - Xi Zhou
- The National & Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China; Peptide and small molecule drug R&D plateform, Furong Laboratory, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, Hunan, China.
| | - Zhonghua Liu
- The National & Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China; Peptide and small molecule drug R&D plateform, Furong Laboratory, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, Hunan, China.
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10
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Guido-Patiño JC, Plisson F. Profiling hymenopteran venom toxins: Protein families, structural landscape, biological activities, and pharmacological benefits. Toxicon X 2022; 14:100119. [PMID: 35372826 PMCID: PMC8971319 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxcx.2022.100119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hymenopterans are an untapped source of venom secretions. Their recent proteo-transcriptomic studies have revealed an extraordinary pool of toxins that participate in various biological processes, including pain, paralysis, allergic reactions, and antimicrobial activities. Comprehensive and clade-specific campaigns to collect hymenopteran venoms are therefore needed. We consider that data-driven bioprospecting may help prioritise sampling and alleviate associated costs. This work established the current protein landscape from hymenopteran venoms to evaluate possible sample bias by studying their origins, sequence diversity, known structures, and biological functions. We collected all 282 reported hymenopteran toxins (peptides and proteins) from the UniProt database that we clustered into 21 protein families from the three studied clades - wasps, bees, and ants. We identified 119 biological targets of hymenopteran toxins ranging from pathogen membranes to eukaryotic proteases, ion channels and protein receptors. Our systematic study further extended to hymenopteran toxins' therapeutic and biotechnological values, where we revealed promising applications in crop pests, human infections, autoimmune diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders. The hymenopteran toxin diversity includes 21 protein families from 81 species. Some toxins are shared across wasps, bees and ants, others are clade-specific. Their venoms contain membrane-active peptides, neurotoxins, allergens and enzymes. Hymenopteran toxins have been tested against a total of 119 biological targets. Hymenopteran toxins were predominantly evaluated as anti-infective agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Guido-Patiño
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados Del IPN (CINVESTAV), Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para La Biodiversidad (Langebio), Irapuato, Guanajuato, 36824, Mexico
| | - Fabien Plisson
- CONACYT, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados Del IPN (CINVESTAV), Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para La Biodiversidad (Langebio), Irapuato, Guanajuato, 36824, Mexico
- Corresponding author.
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11
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Vásquez-Escobar J, Romero-Gutiérrez T, Morales JA, Clement HC, Corzo GA, Benjumea DM, Corrales-García LL. Transcriptomic Analysis of the Venom Gland and Enzymatic Characterization of the Venom of Phoneutria depilata (Ctenidae) from Colombia. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14050295. [PMID: 35622542 PMCID: PMC9144723 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14050295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcriptome of the venom glands of the Phoneutria depilata spider was analyzed using RNA-seq with an Illumina protocol, which yielded 86,424 assembled transcripts. A total of 682 transcripts were identified as potentially coding for venom components. Most of the transcripts found were neurotoxins (156) that commonly act on sodium and calcium channels. Nevertheless, transcripts coding for some enzymes (239), growth factors (48), clotting factors (6), and a diuretic hormone (1) were found, which have not been described in this spider genus. Furthermore, an enzymatic characterization of the venom of P. depilata was performed, and the proteomic analysis showed a correlation between active protein bands and protein sequences found in the transcriptome. The transcriptomic analysis of P. depilata venom glands show a deeper description of its protein components, allowing the identification of novel molecules that could lead to the treatment of human diseases, or could be models for developing bioinsecticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julieta Vásquez-Escobar
- Grupo de Toxinología y Alternativas Farmacéuticas y Alimentarias, Facultad de Ciencias Farmacéuticas y Alimentarias, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin 1226, Colombia;
- Correspondence: (J.V.-E.); (L.L.C.-G.)
| | - Teresa Romero-Gutiérrez
- Traslational Bioengineering Department, Exact Sciences and Engineering University Center, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44430, Mexico; (T.R.-G.); (J.A.M.)
| | - José Alejandro Morales
- Traslational Bioengineering Department, Exact Sciences and Engineering University Center, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44430, Mexico; (T.R.-G.); (J.A.M.)
| | - Herlinda C. Clement
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca 62210, Mexico; (H.C.C.); (G.A.C.)
| | - Gerardo A. Corzo
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca 62210, Mexico; (H.C.C.); (G.A.C.)
| | - Dora M. Benjumea
- Grupo de Toxinología y Alternativas Farmacéuticas y Alimentarias, Facultad de Ciencias Farmacéuticas y Alimentarias, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin 1226, Colombia;
| | - Ligia Luz Corrales-García
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca 62210, Mexico; (H.C.C.); (G.A.C.)
- Departamento de Alimentos, Facultad de Ciencias Farmacéuticas y Alimentarias, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin 1226, Colombia
- Correspondence: (J.V.-E.); (L.L.C.-G.)
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12
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Shedding Lights on Crude Venom from Solitary Foraging Predatory Ant Ectatomma opaciventre: Initial Toxinological Investigation. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14010037. [PMID: 35051015 PMCID: PMC8781531 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14010037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Some species of primitive predatory ants, despite living in a colony, exercise their hunting collection strategy individually; their venom is painful, paralyzing, digestive, and lethal for their prey, yet the toxins responsible for these effects are poorly known. Ectatomma opaciventre is a previously unrecorded solitary hunting ant from the Brazilian Cerrado. To overcome this hindrance, the present study performed the in vitro enzymatic, biochemical, and biological activities of E. opaciventre to better understand the properties of this venom. Its venom showed several proteins with masses ranging from 1-116 kDa, highlighting the complexity of this venom. Compounds with high enzymatic activity were described, elucidating different enzyme classes present in the venom, with the presence of the first L-amino acid oxidase in Hymenoptera venoms being reported. Its crude venom contributes to a state of blood incoagulability, acting on primary hemostasis, inhibiting collagen-induced platelet aggregation, and operating on the fibrinolysis of loose red clots. Furthermore, the E. opaciventre venom preferentially induced cytotoxic effects on lung cancer cell lines and three different species of Leishmania. These data shed a comprehensive portrait of enzymatic components, biochemical and biological effects in vitro, opening perspectives for bio-pharmacological application of E. opaciventre venom molecules.
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Multipurpose peptides: The venoms of Amazonian stinging ants contain anthelmintic ponericins with diverse predatory and defensive activities. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 192:114693. [PMID: 34302796 PMCID: PMC10167921 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
In the face of increasing drug resistance, the development of new anthelmintics is critical for controlling nematodes that parasitise livestock. Although hymenopteran venom toxins have attracted attention for applications in agriculture and medicine, few studies have explored their potential as anthelmintics. Here we assessed hymenopteran venoms as a possible source of new anthelmintic compounds by screening a panel of ten hymenopteran venoms against Haemonchus contortus, a major pathogenic nematode of ruminants. Using bioassay-guided fractionation coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, we identified four novel anthelmintic peptides (ponericins) from the venom of the neotropical ant Neoponera commutata and the previously described ponericin M-PONTX-Na1b from Neoponera apicalis venom. These peptides inhibit H. contortus development with IC50 values of 2.8-5.6 μM. Circular dichroism spectropolarimetry indicated that the ponericins are unstructured in aqueous solution but adopt α-helical conformations in lipid mimetic environments. We show that the ponericins induce non-specific membrane perturbation, which confers broad-spectrum antimicrobial, insecticidal, cytotoxic, hemolytic, and algogenic activities, with activity across all assays typically correlated. We also show for the first time that ponericins induce spontaneous pain behaviour when injected in mice. We propose that the broad-spectrum activity of the ponericins enables them to play both a predatory and defensive role in neoponeran ants, consistent with their high abundance in venom. This study reveals a broader functionality for ponericins than previously assumed, and highlights both the opportunities and challenges in pursuing ant venom peptides as potential therapeutics.
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Identification of Novel Toxin Genes from the Stinging Nettle Caterpillar Parasa lepida (Cramer, 1799): Insights into the Evolution of Lepidoptera Toxins. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12050396. [PMID: 33946702 PMCID: PMC8145965 DOI: 10.3390/insects12050396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Many caterpillar species can produce toxins that cause harmful reactions to humans, varying from mild irritation to death. Currently, there is very limited knowledge about caterpillar toxin diversity, because only a few species have been investigated. We used the transcriptome technique to identify candidate toxin genes from the nettle caterpillar Parasa lepida (Cramer, 1799). It is a common pest of oil palm, coconut, and mango in South and South-East Asia, which can cause severe pain and allergic responses to those in contact with them. We reported 168 candidate toxin genes. Most of them are members of the toxin genes families commonly recruited in animal venoms such as serine protease and serine protease inhibitors. However, we identified 21 novel genes encoding knottin-like peptides expressed at a high level in the transcriptome. Their predicted 3D structures are similar to neurotoxins in scorpion and tarantula. Our study suggests that P. lepida venom contains diverse toxin proteins that potentially cause allergic reactions and pain. This study sheds light on the hidden diversity of toxin proteins in caterpillar lineage, which could be future fruitful new drug sources. Abstract Many animal species can produce venom for defense, predation, and competition. The venom usually contains diverse peptide and protein toxins, including neurotoxins, proteolytic enzymes, protease inhibitors, and allergens. Some drugs for cancer, neurological disorders, and analgesics were developed based on animal toxin structures and functions. Several caterpillar species possess venoms that cause varying effects on humans both locally and systemically. However, toxins from only a few species have been investigated, limiting the full understanding of the Lepidoptera toxin diversity and evolution. We used the RNA-seq technique to identify toxin genes from the stinging nettle caterpillar, Parasa lepida (Cramer, 1799). We constructed a transcriptome from caterpillar urticating hairs and reported 34,968 unique transcripts. Using our toxin gene annotation pipeline, we identified 168 candidate toxin genes, including protease inhibitors, proteolytic enzymes, and allergens. The 21 P. lepida novel Knottin-like peptides, which do not show sequence similarity to any known peptide, have predicted 3D structures similar to tarantula, scorpion, and cone snail neurotoxins. We highlighted the importance of convergent evolution in the Lepidoptera toxin evolution and the possible mechanisms. This study opens a new path to understanding the hidden diversity of Lepidoptera toxins, which could be a fruitful source for developing new drugs.
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Naephrai S, Khacha-ananda S, Pitchakarn P, Jaikang C. Composition and Acute Inflammatory Response from Tetraponera rufonigra Venom on RAW 264.7 Macrophage Cells. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13040257. [PMID: 33916734 PMCID: PMC8065575 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13040257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tetraponera rufonigra (Arboreal Bicoloured Ant) venom induces pain, inflammation, and anaphylaxis in people and has an increased incident in Southeast Asia regions. The bioactive components and mechanism of action of the ant venom are still limited. The aim of this research was to identify the protein composition and inflammatory process of the ant venom by using RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. The major venom proteins are composed of 5' nucleotidase, prolyl endopeptidase-like, aminopeptidase N, trypsin-3, venom protein, and phospholipase A2 (PLA2). The venom showed PLA2 activity and represented 0.46 μg of PLA2 bee venom equivalent/μg crude venom protein. The venom induced cytotoxic in a dose- and time-dependent manner with IC20 approximately at 4.01 µg/mL. The increased levels of COX-2 and PGE2 were observed after 1 h of treatment correlating with an upregulation of COX-2 expression. Moreover, the level of mPGES-1 expression was obviously increased after 12 h of venom induction. Hence, our results suggested that the induction of COX-2/mPGEs-1 pathway could be a direct pathway for the ant venom-induced inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suwatjanee Naephrai
- Toxicology Section, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; (S.N.); (S.K.-a.)
| | - Supakit Khacha-ananda
- Toxicology Section, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; (S.N.); (S.K.-a.)
| | - Pornsiri Pitchakarn
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand;
| | - Churdsak Jaikang
- Toxicology Section, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; (S.N.); (S.K.-a.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +66-53934532
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16
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Scieuzo C, Salvia R, Franco A, Pezzi M, Cozzolino F, Chicca M, Scapoli C, Vogel H, Monti M, Ferracini C, Pucci P, Alma A, Falabella P. An integrated transcriptomic and proteomic approach to identify the main Torymus sinensis venom components. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5032. [PMID: 33658582 PMCID: PMC7930282 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84385-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
During oviposition, ectoparasitoid wasps not only inject their eggs but also a complex mixture of proteins and peptides (venom) in order to regulate the host physiology to benefit their progeny. Although several endoparasitoid venom proteins have been identified, little is known about the components of ectoparasitoid venom. To characterize the protein composition of Torymus sinensis Kamijo (Hymenoptera: Torymidae) venom, we used an integrated transcriptomic and proteomic approach and identified 143 venom proteins. Moreover, focusing on venom gland transcriptome, we selected additional 52 transcripts encoding putative venom proteins. As in other parasitoid venoms, hydrolases, including proteases, phosphatases, esterases, and nucleases, constitute the most abundant families in T. sinensis venom, followed by protease inhibitors. These proteins are potentially involved in the complex parasitic syndrome, with different effects on the immune system, physiological processes and development of the host, and contribute to provide nutrients to the parasitoid progeny. Although additional in vivo studies are needed, initial findings offer important information about venom factors and their putative host effects, which are essential to ensure the success of parasitism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Scieuzo
- grid.7367.50000000119391302Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy ,grid.7367.50000000119391302Spinoff XFlies S.R.L, University of Basilicata, Via dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
| | - Rosanna Salvia
- grid.7367.50000000119391302Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy ,grid.7367.50000000119391302Spinoff XFlies S.R.L, University of Basilicata, Via dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
| | - Antonio Franco
- grid.7367.50000000119391302Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy ,grid.7367.50000000119391302Spinoff XFlies S.R.L, University of Basilicata, Via dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
| | - Marco Pezzi
- grid.8484.00000 0004 1757 2064Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Flora Cozzolino
- grid.4691.a0000 0001 0790 385XDepartment of Chemical Sciences, University Federico II of Napoli, Via Cinthia 6, 80126 Naples, Italy ,CEINGE Advanced Biotechnology, Via Gaetano Salvatore 486, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Milvia Chicca
- grid.8484.00000 0004 1757 2064Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Chiara Scapoli
- grid.8484.00000 0004 1757 2064Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Heiko Vogel
- grid.418160.a0000 0004 0491 7131Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Maria Monti
- grid.4691.a0000 0001 0790 385XDepartment of Chemical Sciences, University Federico II of Napoli, Via Cinthia 6, 80126 Naples, Italy ,CEINGE Advanced Biotechnology, Via Gaetano Salvatore 486, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Chiara Ferracini
- grid.7605.40000 0001 2336 6580Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Pietro Pucci
- grid.4691.a0000 0001 0790 385XDepartment of Chemical Sciences, University Federico II of Napoli, Via Cinthia 6, 80126 Naples, Italy ,CEINGE Advanced Biotechnology, Via Gaetano Salvatore 486, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Alberto Alma
- grid.7605.40000 0001 2336 6580Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Patrizia Falabella
- grid.7367.50000000119391302Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy ,grid.7367.50000000119391302Spinoff XFlies S.R.L, University of Basilicata, Via dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
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17
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Hull JJ, Gross RJ, Brent CS, Christie AE. Filling in the gaps: A reevaluation of the Lygus hesperus peptidome using an expanded de novo assembled transcriptome and molecular cloning. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 303:113708. [PMID: 33388363 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Peptides are the largest and most diverse class of molecules modulating physiology and behavior. Previously, we predicted a peptidome for the western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus, using transcriptomic data produced from whole individuals. A potential limitation of that analysis was the masking of underrepresented genes, in particular tissue-specific transcripts. Here, we reassessed the L. hesperus peptidome using a more comprehensive dataset comprised of the previous transcriptomic data as well as tissue-specific reads produced from heads and accessory glands. This augmented assembly significantly improves coverage depth providing confirmatory transcripts for essentially all of the previously identified families and new transcripts encoding a number of new peptide precursors corresponding to 14 peptide families. Several families not targeted in our initial study were identified in the expanded assembly, including agatoxin-like peptide, CNMamide, neuropeptide-like precursor 1, and periviscerokinin. To increase confidence in the in silico data, open reading frames of a subset of the newly identified transcripts were amplified using RT-PCR and sequence validated. Further PCR-based profiling of the putative L. hesperus agatoxin-like peptide precursor revealed evidence of alternative splicing with near ubiquitous expression across L. hesperus development, suggesting the peptide serves functional roles beyond that of a toxin. The peptides predicted here, in combination with those identified in our earlier study, expand the L. hesperus peptidome to 42 family members and provide an improved platform for initiating molecular and physiological investigations into peptidergic functionality in this non-model agricultural pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Joe Hull
- Pest Management and Biocontrol Research Unit, US Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, USDA Agricultural Research Services, Maricopa, AZ 85138, USA.
| | - Roni J Gross
- Pest Management and Biocontrol Research Unit, US Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, USDA Agricultural Research Services, Maricopa, AZ 85138, USA
| | - Colin S Brent
- Pest Management and Biocontrol Research Unit, US Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, USDA Agricultural Research Services, Maricopa, AZ 85138, USA
| | - Andrew E Christie
- Békésy Laboratory of Neurobiology, Pacific Biosciences Research Center, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1993 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
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18
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Christie AE, Rivera CD, Call CM, Dickinson PS, Stemmler EA, Hull JJ. Multiple transcriptome mining coupled with tissue specific molecular cloning and mass spectrometry provide insights into agatoxin-like peptide conservation in decapod crustaceans. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 299:113609. [PMID: 32916171 PMCID: PMC7747469 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, in silico genome and transcriptome mining has led to the identification of many new crustacean peptide families, including the agatoxin-like peptides (ALPs), a group named for their structural similarity to agatoxin, a spider venom component. Here, analysis of publicly accessible transcriptomes was used to expand our understanding of crustacean ALPs. Specifically, transcriptome mining was used to investigate the phylogenetic/structural conservation, tissue localization, and putative functions of ALPs in decapod species. Transcripts encoding putative ALP precursors were identified from one or more members of the Penaeoidea (penaeid shrimp), Sergestoidea (sergestid shrimps), Caridea (caridean shrimp), Astacidea (clawed lobsters and freshwater crayfish), Achelata (spiny/slipper lobsters), and Brachyura (true crabs), suggesting a broad, and perhaps ubiquitous, conservation of ALPs in decapods. Comparison of the predicted mature structures of decapod ALPs revealed high levels of amino acid conservation, including eight identically conserved cysteine residues that presumably allow for the formation of four identically positioned disulfide bridges. All decapod ALPs are predicted to have amidated carboxyl-terminals. Two isoforms of ALP appear to be present in most decapod species, one 44 amino acids long and the other 42 amino acids in length, both likely generated by alternative splicing of a single gene. In carideans, a gene or terminal exon duplication appears to have occurred, with alternative splicing producing four ALPs, two 44 and two 42 amino acid isoforms. The identification of ALP precursor-encoding transcripts in nervous system-specific transcriptomes (e.g., Homarus americanus brain, eyestalk ganglia, and cardiac ganglion assemblies, finding confirmed using RT-PCR) suggests that members of this peptide family may serve as locally-released and/or hormonally-delivered neuromodulators in decapods. Their detection in testis- and hepatopancreas-specific transcriptomes suggests that members of the ALP family may also play roles in male reproduction and innate immunity/detoxification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew E Christie
- Békésy Laboratory of Neurobiology, Pacific Biosciences Research Center, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1993 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Cindy D Rivera
- Department of Chemistry, Bowdoin College, 6600 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011, USA
| | - Catherine M Call
- Department of Chemistry, Bowdoin College, 6600 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011, USA
| | - Patsy S Dickinson
- Department of Biology, Bowdoin College, 6500 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Stemmler
- Department of Chemistry, Bowdoin College, 6600 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011, USA
| | - J Joe Hull
- Pest Management and Biocontrol Research Unit, US Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, USDA Agricultural Research Services, Maricopa, AZ 85138, USA.
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19
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Dodou Lima HV, Sidrim de Paula Cavalcante C, Rádis-Baptista G. Antimicrobial activity of synthetic Dq-3162, a 28-residue ponericin G-like dinoponeratoxin from the giant ant Dinoponera quadriceps venom, against carbapenem-resistant bacteria. Toxicon 2020; 187:19-28. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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20
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Rádis-Baptista G, Dodou HV, Prieto-da-Silva ÁRB, Zaharenko AJ, Kazuma K, Nihei KI, Inagaki H, Mori-Yasumoto K, Konno K. Comprehensive analysis of peptides and low molecular weight components of the giant ant Dinoponera quadriceps venom. Biol Chem 2020; 401:945-954. [PMID: 32229648 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2019-0397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Ants (Hymenoptera, Apocrita, Aculeata, Formicoidea) comprise a well-succeeded group of animals. Like bees and wasps, ants are mostly venomous, having a sting system to deliver a mixture of bioactive organic compounds and peptides. The predatory giant ant Dinoponera quadriceps belongs to the subfamily Ponerinae that includes one of the largest known ant species in the world. In the present study, low molecular weight compounds and peptides were identified by online peptide mass fingerprint. These include neuroactive biogenic amines (histamine, tyramine, and dopamine), monoamine alkaloid (phenethylamine), free amino acids (e.g. glutamic acid and proline), free thymidine, and cytosine. To the best of our knowledge, most of these components are described for the first time in an ant venom. Multifunctional dinoponeratoxin peptide variants (pilosulin- and ponericin-like peptides) were characterized that possess antimicrobial, hemolytic, and histamine-releasing properties. These venom components, particularly peptides, might synergistically contribute to the overall venom activity and toxicity, for immobilizing live prey, and for defending D. quadriceps against aggressors, predators, and potential microbial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gandhi Rádis-Baptista
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Institute for Marine Sciences, Federal University of Ceara, Av da Abolição 3207, Fortaleza 60165-081, CE, Brazil
| | - Hilania V Dodou
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Institute for Marine Sciences, Federal University of Ceara, Av da Abolição 3207, Fortaleza 60165-081, CE, Brazil
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza 60020-181, CE, Brazil
| | | | - André J Zaharenko
- Laboratory of Genetics, Butantan Institute, Sao Paulo 05503-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Kohei Kazuma
- Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
- present address: Eco-Frontier Center of Medicinal Resources, School of Pharmacy, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Nihei
- Faculty of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 321-8505, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Inagaki
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
| | - Kanami Mori-Yasumoto
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Kagawa Campus, Tokushima Bunri University, Sanuki, Kagawa 769-2193, Japan
| | - Katsuhiro Konno
- Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
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Antifungal In Vitro Activity of Pilosulin- and Ponericin-Like Peptides from the Giant Ant Dinoponera quadriceps and Synergistic Effects with Antimycotic Drugs. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9060354. [PMID: 32585881 PMCID: PMC7344683 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9060354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Venoms from ants comprise a rich source of bioactive peptides, including antimicrobial peptides. From the proteome and peptidome of the giant ant Dinoponera quadriceps venom, members of five known classes of antimicrobial peptides were disclosed (e.g., dermaseptin-, defensin-, ICK-, pilosulin- and ponericin-like types). Based on comparative analysis, these family members have structural determinants that indicate they could display antimicrobial activities. In previous works, pilosulin- and ponericin-like peptides were demonstrated to be active against bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Herein, the antifungal activity of ponericin- and pilosulin-like peptides were assessed, aiming at the expansion of the knowledge about AMPs in predatory ants and the development of new microbicide strategies to deal with difficult-to-treat fungal infections. Synthetic pilosulin- (Dq-2562, Dq-1503, and Dq-1319) and ponericin-like (Dq-3162) peptides were evaluated for their fungicide and fungistatic activities against different species of Candida, including a drug-resistant clinical strain. The MICs and MLCs were determined for all peptides individually and in combination with general antifungal drugs by the microdilution method. The time-kill kinetic curves were set up by means of a luminescent reagent, of which the light signal is proportional to the number of viable cells. The candicidal synergism observed by the combination of subinhibitory concentrations of peptides and general antimycotic drugs were quantified by the checkerboard test and fluorescent dye permeation assay. The influence of ergosterol on the antifungal activity was verified by supplementation of culture medium. The pilosulin- (Dq-2562 and Dq-1503) and ponericin-like (Dq-3162) were the most active peptides, displaying a broad spectrum of antifungal activity in vitro, with MICs in the range of 0.625 to 10 µM. The combination of peptides and conventional antimycotic drugs displayed a synergistic reduction in the MIC values of individual peptides and drugs, while soluble ergosterol in the culture medium increased the MICs. The fungicide and fungistatic activity of the individual peptides and peptides in combination with antimycotics were time-dependent with a rapid onset of action and long-lasting effect, which involved membrane disruption as an underlying mechanism of their action. Altogether, pilosulin- and ponericin-like peptides from the giant ant D. quadriceps venom display a broad-spectrum of candicidal activity, what allows their inclusion in the row of the antifungal peptides and gives support for further studies on the development of strategies to fight candidiasis.
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Liu ZL, Hu JH, Jiang F, Wu YD. CRiSP: accurate structure prediction of disulfide-rich peptides with cystine-specific sequence alignment and machine learning. Bioinformatics 2020; 36:3385-3392. [PMID: 32215567 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btaa193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION High-throughput sequencing discovers many naturally occurring disulfide-rich peptides or cystine-rich peptides (CRPs) with diversified bioactivities. However, their structure information, which is very important to peptide drug discovery, is still very limited. RESULTS We have developed a CRP-specific structure prediction method called Cystine-Rich peptide Structure Prediction (CRiSP), based on a customized template database with cystine-specific sequence alignment and three machine-learning predictors. The modeling accuracy is significantly better than several popular general-purpose structure modeling methods, and our CRiSP can provide useful model quality estimations. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The CRiSP server is freely available on the website at http://wulab.com.cn/CRISP. CONTACT wuyd@pkusz.edu.cn or jiangfan@pku.edu.cn. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Lin Liu
- Laboratory of Computational Chemistry and Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jing-Hao Hu
- Laboratory of Computational Chemistry and Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China.,College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Fan Jiang
- Laboratory of Computational Chemistry and Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China.,NanoAI Biotech Co., Ltd, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Yun-Dong Wu
- Laboratory of Computational Chemistry and Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China.,College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518055, China
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An Integrated Proteomic and Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals the Venom Complexity of the Bullet Ant Paraponera clavata. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12050324. [PMID: 32422990 PMCID: PMC7290781 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12050324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
A critical hurdle in ant venom proteomic investigations is the lack of databases to comprehensively and specifically identify the sequence and function of venom proteins and peptides. To resolve this, we used venom gland transcriptomics to generate a sequence database that was used to assign the tandem mass spectrometry (MS) fragmentation spectra of venom peptides and proteins to specific transcripts. This was performed alongside a shotgun liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis of the venom to confirm that these assigned transcripts were expressed as proteins. Through the combined transcriptomic and proteomic investigation of Paraponera clavata venom, we identified four times the number of proteins previously identified using 2D-PAGE alone. In addition to this, by mining the transcriptomic data, we identified several novel peptide sequences for future pharmacological investigations, some of which conform with inhibitor cysteine knot motifs. These types of peptides have the potential to be developed into pharmaceutical or bioinsecticide peptides.
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24
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Leal LC, Silva DP, Peixoto PE. When the company does not matter: High-quality ant seed-disperser does not drive the spatial distribution of large-seeded myrmecochorous plants. AUSTRAL ECOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura C. Leal
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva; Universidade Federal de São Paulo; Rua Conceição, 215, 09972-270 Diadema Brazil
| | - Daniel Paiva Silva
- COBIMA Lab; Departamento de Ciências Biológicas; Instituto Federal Goiano; Urutaí Goiás Brazil
| | - Paulo E.C. Peixoto
- Departamento de Genética; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Ecologia e Evolução Belo Horizonte Brazil
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Hadrurid Scorpion Toxins: Evolutionary Conservation and Selective Pressures. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11110637. [PMID: 31683932 PMCID: PMC6891616 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11110637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Scorpion toxins are thought to have originated from ancestral housekeeping genes that underwent diversification and neofunctionalization, as a result of positive selection. Our understanding of the evolutionary origin of these peptides is hindered by the patchiness of existing taxonomic sampling. While recent studies have shown phylogenetic inertia in some scorpion toxins at higher systematic levels, evolutionary dynamics of toxins among closely related taxa remain unexplored. In this study, we used new and previously published transcriptomic resources to assess evolutionary relationships of closely related scorpions from the family Hadruridae and their toxins. In addition, we surveyed the incidence of scorpine-like peptides (SLP, a type of potassium channel toxin), which were previously known from 21 scorpion species. We demonstrate that scorpine-like peptides exhibit gene duplications. Our molecular analyses demonstrate that only eight sites of two SLP copies found in scorpions are evolving under positive selection, with more sites evolving under negative selection, in contrast to previous findings. These results show evolutionary conservation in toxin diversity at shallow taxonomic scale.
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Ceolin Mariano DO, de Oliveira ÚC, Zaharenko AJ, Pimenta DC, Rádis-Baptista G, Prieto-da-Silva ÁRDB. Bottom-Up Proteomic Analysis of Polypeptide Venom Components of the Giant Ant Dinoponera Quadriceps. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11080448. [PMID: 31362422 PMCID: PMC6722740 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11080448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Ant species have specialized venom systems developed to sting and inoculate a biological cocktail of organic compounds, including peptide and polypeptide toxins, for the purpose of predation and defense. The genus Dinoponera comprises predatory giant ants that inoculate venom capable of causing long-lasting local pain, involuntary shaking, lymphadenopathy, and cardiac arrhythmias, among other symptoms. To deepen our knowledge about venom composition with regard to protein toxins and their roles in the chemical-ecological relationship and human health, we performed a bottom-up proteomics analysis of the crude venom of the giant ant D. quadriceps, popularly known as the "false" tocandiras. For this purpose, we used two different analytical approaches: (i) gel-based proteomics approach, wherein the crude venom was resolved by denaturing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and all protein bands were excised for analysis; (ii) solution-based proteomics approach, wherein the crude venom protein components were directly fragmented into tryptic peptides in solution for analysis. The proteomic data that resulted from these two methodologies were compared against a previously annotated transcriptomic database of D. quadriceps, and subsequently, a homology search was performed for all identified transcript products. The gel-based proteomics approach unequivocally identified nine toxins of high molecular mass in the venom, as for example, enzymes [hyaluronidase, phospholipase A1, dipeptidyl peptidase and glucose dehydrogenase/flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) quinone] and diverse venom allergens (homologous of the red fire ant Selenopsis invicta) and venom-related proteins (major royal jelly-like). Moreover, the solution-based proteomics revealed and confirmed the presence of several hydrolases, oxidoreductases, proteases, Kunitz-like polypeptides, and the less abundant inhibitor cysteine knot (ICK)-like (knottin) neurotoxins and insect defensin. Our results showed that the major components of the D. quadriceps venom are toxins that are highly likely to damage cell membranes and tissue, to cause neurotoxicity, and to induce allergic reactions, thus, expanding the knowledge about D. quadriceps venom composition and its potential biological effects on prey and victims.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Daniel Carvalho Pimenta
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo SP 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Gandhi Rádis-Baptista
- Laboratorio of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Institute for Marine Sciences, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza CE 60165-081, Brazil.
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de Souza CL, Dos Santos-Pinto JRA, Esteves FG, Perez-Riverol A, Fernandes LGR, de Lima Zollner R, Palma MS. Revisiting Polybia paulista wasp venom using shotgun proteomics - Insights into the N-linked glycosylated venom proteins. J Proteomics 2019; 200:60-73. [PMID: 30905720 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2019.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The partial proteome of Polybia paulista wasp venom was previously reported elsewhere using a gel-dependent approach and resulted in the identification of a limited number of venom toxins. Here, we reinvestigated the P. paulista venom using a gel-free shotgun proteomic approach; the highly dynamic range of this approach facilitated the detection and identification of 1673 proteins, of which 23 venom proteins presented N-linked glycosylation as a posttranslational modification. Three different molecular forms of PLA1 were identified as allergenic proteins, and two of these forms were modified by N-linked glycosylation. This study reveals an extensive repertoire of hitherto undescribed proteins that were classified into the following six different functional groups: (i) typical venom proteins; (ii) proteins related to the folding/conformation and PTMs of toxins; (iii) proteins that protect toxins from oxidative stress; (iv) proteins involved in chemical communication; (v) housekeeping proteins; and (vi) uncharacterized proteins. It was possible to identify venom toxin-like proteins that are commonly reported in other animal venoms, including arthropods such as spiders and scorpions. Thus, the findings reported here may contribute to improving our understanding of the composition of P. paulista venom, its envenoming mechanism and the pathologies experienced by the victim after the wasp stinging accident. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The present study significantly expanded the number of proteins identified in P. paulista venom, contributing to improvements in our understanding of the envenoming mechanism produced by sting accidents caused by this wasp. For example, novel wasp venom neurotoxins have been identified, but no studies have assessed the presence of this type of toxin in social wasp venoms. In addition, 23 N-linked glycosylated venom proteins were identified in the P. paulista venom proteome, and some of these proteins might be relevant allergens that are immunoreactive to human IgE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Lacerra de Souza
- Center of the Study of Social Insects, Department of Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro, SP 13500, Brazil
| | - José Roberto Aparecido Dos Santos-Pinto
- Center of the Study of Social Insects, Department of Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro, SP 13500, Brazil.
| | - Franciele Grego Esteves
- Center of the Study of Social Insects, Department of Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro, SP 13500, Brazil
| | - Amilcar Perez-Riverol
- Center of the Study of Social Insects, Department of Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro, SP 13500, Brazil
| | - Luís Gustavo Romani Fernandes
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Cidade Universitária "Zeferino Vaz", Campinas, SP 13083887, Brazil
| | - Ricardo de Lima Zollner
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Cidade Universitária "Zeferino Vaz", Campinas, SP 13083887, Brazil
| | - Mario Sergio Palma
- Center of the Study of Social Insects, Department of Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro, SP 13500, Brazil.
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Tani N, Kazuma K, Ohtsuka Y, Shigeri Y, Masuko K, Konno K, Inagaki H. Mass Spectrometry Analysis and Biological Characterization of the Predatory Ant Odontomachus monticola Venom and Venom Sac Components. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11010050. [PMID: 30658410 PMCID: PMC6356579 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11010050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously identified 92 toxin-like peptides and proteins, including pilosulin-like peptides 1–6 from the predatory ant Odontomachus monticola, by transcriptome analysis. Here, to further characterize venom components, we analyzed the venom and venom sac extract by ESI-MS/MS with or without trypsin digestion and reducing agent. As the low-molecular-mass components, we found amino acids (leucine/isoleucine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan) and biogenic amines (histamine and tyramine) in the venom and venom sac extract. As the higher molecular mass components, we found peptides and proteins such as pilosulin-like peptides, phospholipase A2s, hyaluronidase, venom dipeptidyl peptidases, conotoxin-like peptide, and icarapin-like peptide. In addition to pilosulin-like peptides 1–6, we found three novel pilosulin-like peptides that were overlooked by transcriptome analysis. Moreover, pilosulin-like peptides 1–6 were chemically synthesized, and some of them displayed antimicrobial, hemolytic, and histamine-releasing activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Tani
- Liaison Laboratory Research Promotion Center, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, 2-2-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan.
| | - Kohei Kazuma
- Eco-Frontier Center of Medicinal Resources, School of Pharmacy, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan.
| | - Yukio Ohtsuka
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan.
| | - Yasushi Shigeri
- Department of Chemistry, Wakayama Medical University, 580 Mikazura, Wakayama 641-0011, Japan.
| | - Keiichi Masuko
- School of Business Administration, Senshu University, 2-1-1 Higashimita, Tama-ku, Kawasaki 214-8580, Japan.
| | - Katsuhiro Konno
- Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
| | - Hidetoshi Inagaki
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan.
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Walker AA, Robinson SD, Yeates DK, Jin J, Baumann K, Dobson J, Fry BG, King GF. Entomo-venomics: The evolution, biology and biochemistry of insect venoms. Toxicon 2018; 154:15-27. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Revised: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Robinson SD, Mueller A, Clayton D, Starobova H, Hamilton BR, Payne RJ, Vetter I, King GF, Undheim EAB. A comprehensive portrait of the venom of the giant red bull ant, Myrmecia gulosa, reveals a hyperdiverse hymenopteran toxin gene family. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaau4640. [PMID: 30214940 PMCID: PMC6135544 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aau4640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are diverse and ubiquitous, and their ability to sting is familiar to many of us. However, their venoms remain largely unstudied. We provide the first comprehensive characterization of a polypeptidic ant venom, that of the giant red bull ant, Myrmecia gulosa. We reveal a suite of novel peptides with a range of posttranslational modifications, including disulfide bond formation, dimerization, and glycosylation. One venom peptide has sequence features consistent with an epidermal growth factor fold, while the remaining peptides have features suggestive of a capacity to form amphipathic helices. We show that these peptides are derived from what appears to be a single, pharmacologically diverse, gene superfamily (aculeatoxins) that includes most venom peptides previously reported from the aculeate Hymenoptera. Two aculeatoxins purified from the venom were found to be capable of activating mammalian sensory neurons, consistent with the capacity to produce pain but via distinct mechanisms of action. Further investigation of the major venom peptide MIITX1-Mg1a revealed that it can also incapacitate arthropods, indicative of dual utility in both defense and predation. MIITX1-Mg1a accomplishes these functions by generating a leak in membrane ion conductance, which alters membrane potential and triggers neuronal depolarization. Our results provide the first insights into the evolution of the major toxin gene superfamily of the aculeate Hymenoptera and provide a new paradigm in the functional evolution of toxins from animal venoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel D. Robinson
- Centre for Advance Imaging, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Alexander Mueller
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Daniel Clayton
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Hana Starobova
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Brett R. Hamilton
- Centre for Advance Imaging, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Richard J. Payne
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Glenn F. King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Eivind A. B. Undheim
- Centre for Advance Imaging, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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31
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Touchard A, Téné N, Song PCT, Lefranc B, Leprince J, Treilhou M, Bonnafé E. Deciphering the Molecular Diversity of an Ant Venom Peptidome through a Venomics Approach. J Proteome Res 2018; 17:3503-3516. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.8b00452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Axel Touchard
- Equipe BTSB-EA 7417, Université de Toulouse, Institut National Universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81012 Albi, France
| | - Nathan Téné
- Equipe BTSB-EA 7417, Université de Toulouse, Institut National Universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81012 Albi, France
| | - Philippe Chan Tchi Song
- Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, Institut de Recherche et d’Innovation Biomédicale (IRIB), 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Benjamin Lefranc
- Inserm U 1239, Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, Plate-forme de Recherche en Imagerie Cellulaire Normandie (PRIMACEN), 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Jérôme Leprince
- Inserm U 1239, Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, Plate-forme de Recherche en Imagerie Cellulaire Normandie (PRIMACEN), 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Michel Treilhou
- Equipe BTSB-EA 7417, Université de Toulouse, Institut National Universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81012 Albi, France
| | - Elsa Bonnafé
- Equipe BTSB-EA 7417, Université de Toulouse, Institut National Universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81012 Albi, France
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dos Santos-Pinto JRA, Perez-Riverol A, Lasa AM, Palma MS. Diversity of peptidic and proteinaceous toxins from social Hymenoptera venoms. Toxicon 2018; 148:172-196. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Diniz-Sousa R, Kayano AM, Caldeira CA, Simões-Silva R, Monteiro MC, Moreira-Dill LS, Grabner FP, Calderon LA, Zuliani JP, Stábeli RG, Soares AM. Biochemical characterization of a phospholipase A 2 homologue from the venom of the social wasp Polybia occidentalis. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2018; 24:5. [PMID: 29467796 PMCID: PMC5815181 DOI: 10.1186/s40409-018-0143-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Wasp venoms constitute a molecular reservoir of new pharmacological substances such as peptides and proteins, biological property holders, many of which are yet to be identified. Exploring these sources may lead to the discovery of molecules hitherto unknown. This study describes, for the first time in hymenopteran venoms, the identification of an enzymatically inactive phospholipase A2 (PLA2) from the venom of the social wasp Polybia occidentalis. Methods P. occidentalis venom was fractioned by molecular exclusion and reverse phase chromatography. For the biochemical characterization of the protein, 1D and 2D SDS-PAGE were performed, along with phospholipase activity assays on synthetic substrates, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and sequencing by Edman degradation. Results The protein, called PocTX, was isolated using two chromatographic steps. Based on the phospholipase activity assay, electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, the protein presented a high degree of purity, with a mass of 13,896.47 Da and a basic pI. After sequencing by the Edman degradation method, it was found that the protein showed a high identity with snake venom PLA2 homologues. Conclusion This is the first report of an enzymatically inactive PLA2 isolated from wasp venom, similar to snake PLA2 homologues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela Diniz-Sousa
- Center for the Study of Biomolecules Applicable to Health (CEBio), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - Rondônia (Fiocruz - Rondônia), Porto Velho, RO Brazil.,2Department of Medicine, Federal University of Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO Brazil.,3Postgraduate Program in Experimental Biology (PGBIOEXP), Federal University of Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO Brazil.,São Lucas University Center (UniSL), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
| | - Anderson M Kayano
- Center for the Study of Biomolecules Applicable to Health (CEBio), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - Rondônia (Fiocruz - Rondônia), Porto Velho, RO Brazil.,2Department of Medicine, Federal University of Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
| | - Cleópatra A Caldeira
- Center for the Study of Biomolecules Applicable to Health (CEBio), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - Rondônia (Fiocruz - Rondônia), Porto Velho, RO Brazil.,2Department of Medicine, Federal University of Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO Brazil.,5Postgraduate Program in Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Bionorte Network, Federal University of Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Simões-Silva
- Center for the Study of Biomolecules Applicable to Health (CEBio), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - Rondônia (Fiocruz - Rondônia), Porto Velho, RO Brazil.,2Department of Medicine, Federal University of Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
| | - Marta C Monteiro
- 6School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém, PA Brazil
| | - Leandro S Moreira-Dill
- Center for the Study of Biomolecules Applicable to Health (CEBio), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - Rondônia (Fiocruz - Rondônia), Porto Velho, RO Brazil.,2Department of Medicine, Federal University of Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
| | - Fernando P Grabner
- Center for the Study of Biomolecules Applicable to Health (CEBio), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - Rondônia (Fiocruz - Rondônia), Porto Velho, RO Brazil.,São Lucas University Center (UniSL), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
| | - Leonardo A Calderon
- Center for the Study of Biomolecules Applicable to Health (CEBio), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - Rondônia (Fiocruz - Rondônia), Porto Velho, RO Brazil.,2Department of Medicine, Federal University of Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
| | - Juliana P Zuliani
- Center for the Study of Biomolecules Applicable to Health (CEBio), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - Rondônia (Fiocruz - Rondônia), Porto Velho, RO Brazil.,2Department of Medicine, Federal University of Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
| | - Rodrigo G Stábeli
- Center for the Study of Biomolecules Applicable to Health (CEBio), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - Rondônia (Fiocruz - Rondônia), Porto Velho, RO Brazil.,7Department of Medicine, UFSCar, São Carlos, Center of Translational Medicine, Fiocruz - SP, and School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Andreimar M Soares
- Center for the Study of Biomolecules Applicable to Health (CEBio), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - Rondônia (Fiocruz - Rondônia), Porto Velho, RO Brazil.,2Department of Medicine, Federal University of Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO Brazil.,São Lucas University Center (UniSL), Porto Velho, RO Brazil
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Favreau E, Martínez-Ruiz C, Rodrigues Santiago L, Hammond RL, Wurm Y. Genes and genomic processes underpinning the social lives of ants. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 25:83-90. [PMID: 29602366 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The >15000 ant species are all highly social and show great variation in colony organization, complexity and behavior. The mechanisms by which such sociality evolved, as well as those underpinning the elaboration of ant societies since their ∼140 million year old common ancestor, have long been pondered. Here, we review recent insights generated using various genomic approaches. This includes understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying caste differentiation and the diversity of social structures, studying the impact of eusociality on genomic evolutionary rates, and investigating gene expression changes associated with differences in lifespan between castes. Furthermore, functional studies involving RNAi and CRISPR have recently been successfully applied to ants, opening the door to exciting research that promises to revolutionize the understanding of the evolution and diversification of social living.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emeline Favreau
- Organismal Biology Department, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Carlos Martínez-Ruiz
- Organismal Biology Department, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Leandro Rodrigues Santiago
- Organismal Biology Department, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Robert L Hammond
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, United Kingdom.
| | - Yannick Wurm
- Organismal Biology Department, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom.
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The dinoponeratoxin peptides from the giant ant Dinoponera quadriceps display in vitro antitrypanosomal activity. Biol Chem 2018; 399:187-196. [DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2017-0198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The crude venom of the giant ant Dinoponera quadriceps is a cocktail of polypeptides and organic compounds that shows antiparasitic effects against Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. In order to investigate the venom-derived components responsible for such antitrypanosomal activity, four dinoponeratoxins (DnTxs) were identified, namely M-PONTX-Dq3a, -Dq3b, -Dq3c and -Dq4e, that are diverse in size, net charge, hydrophobicity and propensity to interact with eukaryote cell membranes. These peptides were tested against epimastigote, trypomastigote and amastigote forms of benznidazole (Bz)-resistant Y strain of T. cruzi and in mammalian host cells. The M-PONTX-Dq3a and -Dq4e inhibited all developmental forms of T. cruzi, including amastigotes, the responsible form for the maintenance of infection on chronic phase of the disease. The M-PONTX-Dq3a showed the highest selectivity index (SI) (80) and caused morphological alterations in T. cruzi, as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and induced cell death through necrosis, as seen by multiparametric flow cytometry analysis with specific biochemical markers. Altogether, the D. quadriceps venom appears as a source for the prospection of trypanocidal peptides and the M-PONTX-Dq3a arises as a candidate among the dinoponeratoxin-related peptides in the development of compounds against Chagas disease.
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Babenko VV, Mikov AN, Manuvera VA, Anikanov NA, Kovalchuk SI, Andreev YA, Logashina YA, Kornilov DA, Manolov AI, Sanamyan NP, Sanamyan KE, Kostryukova ES, Kozlov SA, Grishin EV, Govorun VM, Lazarev VN. Identification of unusual peptides with new Cys frameworks in the venom of the cold-water sea anemone Cnidopus japonicus. Sci Rep 2017; 7:14534. [PMID: 29109403 PMCID: PMC5673964 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-14961-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sea anemones (Actiniaria) are intensely popular objects of study in venomics. Order Actiniaria includes more than 1,000 species, thus presenting almost unlimited opportunities for the discovery of novel biologically active molecules. The venoms of cold-water sea anemones are studied far less than the venoms of tropical sea anemones. In this work, we analysed the molecular venom composition of the cold-water sea anemone Cnidopus japonicus. Two sets of NGS data from two species revealed molecules belonging to a variety of structural classes, including neurotoxins, toxin-like molecules, linear polypeptides (Cys-free), enzymes, and cytolytics. High-throughput proteomic analyses identified 27 compounds that were present in the venoms. Some of the toxin-like polypeptides exhibited novel Cys frameworks. To characterise their function in the venom, we heterologously expressed 3 polypeptides with unusual Cys frameworks (designated CjTL7, CjTL8, and AnmTx Cj 1c-1) in E. coli. Toxicity tests revealed that the CjTL8 polypeptide displays strong crustacean-specific toxicity, while AnmTx Cj 1c-1 is toxic to both crustaceans and insects. Thus, an improved NGS data analysis algorithm assisted in the identification of toxins with unusual Cys frameworks showing no homology according to BLAST. Our study shows the advantage of combining omics analysis with functional tests for active polypeptide discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladislav V Babenko
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia.
| | - Alexander N Mikov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Valentin A Manuvera
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - Nickolay A Anikanov
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Sergey I Kovalchuk
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Yaroslav A Andreev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Yulia A Logashina
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Daniil A Kornilov
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - Alexander I Manolov
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - Nadya P Sanamyan
- Kamchatka Branch of Pacific Geographical Institute, Far-Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 683000, Russia
| | - Karen E Sanamyan
- Kamchatka Branch of Pacific Geographical Institute, Far-Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 683000, Russia
| | - Elena S Kostryukova
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - Sergey A Kozlov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Eugene V Grishin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Vadim M Govorun
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - Vassili N Lazarev
- Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, 119435, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
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Combined Venom Gland Transcriptomic and Venom Peptidomic Analysis of the Predatory Ant Odontomachus monticola. Toxins (Basel) 2017; 9:toxins9100323. [PMID: 29027956 PMCID: PMC5666370 DOI: 10.3390/toxins9100323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Revised: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ants (hymenoptera: Formicidae) have adapted to many different environments and have become some of the most prolific and successful insects. To date, 13,258 ant species have been reported. They have been classified into 333 genera and 17 subfamilies. Except for a few Formicinae, Dolichoderinae, and members of other subfamilies, most ant species have a sting with venom. The venoms are composed of formic acid, alkaloids, hydrocarbons, amines, peptides, and proteins. Unlike the venoms of other animals such as snakes and spiders, ant venoms have seldom been analyzed comprehensively, and their compositions are not yet completely known. In this study, we used both transcriptomic and peptidomic analyses to study the composition of the venom produced by the predatory ant species Odontomachus monticola. The transcriptome analysis yielded 49,639 contigs, of which 92 encoded toxin-like peptides and proteins with 18,106,338 mapped reads. We identified six pilosulin-like peptides by transcriptomic analysis in the venom gland. Further, we found intact pilosulin-like peptide 1 and truncated pilosulin-like peptides 2 and 3 by peptidomic analysis in the venom. Our findings related to ant venom peptides and proteins may lead the way towards development and application of novel pharmaceutical and biopesticidal resources.
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Robinson SD, Undheim EAB, Ueberheide B, King GF. Venom peptides as therapeutics: advances, challenges and the future of venom-peptide discovery. Expert Rev Proteomics 2017; 14:931-939. [DOI: 10.1080/14789450.2017.1377613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel D. Robinson
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | | | | | - Glenn F. King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
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Aili SR, Touchard A, Petitclerc F, Dejean A, Orivel J, Padula MP, Escoubas P, Nicholson GM. Combined Peptidomic and Proteomic Analysis of Electrically Stimulated and Manually Dissected Venom from the South American Bullet Ant Paraponera clavata. J Proteome Res 2017; 16:1339-1351. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.6b00948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Samira R. Aili
- Neurotoxin
Research Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Axel Touchard
- CNRS,
UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), AgroParisTech,
Cirad, INRA, Université des Antilles, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles, 97310 Kourou, France
| | - Frédéric Petitclerc
- CNRS,
UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), AgroParisTech,
Cirad, INRA, Université des Antilles, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles, 97310 Kourou, France
| | - Alain Dejean
- CNRS,
UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), AgroParisTech,
Cirad, INRA, Université des Antilles, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles, 97310 Kourou, France
- Ecolab, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Jérôme Orivel
- CNRS,
UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), AgroParisTech,
Cirad, INRA, Université des Antilles, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles, 97310 Kourou, France
| | - Matthew P. Padula
- Proteomics
Core Facility, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Pierre Escoubas
- VenomeTech, 473 Route des Dolines — Villa
3, Valbonne 06560, France
| | - Graham M. Nicholson
- Neurotoxin
Research Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
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Nôga DAMF, Brandão LEM, Cagni FC, Silva D, de Azevedo DLO, Araújo A, Dos Santos WF, Miranda A, da Silva RH, Ribeiro AM. Anticonvulsant Effects of Fractions Isolated from Dinoponera quadriceps (Kempt) Ant Venom (Formicidae: Ponerinae). Toxins (Basel) 2016; 9:toxins9010005. [PMID: 28025529 PMCID: PMC5308238 DOI: 10.3390/toxins9010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Revised: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural products, sources of new pharmacological substances, have large chemical diversity and architectural complexity. In this context, some toxins obtained from invertebrate venoms have anticonvulsant effects. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects about 65 million people worldwide, and approximately 30% of cases are resistant to pharmacological treatment. Previous studies from our group show that the denatured venom of the ant Dinoponera quadriceps (Kempt) protects mice against bicuculline (BIC)-induced seizures and death. The aim of this study was to investigate the anticonvulsant activity of compounds isolated from D. quadriceps venom against seizures induced by BIC in mice. Crude venom was fractionated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) resulting in six fractions referred to as DqTx1-DqTx6. A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) analysis revealed a major 431 Da compound in fractions DqTx1 and DqTx2. Fractions DqTx3 and DqTx4 showed a compound of 2451 Da and DqTx5 revealed a 2436 Da compound. Furthermore, the DqTx6 fraction exhibited a major component with a molecular weight of 13,196 Da. Each fraction (1 mg/mL) was microinjected into the lateral ventricle of mice, and the animals were observed in an open field. We did not observe behavioral alterations when the fractions were given alone. Conversely, when the fractions were microinjected 20 min prior to the administration of BIC (21.6 nM), DqTx1, DqTx4, and DqTx6 fractions increased the latency for onset of tonic-clonic seizures. Moreover, all fractions, except DqTx5, increased latency to death. The more relevant result was obtained with the DqTx6 fraction, which protected 62.5% of the animals against tonic-clonic seizures. Furthermore, this fraction protected 100% of the animals from seizure episodes followed by death. Taken together, these findings indicate that compounds from ant venom might be a potential source of new anticonvulsants molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Fernanda Carvalho Cagni
- Physiology Department, University Federal of Rio Grande of Norte, Natal, RN 59078-970, Brazil.
| | - Delano Silva
- Physiology Department, University Federal of Rio Grande of Norte, Natal, RN 59078-970, Brazil.
| | | | - Arrilton Araújo
- Physiology Department, University Federal of Rio Grande of Norte, Natal, RN 59078-970, Brazil.
| | | | - Antonio Miranda
- Biophysics Department, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 04023-062, Brazil.
| | - Regina Helena da Silva
- Pharmacology Department, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 04023-062, Brazil.
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41
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Antiparasitic effect of Dinoponera quadriceps giant ant venom. Toxicon 2016; 120:128-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Revised: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Aili SR, Touchard A, Koh JMS, Dejean A, Orivel J, Padula MP, Escoubas P, Nicholson GM. Comparisons of Protein and Peptide Complexity in Poneroid and Formicoid Ant Venoms. J Proteome Res 2016; 15:3039-54. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.6b00182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Samira R. Aili
- Neurotoxin
Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Axel Touchard
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Jennifer M. S. Koh
- Neurotoxin
Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Alain Dejean
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
- Laboratoire Écologie
Fonctionnelle et Environnement, CNRS, UMR 5245, Ecolab, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Jérôme Orivel
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Matthew P. Padula
- Proteomics
Core Facility, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Pierre Escoubas
- VenomeTech, 473 Route des Dolines - Villa 3, Valbonne 06560, France
| | - Graham M. Nicholson
- Neurotoxin
Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
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Sousa PL, Quinet YP, Cavalcante Brizeno LA, Sampaio TL, Torres AFC, Martins AMC, Assreuy AMS. The acute inflammatory response induced in mice by the venom of the giant ant Dinoponera quadriceps involves macrophage and interleukin-1β. Toxicon 2016; 117:22-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2015] [Revised: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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Undheim EAB, Mobli M, King GF. Toxin structures as evolutionary tools: Using conserved 3D folds to study the evolution of rapidly evolving peptides. Bioessays 2016; 38:539-48. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.201500165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eivind A. B. Undheim
- Institute for Molecular BioscienceUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - Mehdi Mobli
- Centre for Advanced ImagingUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - Glenn F. King
- Institute for Molecular BioscienceUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
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Pessoa WFB, Silva LCC, de Oliveira Dias L, Delabie JHC, Costa H, Romano CC. Analysis of Protein Composition and Bioactivity of Neoponera villosa Venom (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17040513. [PMID: 27110765 PMCID: PMC4848969 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17040513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Revised: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ants cause a series of accidents involving humans. Such accidents generate different reactions in the body, ranging from a mild irritation at the bite site to anaphylactic shock, and these reactions depend on the mechanism of action of the venom. The study of animal venom is a science known as venomics. Through venomics, the composition of the venom of several ant species has already been characterized and their biological activities described. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the protein composition and biological activities (hemolytic and immunostimulatory) of the venom of Neoponera villosa (N. villosa), an ant widely distributed in South America. The protein composition was evaluated by proteomic techniques, such as two-dimensional electrophoresis. To assess the biological activity, hemolysis assay was carried out and cytokines were quantified after exposure of macrophages to the venom. The venom of N. villosa has a profile composed of 145 proteins, including structural and metabolic components (e.g., tubulin and ATPase), allergenic and immunomodulatory proteins (arginine kinase and heat shock proteins (HSPs)), protective proteins of venom (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase) and tissue degradation proteins (hyaluronidase and phospholipase A2). The venom was able to induce hemolysis in human erythrocytes and also induced release of both pro-inflammatory cytokines, as the anti-inflammatory cytokine release by murine macrophages. These results allow better understanding of the composition and complexity of N. villosa venom in the human body, as well as the possible mechanisms of action after the bite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wallace Felipe Blohem Pessoa
- State University of Santa Cruz (UESC)-Center of Biotechnology and Genetics (CBG), Ilhéus, Bahia 45662-900, Brazil.
| | | | - Leila de Oliveira Dias
- State University of Santa Cruz (UESC)-Center of Biotechnology and Genetics (CBG), Ilhéus, Bahia 45662-900, Brazil.
| | - Jacques Hubert Charles Delabie
- Myrmecology Laboratory of the Cocoa Research Center-CEPEC, Executive Committee of the Cocoa Crop (CEPLAC), Ilhéus, Bahia 45660-000, Brazil.
| | - Helena Costa
- State University of Santa Cruz (UESC)-Center of Biotechnology and Genetics (CBG), Ilhéus, Bahia 45662-900, Brazil.
| | - Carla Cristina Romano
- State University of Santa Cruz (UESC)-Center of Biotechnology and Genetics (CBG), Ilhéus, Bahia 45662-900, Brazil.
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Touchard A, Aili SR, Fox EGP, Escoubas P, Orivel J, Nicholson GM, Dejean A. The Biochemical Toxin Arsenal from Ant Venoms. Toxins (Basel) 2016; 8:E30. [PMID: 26805882 PMCID: PMC4728552 DOI: 10.3390/toxins8010030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Revised: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ants (Formicidae) represent a taxonomically diverse group of hymenopterans with over 13,000 extant species, the majority of which inject or spray secretions from a venom gland. The evolutionary success of ants is mostly due to their unique eusociality that has permitted them to develop complex collaborative strategies, partly involving their venom secretions, to defend their nest against predators, microbial pathogens, ant competitors, and to hunt prey. Activities of ant venom include paralytic, cytolytic, haemolytic, allergenic, pro-inflammatory, insecticidal, antimicrobial, and pain-producing pharmacologic activities, while non-toxic functions include roles in chemical communication involving trail and sex pheromones, deterrents, and aggregators. While these diverse activities in ant venoms have until now been largely understudied due to the small venom yield from ants, modern analytical and venomic techniques are beginning to reveal the diversity of toxin structure and function. As such, ant venoms are distinct from other venomous animals, not only rich in linear, dimeric and disulfide-bonded peptides and bioactive proteins, but also other volatile and non-volatile compounds such as alkaloids and hydrocarbons. The present review details the unique structures and pharmacologies of known ant venom proteinaceous and alkaloidal toxins and their potential as a source of novel bioinsecticides and therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Touchard
- CNRS, UMR Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (AgroParisTech, CIRAD, CNRS, INRA, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, Kourou Cedex 97379, France.
- BTSB (Biochimie et Toxicologie des Substances Bioactives) Université de Champollion, Place de Verdun, Albi 81012, France.
| | - Samira R Aili
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | | | - Pierre Escoubas
- VenomeTech, 473 Route des Dolines-Villa 3, Valbonne 06560, France.
| | - Jérôme Orivel
- CNRS, UMR Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (AgroParisTech, CIRAD, CNRS, INRA, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, Kourou Cedex 97379, France.
| | - Graham M Nicholson
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - Alain Dejean
- CNRS, UMR Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (AgroParisTech, CIRAD, CNRS, INRA, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, Kourou Cedex 97379, France.
- Laboratoire Écologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement, 118 Route de Narbonne, Toulouse 31062, France.
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Oldrati V, Arrell M, Violette A, Perret F, Sprüngli X, Wolfender JL, Stöcklin R. Advances in venomics. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2016; 12:3530-3543. [DOI: 10.1039/c6mb00516k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The term “venomics” was coined to describe the global study of venom and venom glands, targeting comprehensive characterization of the whole toxin profile of a venomous animal by means of proteomics, transcriptomics, genomics and bioinformatics studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Oldrati
- Atheris SA
- Geneva
- Switzerland
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- EPGL
| | | | - Aude Violette
- Alphabiotoxine Laboratory Sprl
- Montroeul-au-Bois B-7911
- Belgium
| | | | | | - Jean-Luc Wolfender
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- EPGL
- University of Geneva
- University of Lausanne
- CMU
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Sturm S, Ramesh D, Brockmann A, Neupert S, Predel R. Agatoxin-like peptides in the neuroendocrine system of the honey bee and other insects. J Proteomics 2016; 132:77-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2015.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Revised: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 11/21/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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Liu G, Zhou Y, Liu D, Wang Q, Ruan Z, He Q, Zhang L. Global Transcriptome Analysis of the Tentacle of the Jellyfish Cyanea capillata Using Deep Sequencing and Expressed Sequence Tags: Insight into the Toxin- and Degenerative Disease-Related Transcripts. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0142680. [PMID: 26551022 PMCID: PMC4638339 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Jellyfish contain diverse toxins and other bioactive components. However, large-scale identification of novel toxins and bioactive components from jellyfish has been hampered by the low efficiency of traditional isolation and purification methods. RESULTS We performed de novo transcriptome sequencing of the tentacle tissue of the jellyfish Cyanea capillata. A total of 51,304,108 reads were obtained and assembled into 50,536 unigenes. Of these, 21,357 unigenes had homologues in public databases, but the remaining unigenes had no significant matches due to the limited sequence information available and species-specific novel sequences. Functional annotation of the unigenes also revealed general gene expression profile characteristics in the tentacle of C. capillata. A primary goal of this study was to identify putative toxin transcripts. As expected, we screened many transcripts encoding proteins similar to several well-known toxin families including phospholipases, metalloproteases, serine proteases and serine protease inhibitors. In addition, some transcripts also resembled molecules with potential toxic activities, including cnidarian CfTX-like toxins with hemolytic activity, plancitoxin-1, venom toxin-like peptide-6, histamine-releasing factor, neprilysin, dipeptidyl peptidase 4, vascular endothelial growth factor A, angiotensin-converting enzyme-like and endothelin-converting enzyme 1-like proteins. Most of these molecules have not been previously reported in jellyfish. Interestingly, we also characterized a number of transcripts with similarities to proteins relevant to several degenerative diseases, including Huntington's, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. This is the first description of degenerative disease-associated genes in jellyfish. CONCLUSION We obtained a well-categorized and annotated transcriptome of C. capillata tentacle that will be an important and valuable resource for further understanding of jellyfish at the molecular level and information on the underlying molecular mechanisms of jellyfish stinging. The findings of this study may also be used in comparative studies of gene expression profiling among different jellyfish species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoyan Liu
- Marine Bio-pharmaceutical Institute, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yonghong Zhou
- Marine Bio-pharmaceutical Institute, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Dan Liu
- Marine Bio-pharmaceutical Institute, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Qianqian Wang
- Marine Bio-pharmaceutical Institute, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Zengliang Ruan
- Marine Bio-pharmaceutical Institute, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Qian He
- Department of Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Liming Zhang
- Marine Bio-pharmaceutical Institute, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
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Macrander J, Broe M, Daly M. Multi-copy venom genes hidden in de novo transcriptome assemblies, a cautionary tale with the snakelocks sea anemone Anemonia sulcata (Pennant, 1977). Toxicon 2015; 108:184-8. [PMID: 26464059 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2015.09.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Accepted: 09/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Using a partial transcriptome of the snakelocks anemone (Anemonia sulcata) we identify toxin gene candidates that were incorrectly assembled into several Trinity components. Our approach recovers hidden diversity found within some toxin gene families that would otherwise go undetected when using Trinity, a widely used program for venom-focused transcriptome reconstructions. Unidentified hidden transcripts may significantly impact conclusions made regarding venom composition (or other multi-copy conserved genes) when using Trinity or other de novo assembly programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Macrander
- The Ohio State University, Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, 1315 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43215, USA.
| | - Michael Broe
- The Ohio State University, Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, 1315 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
| | - Marymegan Daly
- The Ohio State University, Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, 1315 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
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