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Gorbushin A, Ruparčič M, Anderluh G. Littoporins: Novel actinoporin-like proteins in caenogastropod genus Littorina. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2024; 151:109698. [PMID: 38871141 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2024.109698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
In the course of searching for genes controlling the immune system in caenogastropod mollusks, we characterized and phylogenetically placed five new actinoporin-like cytolysins expressed in periwinkles of the genus Littorina. These newly discovered proteins, named littoporins (LitP), contain a central cytolysin/lectin domain and exhibit a predicted protein fold that is almost identical to the three-dimensional structures of actinoporins. Two of these proteins, LitP-1 and LitP-2, were found to be upregulated in L. littorea kidney tissues and immune cells in response to natural and experimental infection with the trematode Himasthla elongata, suggesting their potential role as perforins in the systemic anti-trematode immune response. The primary sequence divergence of littoporins is hypothesized to be attributed to the taxonomic range of cell membranes they can recognize and permeabilize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Gorbushin
- Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry (IEPhB RAS), St Petersburg, Russia.
| | - Matija Ruparčič
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gregor Anderluh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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2
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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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3
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Fedosov A, Tucci CF, Kantor Y, Farhat S, Puillandre N. Collaborative Expression: Transcriptomics of Conus virgo Suggests Contribution of Multiple Secretory Glands to Venom Production. J Mol Evol 2023; 91:837-853. [PMID: 37962577 PMCID: PMC10730640 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-023-10139-8] [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: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Venomous marine gastropods of the family Conidae are among the most diversified predators in marine realm-in large due to their complex venoms. Besides being a valuable source of bioactive neuropeptides conotoxins, cone-snails venoms are an excellent model for molecular evolution studies, addressing origin of key innovations. However, these studies are handicapped by scarce current knowledge on the tissues involved in venom production, as it is generally assumed the sole prerogative of the venom gland (VG). The role of other secretory glands that are present in all Conus species (salivary gland, SG) or only in some species (accessory salivary gland, ASG) remains poorly understood. Here, for the first time, we carry out a detailed analysis of the VG, SG, and ASG transcriptomes in the vermivorous Conus virgo. We detect multiple transcripts clusters in both the SG and ASG, whose annotations imply venom-related functions. Despite the subsets of transcripts highly-expressed in the VG, SG, and ASG being very distinct, SG expresses an L-, and ASG-Cerm08-, and MEFRR- superfamily conotoxins, all previously considered specific for VG. We corroborate our results with the analysis of published SG and VG transcriptomes from unrelated fish-hunting C. geographus, and C. striatus, possibly fish-hunting C. rolani, and worm-hunting Conus quercinus. In spite of low expression levels of conotoxins, some other specific clusters of putative venom-related peptides are present and may be highly expressed in the SG of these species. Further functional studies are necessary to determine the role that these peptides play in envenomation. In the meantime, our results show importance of routine multi-tissue sampling both for accurate interpretation of tissue-specific venom composition in cone-snails, and for better understanding origin and evolution of venom peptides genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Fedosov
- Department of Zoology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, 10405, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Institut Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 51, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Carmen Federica Tucci
- Institut Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 51, 75005, Paris, France
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università, 35020, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Yuri Kantor
- Institut Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 51, 75005, Paris, France
- A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 33 Leninski Prospect, Moscow, 119071, Russian Federation
| | - Sarah Farhat
- Institut Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 51, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Puillandre
- Institut Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 51, 75005, Paris, France
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Zheng JW, Lu Y, Yang YF, Huang D, Li DW, Wang X, Gao Y, Yang WD, Guan Y, Li HY. Systematic dissection of genomic features determining the vast diversity of conotoxins. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:598. [PMID: 37814244 PMCID: PMC10561478 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09689-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conus, a highly diverse species of venomous predators, has attracted significant attention in neuroscience and new drug development due to their rich collection of neuroactive peptides called conotoxins. Recent advancements in transcriptome, proteome, and genome analyses have facilitated the identification of conotoxins within Conus' venom glands, providing insights into the genetic features and evolutionary patterns of conotoxin genes. However, the underlying mechanism behind the extraordinary hypervariability of conotoxins remains largely unknown. RESULTS We analyzed the transcriptomes of 34 Conus species, examining various tissues such as the venom duct, venom bulb, and salivary gland, leading to the identification of conotoxin genes. Genetic variation analysis revealed that a subset of these genes (15.78% of the total) in Conus species underwent positive selection (Ka/Ks > 1, p < 0.01). Additionally, we reassembled and annotated the genome of C. betulinus, uncovering 221 conotoxin-encoding genes. These genes primarily consisted of three exons, with a significant portion showing high transcriptional activity in the venom ducts. Importantly, the flanking regions and adjacent introns of conotoxin genes exhibited a higher prevalence of transposon elements, suggesting their potential contribution to the extensive variability observed in conotoxins. Furthermore, we detected genome duplication in C. betulinus, which likely contributed to the expansion of conotoxin gene numbers. Interestingly, our study also provided evidence of introgression among Conus species, indicating that interspecies hybridization may have played a role in shaping the evolution of diverse conotoxin genes. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the impact of adaptive evolution and introgressive hybridization on the genetic diversity of conotoxin genes and the evolution of Conus. We also propose a hypothesis suggesting that transposable elements might significantly contribute to the remarkable diversity observed in conotoxins. These findings not only enhance our understanding of peptide genetic diversity but also present a novel approach for peptide bioengineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Wei Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Eutrophication and Control of Harmful Algal Blooms of Guangdong Higher Education Institute, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Foshan University of Science and Technology, Foshan, 528231, China
| | - Yang Lu
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Eutrophication and Control of Harmful Algal Blooms of Guangdong Higher Education Institute, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yu-Feng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Eutrophication and Control of Harmful Algal Blooms of Guangdong Higher Education Institute, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Dan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Eutrophication and Control of Harmful Algal Blooms of Guangdong Higher Education Institute, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Da-Wei Li
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Eutrophication and Control of Harmful Algal Blooms of Guangdong Higher Education Institute, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Eutrophication and Control of Harmful Algal Blooms of Guangdong Higher Education Institute, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yang Gao
- Gulou Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei-Dong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Eutrophication and Control of Harmful Algal Blooms of Guangdong Higher Education Institute, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yuanfang Guan
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Hong-Ye Li
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Eutrophication and Control of Harmful Algal Blooms of Guangdong Higher Education Institute, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
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Patnaik HH, Sang MK, Park JE, Song DK, Jeong JY, Hong CE, Kim YT, Shin HJ, Ziwei L, Hwang HJ, Park SY, Kang SW, Ko JH, Lee JS, Park HS, Jo YH, Han YS, Patnaik BB, Lee YS. A review of the endangered mollusks transcriptome under the threatened species initiative of Korea. Genes Genomics 2023; 45:969-987. [PMID: 37405596 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-023-01389-3] [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: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Transcriptome studies for conservation of endangered mollusks is a proactive approach towards managing threats and uncertainties facing these species in natural environments. The population of these species is declining due to habitat destruction, illicit wildlife trade, and global climate change. These activities risk the free movement of species across the wild landscape, loss of breeding grounds, and restrictions in displaying the physiological attributes so crucial for faunal welfare. Gastropods face the most negative ecological effects and have been enlisted under Korea's protective species consortium based on their population dynamics in the last few years. Moreover, with the genetic resources restricted for such species, conservation by informed planning is not possible. This review provides insights into the activities under the threatened species initiative of Korea with special reference to the transcriptome assemblies of endangered mollusks. The gastropods such as Ellobium chinense, Aegista chejuensis, Aegista quelpartensis, Incilaria fruhstorferi, Koreanohadra kurodana, Satsuma myomphala, and Clithon retropictus have been represented. Moreover, the transcriptome summary of bivalve Cristaria plicata and Caenogastropoda Charonia lampas sauliae is also discussed. Sequencing, de novo assembly, and annotation identified transcripts or homologs for the species and, based on an understanding of the biochemical and molecular pathways, were ascribed to predictive gene function. Mining for simple sequence repeats from the transcriptome have successfully assisted genetic polymorphism studies. A comparison of the transcriptome scheme of Korean endangered mollusks with the genomic resources of other endangered mollusks have been discussed with homologies and analogies for dictating future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongray Howrelia Patnaik
- Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea
| | - Min Kyu Sang
- Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea
- Research Support Center for Bio-Bigdata Analysis and Utilization of Biological Resources, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea
| | - Jie Eun Park
- Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea
- Research Support Center for Bio-Bigdata Analysis and Utilization of Biological Resources, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea
| | - Dae Kwon Song
- Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea
- Research Support Center for Bio-Bigdata Analysis and Utilization of Biological Resources, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea
| | - Jun Yang Jeong
- Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan,, Chungnam, 31538, South Korea
| | - Chan Eui Hong
- Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan,, Chungnam, 31538, South Korea
| | - Yong Tae Kim
- Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan,, Chungnam, 31538, South Korea
| | - Hyeon Jun Shin
- Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan,, Chungnam, 31538, South Korea
| | - Liu Ziwei
- Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan,, Chungnam, 31538, South Korea
| | - Hee Ju Hwang
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan,, Chungnam, 31538, South Korea
| | - So Young Park
- Biodiversity Research Team, Animal & Plant Research Department, Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources, Sangju, Gyeongbuk, 37242, South Korea
| | - Se Won Kang
- Biological Resource Center (BRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Jeongeup, Jeonbuk, 56212, South Korea
| | - Jung Ho Ko
- Police Science Institute, Korean National Police University, Asan, Chungnam, 31539, South Korea
| | - Jun Sang Lee
- Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea
| | - Hong Seog Park
- Research Institute, GnC BIO Co., LTD., 621-6 Banseok-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34069, South Korea
| | - Yong Hun Jo
- Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan,, Chungnam, 31538, South Korea
| | - Yeon Soo Han
- College of Agriculture and Life Science, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61186, South Korea
| | - Bharat Bhusan Patnaik
- Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea
- P.G Department of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Fakir Mohan University, Odisha, 756089, Nuapadhi, Balasore, India
| | - Yong Seok Lee
- Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea.
- Research Support Center for Bio-Bigdata Analysis and Utilization of Biological Resources, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, South Korea.
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan,, Chungnam, 31538, South Korea.
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Rogalski A, Himaya SWA, Lewis RJ. Coordinated adaptations define the ontogenetic shift from worm- to fish-hunting in a venomous cone snail. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3287. [PMID: 37311767 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38924-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine cone snails have attracted researchers from all disciplines but early life stages have received limited attention due to difficulties accessing or rearing juvenile specimens. Here, we document the culture of Conus magus from eggs through metamorphosis to reveal dramatic shifts in predatory feeding behaviour between post-metamorphic juveniles and adult specimens. Adult C. magus capture fish using a set of paralytic venom peptides combined with a hooked radular tooth used to tether envenomed fish. In contrast, early juveniles feed exclusively on polychaete worms using a unique "sting-and-stalk" foraging behaviour facilitated by short, unbarbed radular teeth and a distinct venom repertoire that induces hypoactivity in prey. Our results demonstrate how coordinated morphological, behavioural and molecular changes facilitate the shift from worm- to fish-hunting in C. magus, and showcase juvenile cone snails as a rich and unexplored source of novel venom peptides for ecological, evolutionary and biodiscovery studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aymeric Rogalski
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, QLD, Australia
| | - S W A Himaya
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, QLD, Australia
| | - Richard J Lewis
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, QLD, Australia.
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Comparative Venomics of C. flavidus and C. frigidus and Closely Related Vermivorous Cone Snails. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20030209. [PMID: 35323508 PMCID: PMC8951504 DOI: 10.3390/md20030209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cone snail venom biodiversity reflects dietary preference and predatory and defensive envenomation strategies across the ≈900 species of Conidae. To better understand the mechanisms of adaptive radiations in closely related species, we investigated the venom of two phylogenetically and spatially related species, C. flavidus and C. frigidus of the Virgiconus clade. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the major superfamily profiles were conserved between the two species, including 68 shared conotoxin transcripts. These shared transcripts contributed 90% of the conotoxin expression in C. frigidus and only 49% in C. flavidus, which showed greater toxin diversification in the dominant O1, I2, A, O2, O3, and M superfamilies compared to C. frigidus. On the basis of morphology, two additional sub-groups closely resembling C. flavidus were also identified from One Tree Island Reef. Despite the morphological resemblance, the venom duct proteomes of these cryptic sub-groups were distinct from C. flavidus. We suggest rapid conotoxin sequence divergence may have facilitated adaptive radiation and the establishment of new species and the regulatory mechanisms facilitating species-specific venom evolution.
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8
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Pardos-Blas JR, Tenorio MJ, Galindo JCG, Zardoya R. Comparative Venomics of the Cryptic Cone Snail Species Virroconus ebraeus and Virroconus judaeus. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20020149. [PMID: 35200678 PMCID: PMC8875821 DOI: 10.3390/md20020149] [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: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The venom duct transcriptomes and proteomes of the cryptic cone snail species Virroconus ebraeus and Virroconus judaeus were obtained and compared. The most abundant and shared conotoxin precursor superfamilies in both species were M, O1, and O2. Additionally, three new putative conotoxin precursor superfamilies (Virro01-03) with cysteine pattern types VI/VII and XVI were identified. The most expressed conotoxin precursor superfamilies were SF-mi2 and M in V. ebraeus, and Cerm03 and M in V. judaeus. Up to 16 conotoxin precursor superfamilies and hormones were differentially expressed between both species, and clustered into two distinct sets, which could represent adaptations of each species to different diets. Finally, we predicted, with machine learning algorithms, the 3D structure model of selected venom proteins including the differentially expressed Cerm03 and SF-mi2, an insulin type 3, a Gastridium geographus GVIA-like conotoxin, and an ortholog to the Pionoconus magus ω-conotoxin MVIIA (Ziconotide).
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Affiliation(s)
- José Ramón Pardos-Blas
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Manuel J. Tenorio
- Departamento de CMIM y Química Inorgánica-INBIO, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Cádiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.J.T.); (R.Z.)
| | - Juan Carlos G. Galindo
- Departamento de Química Orgánica-INBIO, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Cádiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Spain;
| | - Rafael Zardoya
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain;
- Correspondence: (M.J.T.); (R.Z.)
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Abalde S, Dutertre S, Zardoya R. A Combined Transcriptomics and Proteomics Approach Reveals the Differences in the Predatory and Defensive Venoms of the Molluscivorous Cone Snail Cylinder ammiralis (Caenogastropoda: Conidae). Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13090642. [PMID: 34564647 PMCID: PMC8472973 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13090642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Venoms are complex mixtures of proteins that have evolved repeatedly in the animal kingdom. Cone snail venoms represent one of the best studied venom systems. In nature, this venom can be dynamically adjusted depending on its final purpose, whether to deter predators or hunt prey. Here, the transcriptome of the venom gland and the proteomes of the predation-evoked and defensive venoms of the molluscivorous cone snail Cylinder ammiralis were catalogued. A total of 242 venom-related transcripts were annotated. The conotoxin superfamilies presenting more different peptides were O1, O2, T, and M, which also showed high expression levels (except T). The three precursors of the J superfamily were also highly expressed. The predation-evoked and defensive venoms showed a markedly distinct profile. A total of 217 different peptides were identified, with half of them being unique to one venom. A total of 59 peptides ascribed to 23 different protein families were found to be exclusive to the predatory venom, including the cono-insulin, which was, for the first time, identified in an injected venom. A total of 43 peptides from 20 protein families were exclusive to the defensive venom. Finally, comparisons of the relative abundance (in terms of number of peptides) of the different conotoxin precursor superfamilies showed that most of them present similar abundance regardless of the diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Abalde
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain;
- Department of Zoology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Frescativägen 40, 114 18 Stockholm, Sweden
- Correspondence:
| | | | - Rafael Zardoya
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain;
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Fedosov A, Zaharias P, Puillandre N. A phylogeny-aware approach reveals unexpected venom components in divergent lineages of cone snails. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211017. [PMID: 34229491 PMCID: PMC8261202 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine gastropods of the genus Conus are renowned for their remarkable diversity and deadly venoms. While Conus venoms are increasingly well studied for their biomedical applications, we know surprisingly little about venom composition in other lineages of Conidae. We performed comprehensive venom transcriptomic profiling for Conasprella coriolisi and Pygmaeconus traillii, first time for both respective genera. We complemented reference-based transcriptome annotation by a de novo toxin prediction guided by phylogeny, which involved transcriptomic data on two additional 'divergent' cone snail lineages, Profundiconus, and Californiconus. We identified toxin clusters (SSCs) shared among all or some of the four analysed genera based on the identity of the signal region-a molecular tag present in toxins. In total, 116 and 98 putative toxins represent 29 and 28 toxin gene superfamilies in Conasprella and Pygmaeconus, respectively; about quarter of these only found by semi-manual annotation of the SSCs. Two rare gene superfamilies, originally identified from fish-hunting cone snails, were detected outside Conus rather unexpectedly, so we further investigated their distribution across Conidae radiation. We demonstrate that both these, in fact, are ubiquitous in Conidae, sometimes with extremely high expression. Our findings demonstrate how a phylogeny-aware approach circumvents methodological caveats of similarity-based transcriptome annotation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Fedosov
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospect 33, 119071 Moscow, Russian Federation
- Institut Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 26, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Paul Zaharias
- Institut Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 26, 75005 Paris, France
- Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Nicolas Puillandre
- Institut Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 26, 75005 Paris, France
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11
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Himaya SWA, Jin AH, Hamilton B, Rai SK, Alewood P, Lewis RJ. Venom duct origins of prey capture and defensive conotoxins in piscivorous Conus striatus. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13282. [PMID: 34168165 PMCID: PMC8225645 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91919-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The venom duct origins of predatory and defensive venoms has not been studied for hook-and-line fish hunting cone snails despite the pharmacological importance of their venoms. To better understand the biochemistry and evolution of injected predatory and defensive venoms, we compared distal, central and proximal venom duct sections across three specimens of C. striatus (Pionoconus) using proteomic and transcriptomic approaches. A total of 370 conotoxin precursors were identified from the whole venom duct transcriptome. Milked defensive venom was enriched with a potent cocktail of proximally expressed inhibitory α-, ω- and μ-conotoxins compared to milked predatory venom. In contrast, excitatory κA-conotoxins dominated both the predatory and defensive venoms despite their distal expression, suggesting this class of conotoxin can be selectively expressed from the same duct segment in response to either a predatory or defensive stimuli. Given the high abundance of κA-conotoxins in the Pionoconus clade, we hypothesise that the κA-conotoxins have evolved through adaptive evolution following their repurposing from ancestral inhibitory A superfamily conotoxins to facilitate the dietary shift to fish hunting and species radiation in this clade.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. W. A. Himaya
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Ai-Hua Jin
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Brett Hamilton
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Subash K. Rai
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia ,grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Present Address: Genome Innovation Hub, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Paul Alewood
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Richard J. Lewis
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
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12
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Pardos-Blas JR, Irisarri I, Abalde S, Afonso CML, Tenorio MJ, Zardoya R. The genome of the venomous snail Lautoconus ventricosus sheds light on the origin of conotoxin diversity. Gigascience 2021; 10:giab037. [PMID: 34037232 PMCID: PMC8152183 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giab037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Venoms are deadly weapons to subdue prey or deter predators that have evolved independently in many animal lineages. The genomes of venomous animals are essential to understand the evolutionary mechanisms involved in the origin and diversification of venoms. RESULTS Here, we report the chromosome-level genome of the venomous Mediterranean cone snail, Lautoconus ventricosus (Caenogastropoda: Conidae). The total size of the assembly is 3.59 Gb; it has high contiguity (N50 = 93.53 Mb) and 86.6 Mb of the genome assembled into the 35 largest scaffolds or pseudochromosomes. On the basis of venom gland transcriptomes, we annotated 262 complete genes encoding conotoxin precursors, hormones, and other venom-related proteins. These genes were scattered in the different pseudochromosomes and located within repetitive regions. The genes encoding conotoxin precursors were normally structured into 3 exons, which did not necessarily coincide with the 3 structural domains of the corresponding proteins. Additionally, we found evidence in the L. ventricosus genome for a past whole-genome duplication event by means of conserved gene synteny with the Pomacea canaliculata genome, the only one available at the chromosome level within Caenogastropoda. The whole-genome duplication event was further confirmed by the presence of a duplicated hox gene cluster. Key genes for gastropod biology including those encoding proteins related to development, shell formation, and sex were located in the genome. CONCLUSIONS The new high-quality L. ventricosus genome should become a reference for assembling and analyzing new gastropod genomes and will contribute to future evolutionary genomic studies among venomous animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Ramón Pardos-Blas
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Iker Irisarri
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Applied Bioinformatics, Institute for Microbiology and Genetics, University of Goettingen, Goldschmidtstr. 1, D-37077 Goettingen, Germany
- Campus Institute Data Science (CIDAS), Goettingen, Wilhelmsplatz 1, D-37073, Germany
| | - Samuel Abalde
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Zoology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Frescativägen 40, 11418 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carlos M L Afonso
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005–139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Manuel J Tenorio
- Departamento CMIM y Q. Inorgánica-INBIO, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Rafael Zardoya
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
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13
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De novo transcriptome sequencing of triton shell Charonia lampas sauliae: Identification of genes related to neurotoxins and discovery of genetic markers. Mar Genomics 2021; 59:100862. [PMID: 33827771 DOI: 10.1016/j.margen.2021.100862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Charonia lampas sauliae (triton snails, triton shells or tritons; Mollusca, Caenogastropoda, Littorinimorpha, Ranellidae) is a marine species with a wide distribution. In Korea, this species is listed as vulnerable and is regionally protected as an endangered species. Here, we report the first comprehensive transcriptome dataset of C. lampas sauliae obtained using the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform. In total, 97.68% of raw read sequences were processed as clean reads. Of the 577,478 contigs obtained, 146,026 sequences were predicted to contain coding regions. About 89.34% of all annotated unigene sequences showed homologous matches to protein sequences in PANM DB (Protostome database). Further, about one-third of the unigene sequences were annotated using the UniGene, Swiss-Prot, Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG) and Gene Ontology (GO) databases. In total, 190 enzymes were predicted under key metabolic pathways under stood through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database annotation. Repetitive elements such as long terminal repeats (LTRs), short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs), long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs), and DNA elements were enriched in the unigene sequences. Among the identified transcripts were the channel proteins, some of which were blocked by tetrodotoxin, which is thought to be synthesized by symbiotic bacteria inhabiting the shells. In addition, conotoxin superfamily peptides, such as B-conotoxin, conotoxin superfamily T and alpha-conotoxin, were identified, which may have relevance to biomedical and evolutionary research. A transcriptome-wide search for polymorphic loci identified 21,568 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) in the unigene sequences. Most SSRs were dinucleotides, among which AC/GT was the dominant SSR type. The molecular and genetic resources revealed in this study could be utilized for investigations on the fitness of the species in the marine environment and sustainability in a changing habitat.
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14
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Rajaian Pushpabai R, Wilson Alphonse CR, Mani R, Arun Apte D, Franklin JB. Diversity of Conopeptides and Conoenzymes from the Venom Duct of the Marine Cone Snail Conus bayani as Determined from Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses. Mar Drugs 2021; 19:202. [PMID: 33916793 PMCID: PMC8066144 DOI: 10.3390/md19040202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine cone snails are predatory gastropods characterized by a well-developed venom apparatus and highly evolved hunting strategies that utilize toxins to paralyze prey and defend against predators. The venom of each species of cone snail has a large number of pharmacologically active peptides known as conopeptides or conotoxins that are usually unique in each species. Nevertheless, venoms of only very few species have been characterized so far by transcriptomic approaches. In this study, we used transcriptome sequencing technologies and mass spectrometric methods to describe the diversity of venom components expressed by a worm-hunting species, Conus bayani. A total of 82 conotoxin sequences were retrieved from transcriptomic data that contain 54 validated conotoxin sequences clustered into 21 gene superfamilies including divergent gene family, 17 sequences clustered to 6 different conotoxin classes, and 11 conotoxins classified as unassigned gene family. Seven new conotoxin sequences showed unusual cysteine patterns. We were also able to identify 19 peptide sequences using mass spectrometry that completely overlapped with the conotoxin sequences obtained from transcriptome analysis. Importantly, herein we document the presence of 16 proteins that include five post-translational modifying enzymes obtained from transcriptomic data. Our results revealed diverse and novel conopeptides of an unexplored species that could be used extensively in biomedical research due to their therapeutic potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Rajaian Pushpabai
- Centre for Molecular and Nanomedical Sciences, Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai 600119, Tamil Nadu, India; (R.R.P.); (C.R.W.A.); (R.M.)
| | - Carlton Ranjith Wilson Alphonse
- Centre for Molecular and Nanomedical Sciences, Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai 600119, Tamil Nadu, India; (R.R.P.); (C.R.W.A.); (R.M.)
| | - Rajasekar Mani
- Centre for Molecular and Nanomedical Sciences, Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai 600119, Tamil Nadu, India; (R.R.P.); (C.R.W.A.); (R.M.)
| | - Deepak Arun Apte
- Department of Marine Conservation, Bombay Natural History Society, Hornbill House, Dr. Sálim Ali Chowk, SBS Road, Mumbai 400 001, Maharashtra, India;
| | - Jayaseelan Benjamin Franklin
- Department of Marine Conservation, Bombay Natural History Society, Hornbill House, Dr. Sálim Ali Chowk, SBS Road, Mumbai 400 001, Maharashtra, India;
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15
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Saikia C, Dym O, Altman-Gueta H, Gordon D, Reuveny E, Karbat I. A Molecular Lid Mechanism of K + Channel Blocker Action Revealed by a Cone Peptide. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:166957. [PMID: 33771569 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.166957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Many venomous organisms carry in their arsenal short polypeptides that block K+ channels in a highly selective manner. These toxins may compete with the permeating ions directly via a "plug" mechanism or indirectly via a "pore-collapse" mechanism. An alternative "lid" mechanism was proposed but remained poorly defined. Here we study the Drosophila Shaker channel block by Conkunitzin-S1 and Conkunitzin-C3, two highly similar toxins derived from cone venom. Despite their similarity, the two peptides exhibited differences in their binding poses and biophysical assays, implying discrete action modes. We show that while Conkunitzin-S1 binds tightly to the channel turret and acts via a "pore-collapse" mechanism, Conkunitzin-C3 does not contact this region. Instead, Conk-C3 uses a non-conserved Arg to divert the permeant ions and trap them in off-axis cryptic sites above the SF, a mechanism we term a "molecular-lid". Our study provides an atomic description of the "lid" K+ blocking mode and offers valuable insights for the design of therapeutics based on venom peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandamita Saikia
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Orly Dym
- Structural Proteomic Unit, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Hagit Altman-Gueta
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology and Ecology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Dalia Gordon
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Eitan Reuveny
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
| | - Izhar Karbat
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
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16
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Turner A, Kaas Q, Craik DJ. Hormone-like conopeptides - new tools for pharmaceutical design. RSC Med Chem 2020; 11:1235-1251. [PMID: 34095838 PMCID: PMC8126879 DOI: 10.1039/d0md00173b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Conopeptides are a diverse family of peptides found in the venoms of marine cone snails and are used in prey capture and host defence. Because of their potent activity on a range of mammalian targets they have attracted interest as leads in drug design. Until recently most focus had been on studying conopeptides having activity at ion channels and related neurological targets but, with recent discoveries that some conopeptides might play hormonal roles, a new area of conopeptide research has opened. In this article we first summarize the canonical pharmaceutical families of Conus venom peptides and then focus on new research relating to hormone-like conopeptides and their potential applications. Finally, we briefly examine methods of chemically stabilizing conopeptides to improve their pharmacological properties. A summary is presented of conopeptides in clinical trials and a call for future work on hormone-like conopeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashlin Turner
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Quentin Kaas
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
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17
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Gallo A, Boni R, Tosti E. Neurobiological activity of conotoxins via sodium channel modulation. Toxicon 2020; 187:47-56. [PMID: 32877656 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Conotoxins (CnTX) are bioactive peptides produced by marine molluscs belonging to Conus genus. The biochemical structure of these venomous peptides is characterized by a low number of amino acids linked with disulfide bonds formed by a high degree of post-translational modifications and glycosylation steps which increase the diversity and rate of evolution of these molecules. CnTX different isoforms are known to target ion channels and, in particular, voltage-gated sodium (Na+) channels (Nav channels). These are transmembrane proteins fundamental in excitable cells for generating the depolarization of plasma membrane potential known as action potential which propagates electrical signals in muscles and nerves for physiological functions. Disorders in Nav channel activity have been shown to induce neurological pathologies and pain states. Here, we describe the current knowledge of CnTX isoform modulation of the Nav channel activity, the mechanism of action and the potential therapeutic use of these toxins in counteracting neurological dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Gallo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy.
| | - Raffele Boni
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, 85100, Potenza, Italy.
| | - Elisabetta Tosti
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy.
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18
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Abalde S, Tenorio MJ, Afonso CML, Zardoya R. Comparative transcriptomics of the venoms of continental and insular radiations of West African cones. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200794. [PMID: 32546094 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcriptomes of the venom glands of 13 closely related species of vermivorous cones endemic to West Africa from genera Africonus and Varioconus were sequenced and venom repertoires compared within a phylogenetic framework using one Kalloconus species as outgroup. The total number of conotoxin precursors per species varied between 108 and 221. Individuals of the same species shared about one-fourth of the total conotoxin precursors. The number of common sequences was drastically reduced in the pairwise comparisons between closely related species, and the phylogenetical signal was totally eroded at the inter-generic level (no sequence was identified as shared derived), due to the intrinsic high variability of these secreted peptides. A common set of four conotoxin precursor superfamilies (T, O1, O2 and M) was expanded in all studied cone species, and thus, they are considered the basic venom toolkit for hunting and defense in the West African vermivorous cone snails. Maximum-likelihood ancestral character reconstructions inferred shared conotoxin precursors preferentially at internal nodes close to the tips of the phylogeny (between individuals and between closely related species) as well as in the common ancestor of Varioconus. Besides the common toolkit, the two genera showed significantly distinct catalogues of conotoxin precursors in terms of type of superfamilies present and the abundance of members per superfamily, but had similar relative expression levels indicating functional convergence. Differential expression comparisons between vermivorous and piscivorous cones highlighted the importance of the A and S superfamilies for fish hunting and defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Abalde
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Manuel J Tenorio
- Departamento CMIM y Q. Inorgánica-INBIO, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Carlos M L Afonso
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Rafael Zardoya
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
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19
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Himaya SWA, Rai SK, Pamfili G, Jin AH, Alewood PF, Lewis RJ. Venomic Interrogation Reveals the Complexity of Conus striolatus Venom. Aust J Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/ch19588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Given the complexity of cone snail venoms, high throughput venomics approaches are required to fully investigate venom composition, envenomation strategies, and evolutionary trajectories. This study describes 158 conotoxins in the venom transcriptome of the little studied C. striolatus from the fish hunting clade Pionoconus. Despite similar gene superfamily distributions along the venom duct, only 18 common transcripts were identified between distal, central, and proximal venom duct transcriptomes. Proteomic analysis of the injected predatory venom collected from the same individual revealed an ~18-fold enhanced complexity at the proteomic level, consistent with complex post-translational modifications and variable venom peptide processing occurring in the venom duct. Overall, C. striolatus venom was dominated by M, O1, O2, and A gene superfamily conotoxins and conkunitzins, which are potential modulators of sodium, calcium, and potassium channels. Conkunitzins and gene superfamily A peptides dominated the proximal over the distal duct, the M and O1 gene superfamily peptides were distributed along the full length of the duct, while the O2 gene superfamily peptides dominated the distal duct. Interestingly, the predatory injected venom of C. striolatus was dominated by peptides from gene superfamilies M, O1, O2, A, and conkunitzins, suggesting the predatory venom of C. striolatus may arise at multiple sites along the venom duct.
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