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Lakušić M, Damm M, Bjelica V, Anđelković M, Tomović L, Bonnet X, Arsovski D, Süssmuth RD, Calvete JJ, Martínez-Freiría F. Ontogeny, not prey availability, underlies allopatric venom variability in insular and mainland populations of Vipera ammodytes. J Proteomics 2025; 310:105320. [PMID: 39306033 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2024.105320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2024] [Revised: 09/09/2024] [Accepted: 09/17/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
Allopatric populations living under distinct ecological conditions are excellent systems to infer factors underlying intraspecific venom variation. The venom composition of two populations of Vipera ammodytes, insular with a diet based on ectotherms and mainland with a diet based on ectotherms and endotherms, was compared considering the sex and age of individuals. Ten toxin families, dominated by PLA2, svMP, svSP, and DI, were identified through a bottom-up approach. The venom profiles of adult females and males were similar. Results from 58 individual SDS-PAGE profiles and venom pool analysis revealed significant differences between juveniles compared to subadults and adults. Two venom phenotypes were identified: a juvenile svMP-dominated and KUN-lacking phenotype and an adult PLA2/svMP-balanced and KUN-containing phenotype. Despite differences in prey availability (and, therefore, diet) between populations, no significant differences in venom composition were found. As the populations are geographically isolated, the lack of venom diversification could be explained by insufficient time for natural selection and/or genetic drift to act on the venom composition of island vipers. However, substantial differences in proteomes were observed when compared to venoms from geographically distant populations inhabiting different conditions. These findings highlight the need to consider ecological and evolutionary processes when studying venom variability. SIGNIFICANCE: This study provides the first comprehensive analysis of the venom composition of two allopatric populations of Vipera ammodytes, living under similar abiotic (climate) but distinct biotic (prey availability) conditions. The ontogenetic changes in venom composition, coupled with the lack of differences between sex and between populations, shed light on the main determinants of venom evolution in this medically important snake. Seven new proteomes may facilitate future comparative studies of snake venom evolution. This study highlights the importance of considering ecological and evolutionary factors to understand snake venom variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margareta Lakušić
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal.
| | - Maik Damm
- Animal Venomics Lab, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany; LOEWE-Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany; Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, Gießen 35392, Germany; Institut für Chemie, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Vukašin Bjelica
- University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marko Anđelković
- University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of Republic of Serbia, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11108 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ljiljana Tomović
- University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Xavier Bonnet
- CEBC, UMR-7372, CNRS Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Dragan Arsovski
- Macedonian Ecological Society, Arhimedova 5, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia
| | - Roderich D Süssmuth
- Institut für Chemie, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Juan J Calvete
- Laboratorio de Venómica Evolutiva y Traslacional, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, CSIC, Valencia 46010, Spain
| | - Fernando Martínez-Freiría
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
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2
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Coppinger GE, Stewart AJ, Borden JA, Strickland JL. Thamnophis sirtalis and their toxic relationship: Testing for intraspecific venom variation in Common Garter Snakes. Toxicon 2025; 253:108185. [PMID: 39615846 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.108185] [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: 09/02/2024] [Revised: 11/14/2024] [Accepted: 11/20/2024] [Indexed: 12/15/2024]
Abstract
Intraspecific phenotypic variation can be used as a window into the ecological differences among individuals of a species and lead to a better understanding of adaptive evolution. Adaptive traits, such as venom, that play an important ecological role for a species are useful models for understanding the sources of intraspecific variation. Intraspecific studies on front-fanged venomous snakes have offered deeper insights into the diverse mechanisms and adaptations that support the effectiveness of venom across species. Despite the extensive research on front-fanged venomous snakes, rear-fanged snakes, representing two-thirds of all snake species, have been largely overlooked. To test for sex and age-based intraspecific venom variation, we sequenced the messenger RNA from the Duvernoy's gland of 9 male and 10 female Common Garter Snakes, Thamnophis sirtalis, of different sizes from a single location. Our data represent the most venom gland transcriptomes of any venomous snake species from a single location and represent the first Duvernoy's venom gland transcriptomes for Thamnophis sirtalis. We found four toxin families dominate the Thamnophis sirtalis transcriptome: Snake Venom Metalloproteinases (SVMPs), Three-finger toxins (3FTxs), Cysteine-Rich Secretory Proteins (CRISPs), and C-type lectins (CTLs). Thamnophis sirtalis exhibits a unique balance in toxin expression, with approximately 30% each of neurotoxic (3FTx-dominated) and enzymatic (SVMP-dominated) components. No other published RFS Duvernoy's gland transcriptome displays this ratio, rather they are dominated by one or the other. Additionally, venom expression varies with sex and size, with differences in toxin gene expression between males and females as they grow. Our study provides new insights on venom composition in a RFS species and highlights the amount of intraspecific variation possible among individuals from a single population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace E Coppinger
- Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688, USA
| | - Aaron J Stewart
- Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688, USA
| | - Joel A Borden
- Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688, USA
| | - Jason L Strickland
- Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688, USA.
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3
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Michálek O, King GF, Pekár S. Prey specificity of predatory venoms. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:2253-2273. [PMID: 38991997 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13120] [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: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Venom represents a key adaptation of many venomous predators, allowing them to immobilise prey quickly through chemical rather than physical warfare. Evolutionary arms races between prey and a predator are believed to be the main factor influencing the potency and composition of predatory venoms. Predators with narrowly restricted diets are expected to evolve specifically potent venom towards their focal prey, with lower efficacy on alternative prey. Here, we evaluate hypotheses on the evolution of prey-specific venom, focusing on the effect of restricted diet, prey defences, and prey resistance. Prey specificity as a potential evolutionary dead end is also discussed. We then provide an overview of the current knowledge on venom prey specificity, with emphasis on snakes, cone snails, and spiders. As the current evidence for venom prey specificity is still quite limited, we also overview the best approaches and methods for its investigation and provide a brief summary of potential model groups. Finally, possible applications of prey-specific toxins are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Michálek
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, Brno, 611 37, Czech Republic
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Stano Pekár
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, Brno, 611 37, Czech Republic
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4
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Wang X, Li W, Yang X, Yang M, Gu Y, Du Z, Yang J, Wen M, Park Y, Huang C, He Y. Insecticidal activities of three recombinant venom proteins of the predatory stink bug, Arma custos. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:6473-6482. [PMID: 39166741 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 08/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Widespread resistance of insect pests to insecticides and transgenic crops in the field is a significant challenge for sustainable agriculture, and calls for the development of novel alternative strategies to control insect pests. One potential resource for the discovery of novel insecticidal molecules is natural toxins, particularly those derived from the venoms of insect predators. RESULTS In this study, we identified three insecticidal proteinaceous toxins from the venom glands (VGs) of the predatory stink bug, Arma custos (Hemiptera: Asopinae). Transcriptomic analysis of A. custos VGs revealed 151 potentially secreted VG-rich venom proteins. Three VG-rich venom proteins (designated AcVP1 ~ 3) were produced by overexpression in Escherichia coli. Injection of the recombinant proteins into tobacco cutworm (Spodoptera litura) larvae showed that all of the three recombinant proteins caused paralysis, liquefaction and death. Injection of recombinant proteins into rice brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) nymphs showed higher insecticidal activities, among which a trypsin (AcVP2) caused 100% mortality postinjection at 1.27 pmol mg-1 body weight. CONCLUSION A natural toolkit for the discovery of insecticidal toxins from predatory insects has been revealed by the present study. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Wang
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenhong Li
- Institute of Plant Protection, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang, China
| | - Xiang Yang
- Guizhou Provincial Tobacco Company Zunyi Branch, Zunyi, China
| | - Mingwei Yang
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yucheng Gu
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhao Du
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jingyi Yang
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mingxia Wen
- Guizhou Provincial Tobacco Company Zunyi Branch, Zunyi, China
| | - Yoonseong Park
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Chunyang Huang
- Guizhou Provincial Tobacco Company Zunyi Branch, Zunyi, China
| | - Yueping He
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Microbial Pesticides, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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5
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Schendel V, Hamilton BR, Robinson SD, Green K, Sayre ME, Brown D, Stow JL, Øyen JP, Voje KL, Millard SS, Vetter I, Rash LD, Undheim EAB. Exaptation of an evolutionary constraint enables behavioural control over the composition of secreted venom in a giant centipede. Nat Ecol Evol 2024:10.1038/s41559-024-02556-9. [PMID: 39496866 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02556-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 11/06/2024]
Abstract
Venoms are biochemical arsenals that have emerged in numerous animal lineages, where they have co-evolved with morphological and behavioural traits for venom production and delivery. In centipedes, venom evolution is thought to be constrained by the morphological complexity of their venom glands due to physiological limitations on the number of toxins produced by their secretory cells. Here we show that the uneven toxin expression that results from these limitations have enabled Scolopendra morsitans to regulate the composition of their secreted venom despite the lack of gross morphologically complex venom glands. We show that this control is probably achieved by a combination of this heterogenous toxin distribution with a dual mechanism of venom secretion that involves neuromuscular innervation as well as stimulation via neurotransmitters. Our results suggest that behavioural control over venom composition may be an overlooked aspect of venom biology and provide an example of how exaptation can facilitate evolutionary innovation and novelty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Schendel
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Brett R Hamilton
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Samuel D Robinson
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kathryn Green
- Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Marcel E Sayre
- Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Darren Brown
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jennifer L Stow
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jan Philip Øyen
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kjetil L Voje
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - S Sean Millard
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia
| | - Lachlan D Rash
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Eivind A B Undheim
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
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6
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Touchard A, Robinson SD, Lalagüe H, Ascoët S, Billet A, Dejean A, Téné NJ, Petitclerc F, Troispoux V, Treilhou M, Bonnafé E, Vetter I, Vizueta J, Moreau CS, Orivel J, Tysklind N. Adaptive trade-offs between vertebrate defence and insect predation drive Amazonian ant venom evolution. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20242184. [PMID: 39561794 PMCID: PMC11576106 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.2184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 10/16/2024] [Accepted: 10/16/2024] [Indexed: 11/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Stinging ants have diversified into various ecological niches, and selective pressures may have contributed to shape the composition of their venom. To explore the drivers underlying venom variation in ants, we sampled 15 South American rainforest species and recorded a range of traits, including ecology, morphology and venom bioactivities. Principal component analysis of both morphological and venom bioactivity traits reveals that stinging ants display two functional strategies where species have evolved towards either an exclusively offensive venom or a multi-functional venom. Additionally, phylogenetic comparative analysis indicates that venom function (predatory, defensive or both) and mandible morphology correlate with venom bioactivity and volume. Further analysis of the venom biochemistry of the 15 species revealed switches between cytotoxic and neurotoxic venom compositions among species. Our study supports an evolutionary trade-off between the ability of venom to deter vertebrate predators and to paralyse insect prey which are correlated with different venom compositions and life-history strategies among Formicidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Touchard
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des forêts de Guyane – EcoFoG (AgroParisTech, CIRAD, INRAE, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, Kourou Cedex97379, France
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Samuel D. Robinson
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland4072, Australia
| | - Hadrien Lalagüe
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des forêts de Guyane – EcoFoG (AgroParisTech, CIRAD, INRAE, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, Kourou Cedex97379, France
| | - Steven Ascoët
- Equipe BTSB-EA 7417, Université de Toulouse, Institut national universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, Albi81012, France
| | - Arnaud Billet
- Equipe BTSB-EA 7417, Université de Toulouse, Institut national universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, Albi81012, France
| | - Alain Dejean
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des forêts de Guyane – EcoFoG (AgroParisTech, CIRAD, INRAE, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, Kourou Cedex97379, France
- Centre de Recherche sur la Biodiversité et l’Environnement, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse INP, Université Toulouse 3 – Paul Sabatier (UPS), Toulouse, France
| | - Nathan J. Téné
- Equipe BTSB-EA 7417, Université de Toulouse, Institut national universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, Albi81012, France
| | - Frédéric Petitclerc
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des forêts de Guyane – EcoFoG (AgroParisTech, CIRAD, INRAE, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, Kourou Cedex97379, France
| | - Valérie Troispoux
- INRAE, UMR Ecologie des forêts de Guyane - EcoFoG (AgroParisTech, CIRAD, CNRS, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, Kourou Cedex97379, France
| | - Michel Treilhou
- Equipe BTSB-EA 7417, Université de Toulouse, Institut national universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, Albi81012, France
| | - Elsa Bonnafé
- Equipe BTSB-EA 7417, Université de Toulouse, Institut national universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, Albi81012, France
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland4072, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Queensland4102, Australia
| | - Joel Vizueta
- Villum Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Jérôme Orivel
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des forêts de Guyane – EcoFoG (AgroParisTech, CIRAD, INRAE, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, Kourou Cedex97379, France
| | - Niklas Tysklind
- INRAE, UMR Ecologie des forêts de Guyane - EcoFoG (AgroParisTech, CIRAD, CNRS, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, Kourou Cedex97379, France
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7
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Burch HE, Eddins HMS, Stocker MR, Kligman BT, Marsh AD, Parker WG, Nesbitt SJ. A small venomous reptile from the Late Triassic (Norian) of the southwestern United States. PeerJ 2024; 12:e18279. [PMID: 39421413 PMCID: PMC11485104 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.18279] [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: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 10/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Reptile feeding strategies encompass a wide variety of diets and accompanying diversity in methods for subduing prey. One such strategy, the use of venom for prey capture, is found in living reptile clades like helodermatid (beaded) lizards and some groups of snakes, and venom secreting glands are also present in some monitor lizards and iguanians. The fossil record of some of these groups shows strong evidence for venom use, and this feeding strategy also has been hypothesized for a variety of extinct reptiles (e.g., archosauromorphs, anguimorphs, and a sphenodontian). However, evidence of systems for venom delivery in extinct groups and its evolutionary origins has been scarce, especially when based on more than isolated teeth. Here, we describe a potentially venomous new reptile, Microzemiotes sonselaensis gen. et sp. nov., from a partial left dentary recovered from the Sonsela Member of the Chinle Formation (middle Norian, Upper Triassic) of northeastern Arizona, U.S.A. The three dentary teeth have apices that are distally reclined relative to their bases and the tip of the posteriormost tooth curves mesially. The teeth show subthecodont implantation and are interspaced by empty sockets that terminate above the Meckelian canal, which is dorsoventrally expanded posteriorly. Replacement tooth sockets are positioned distolingually to the active teeth as in varanid-like replacement. We identify this new specimen as a diapsid reptile based on its monocuspid teeth that lack carinae and serrations. A more exclusive phylogenetic position within Diapsida is not well supported and remains uncertain. Several features of this new taxon, such as the presence of an intramandibular septum, are shared with some anguimorph squamates; however, these likely evolved independently. The teeth of the new taxon are distinctively marked by external grooves that occur on the entire length of the crown on the labial and lingual sides, as seen in the teeth of living beaded lizards. If these grooves are functionally similar to those of beaded lizards, which use the grooves to deliver venom, this new taxon represents the oldest known reptile where venom-conducting teeth are preserved within a jaw. The teeth of the new species are anatomically distinct from and ~10x smaller than those of the only other known Late Triassic hypothesized venomous reptile, Uatchitodon, supporting venom use across multiple groups of different body size classes. This new species represents the third Late Triassic reptile species to possibly have used envenomation as a feeding (and/or defensive) strategy, adding to the small number of venomous reptiles known from the Mesozoic Era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen E. Burch
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Hannah-Marie S. Eddins
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Michelle R. Stocker
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Ben T. Kligman
- Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., United States
| | - Adam D. Marsh
- Department of Science and Resource Management, Petrified Forest National Park, Petrified Forest, AZ, United States
| | - William G. Parker
- Department of Science and Resource Management, Petrified Forest National Park, Petrified Forest, AZ, United States
| | - Sterling J. Nesbitt
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA, United States
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8
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Freuville L, Matthys C, Quinton L, Gillet JP. Venom-derived peptides for breaking through the glass ceiling of drug development. Front Chem 2024; 12:1465459. [PMID: 39398192 PMCID: PMC11468230 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2024.1465459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 10/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Venoms are complex mixtures produced by animals and consist of hundreds of components including small molecules, peptides, and enzymes selected for effectiveness and efficacy over millions of years of evolution. With the development of venomics, which combines genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics to study animal venoms and their effects deeply, researchers have identified molecules that selectively and effectively act against membrane targets, such as ion channels and G protein-coupled receptors. Due to their remarkable physico-chemical properties, these molecules represent a credible source of new lead compounds. Today, not less than 11 approved venom-derived drugs are on the market. In this review, we aimed to highlight the advances in the use of venom peptides in the treatment of diseases such as neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, or cancer. We report on the origin and activity of the peptides already approved and provide a comprehensive overview of those still in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lou Freuville
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry, MolSys Research Unit, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Chloé Matthys
- Laboratory of Molecular Cancer Biology, URPhyM, NARILIS, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Loïc Quinton
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry, MolSys Research Unit, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Jean-Pierre Gillet
- Laboratory of Molecular Cancer Biology, URPhyM, NARILIS, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
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9
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Dresler J, Herzig V, Vilcinskas A, Lüddecke T. Enlightening the toxinological dark matter of spider venom enzymes. NPJ BIODIVERSITY 2024; 3:25. [PMID: 39271930 PMCID: PMC11399385 DOI: 10.1038/s44185-024-00058-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024]
Abstract
Spiders produce highly adapted venoms featuring a complex mixture of biomolecules used mainly for hunting and defense. The most prominent components are peptidic neurotoxins, a major focus of research and drug development, whereas venom enzymes have been largely neglected. Nevertheless, investigation of venom enzymes not only reveals insights into their biological functions, but also provides templates for future industrial applications. Here we compared spider venom enzymes validated at protein level contained in the VenomZone database and from all publicly available proteo-transcriptomic spider venom datasets. We assigned reported enzymes to cellular processes and known venom functions, including toxicity, prey pre-digestion, venom preservation, venom component activation, and spreading factors. Our study unveiled extensive discrepancy between public databases and publications with regard to enzyme coverage, which impedes the development of novel spider venom enzyme-based applications. Uncovering the previously unrecognized abundance and diversity of venom enzymes will open new avenues for spider venom biodiscovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine Dresler
- Animal Venomics Lab, Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Gießen, Germany.
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Frankfurt a. M., Germany.
| | - Volker Herzig
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Animal Venomics Lab, Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Gießen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Frankfurt a. M., Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Tim Lüddecke
- Animal Venomics Lab, Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Gießen, Germany.
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Frankfurt a. M., Germany.
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10
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Schulte L, Uhrig L, Eichberg J, Schwartze M, Auth I, Schulz M, Lindner T, Hien P, Hardes K, Vilcinskas A, Lüddecke T. Comparative venom analysis between melanistic and normally coloured phenotypes of the common adder ( Vipera berus). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:241268. [PMID: 39263452 PMCID: PMC11387060 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.241268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024]
Abstract
Snake venom is an ecologically relevant functional trait directly linked with a snake's fitness and survival, facilitating predation and defence. Snake venom variation occurs at all taxonomic levels, but the study at the intraspecific level is still in its early stages. The common adder (Vipera berus) exhibits considerable variation in colour phenotypes across its distribution range. Melanistic (fully black) individuals are the subject of myths and fairytales, and in German folklore such 'hell adders' are considered more toxic than their normally coloured conspecifics despite any formal investigation. Here, we provide the first comparative analysis of venoms from melanistic and normally coloured common adders. Specifically, we compared the venom profiles by sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and tested the venoms' protease, phospholipase A2 and cytotoxic activities. Phospholipase A2 activity was similar in both phenotypes, whereas general protease activity was higher in the melanistic venom, which was also more cytotoxic at two concentrations (6.25 and 12.5 µg ml-1). These minor differences between the venoms of melanistic and normally coloured adders are unlikely to be of clinical relevance in the context of human envenomation. In light of our results, the claim that melanistic adders produce more toxic venom than their normally coloured conspecifics appears rooted entirely in folklore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Schulte
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Faculty 09 Agricultural Sciences, Nutritional Sciences and Environmental Management, Giessen, Hessen, Germany
- Department of Biodiversity Research, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME Branch for Bioresources, Gießen, Hessen, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany
| | - Lilien Uhrig
- Department of Biodiversity Research, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME Branch for Bioresources, Gießen, Hessen, Germany
| | - Johanna Eichberg
- Department of Biodiversity Research, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME Branch for Bioresources, Gießen, Hessen, Germany
| | - Michael Schwartze
- Institute for Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Munster, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - Ingve Auth
- Institute for Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Munster, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - Miriam Schulz
- Institute for Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Munster, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - Thomas Lindner
- Institute for Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Bayern, Germany
| | - Paul Hien
- Venture for Interconnection, Protection, Education and Research in Adders (VIPERA) e.V., Velburg, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Kornelia Hardes
- Department of Biodiversity Research, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME Branch for Bioresources, Gießen, Hessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Faculty 09 Agricultural Sciences, Nutritional Sciences and Environmental Management, Giessen, Hessen, Germany
| | - Tim Lüddecke
- Department of Biodiversity Research, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME Branch for Bioresources, Gießen, Hessen, Germany
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11
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González-Gómez JC, Simone Y, Pérez LMF, Valenzuela-Rojas JC, van der Meijden A. Rapid prey manipulation and bite location preferences in three species of wandering spiders. Behav Processes 2024; 221:105083. [PMID: 39094759 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2024.105083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Predator-prey interactions are the interspecific relationships of greatest interest in ecology. Spiders are among the most diverse and ubiquitous terrestrial predators on the planet. Their large dietary breadth is often linked with the development of specific predatory behaviors and morphological adaptations. However, studies on the predatory behavior of spiders have mostly focused on specialist species, leaving behind the ethological variability occurring in generalist species that allow them to respond to the different prey types. For three species of generalist wandering spiders, we searched images of predation events on the Internet to determine the most common prey. Subsequently, the focal predator species were then used in behavioral experiments. Using high-speed videos, handling patterns for different prey types (spider and cricket) were analyzed. Our results show a notable difference in handling patterns between prey types. We found that the spider prey was often rotated around the axis allowing the predator to bite in the ventral region of the prey and thus avoid a counterattack. Contrary, crickets were arbitrarily rotated. Our work may be an indication that these three species of generalist spiders have a preference for manipulating prey differently with a preference to rotate spiders, allowing them to exploit prey with various defensive mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio César González-Gómez
- Grupo de Investigación Biología y Ecología de Artrópodos (BEA), Corporación Huiltur, Neiva, Huila, Colombia; Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad del Tolima, Altos de Santa Helena, Ibagué, Colombia; Semillero de Investigación INVUSCO, Grupo GIPB, Licenciatura en Ciencias Naturales y Educación Ambiental, Universidad Surcolombiana, Neiva, Huila, Colombia.
| | - Yuri Simone
- Grupo de Investigación Biología y Ecología de Artrópodos (BEA), Corporación Huiltur, Neiva, Huila, Colombia; BIOPOLIS, CIBIO/InBio, Rua Padre Armando Quintas 7, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal.
| | - Lida Marcela Franco Pérez
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Universidad de Ibagué, Carrera 22, Calle 67, Ibagué, Colombia.
| | - Juan Carlos Valenzuela-Rojas
- Grupo de Investigación Biología y Ecología de Artrópodos (BEA), Corporación Huiltur, Neiva, Huila, Colombia; Semillero de Investigación INVUSCO, Grupo GIPB, Licenciatura en Ciencias Naturales y Educación Ambiental, Universidad Surcolombiana, Neiva, Huila, Colombia; Institución Educativa San Roque, Oporapa, Huila, Colombia.
| | - Arie van der Meijden
- Grupo de Investigación Biología y Ecología de Artrópodos (BEA), Corporación Huiltur, Neiva, Huila, Colombia; BIOPOLIS, CIBIO/InBio, Rua Padre Armando Quintas 7, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal.
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12
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Dersch L, Stahlhut A, Eichberg J, Paas A, Hardes K, Vilcinskas A, Lüddecke T. Engineering a wolf spider A-family toxin towards increased antimicrobial activity but low toxicity. Toxicon 2024; 247:107810. [PMID: 38880255 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.107810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Spider-derived peptides with insecticidal, antimicrobial and/or cytolytic activities, also known as spider venom antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), can be found in the venoms of RTA-clade spiders. They show translational potential as therapeutic leads. A set of 52 AMPs has been described in the Chinese wolf spider (Lycosa shansia), and many have been shown to exhibit antibacterial effects. Here we explored the potential to enhance their antimicrobial activity using bioengineering. We generated a panel of artificial derivatives of an A-family peptide and screened their activity against selected microbial pathogens, vertebrate cells and insects. In several cases, we increased the antimicrobial activity of the derivatives while retaining the low cytotoxicity of the parental molecule. Furthermore, we injected the peptides into adult Drosophila suzukii and found no evidence of insecticidal effects, confirming the low levels of toxicity. Our data therefore suggest that spider venom linear peptides naturally defend the venom gland against microbial colonization and can be modified into more potent antimicrobial agents that could help to battle infectious diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludwig Dersch
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Antonia Stahlhut
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Johanna Eichberg
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany; BMBF Junior Research Group in Infection Research "ASCRIBE", Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Anne Paas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Kornelia Hardes
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany; BMBF Junior Research Group in Infection Research "ASCRIBE", Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany; Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Tim Lüddecke
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
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13
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Yang Y, Xiao S, Zhao X, Sun YH, Fang Q, Fan L, Ye G, Ye X. Host and venom evolution in parasitoid wasps: does independently adapting to the same host shape the evolution of the venom gland transcriptome? BMC Biol 2024; 22:174. [PMID: 39148049 PMCID: PMC11328476 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01974-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Venoms have repeatedly evolved over 100 occasions throughout the animal tree of life, making them excellent systems for exploring convergent evolutionary novelty. Growing evidence supports that venom evolution is predominantly driven by prey or host-related selection pressures, and the expression patterns of venom glands reflect adaptive evolution. However, it remains elusive whether the evolution of expression patterns in venom glands is likewise a convergent evolution driven by their prey/host species. RESULTS We utilized parasitoid wasps that had independently adapted to Drosophila hosts as models to investigate the convergent evolution of venom gland transcriptomes in 19 hymenopteran species spanning ~ 200 million years of evolution. Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals that the global expression patterns among the venom glands of Drosophila parasitoid wasps do not achieve higher similarity compared to non-Drosophila parasitoid wasps. Further evolutionary analyses of expression patterns at the single gene, orthogroup, and Gene Ontology (GO) term levels indicate that some orthogroups/GO terms show correlation with the Drosophila parasitoid wasps. However, these groups rarely include genes highly expressed in venom glands or putative venom genes in the Drosophila parasitoid wasps. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests that convergent evolution may not play a predominant force shaping gene expression levels in the venom gland of the Drosophila parasitoid wasps, offering novel insights into the co-evolution between venom and prey/host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xianxin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu H Sun
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Qi Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Longjiang Fan
- Institute of Bioinformatics & Institute of Crop Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Gongyin Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinhai Ye
- College of Advanced Agriculture Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China.
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study, Zhejiang University, Shanghai, China.
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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14
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Aamer NA, El-Moaty ZA, Augustyniak M, El-Samad LM, Hussein HS. Impacts of Combining Steinernema carpocapsae and Bracon hebetor Parasitism on Galleria mellonella Larvae. INSECTS 2024; 15:588. [PMID: 39194793 DOI: 10.3390/insects15080588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
The greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, is a significant pest in apiculture and a well-established model organism for immunological and ecotoxicological studies. This investigation explores the individual and combined effects of the ectoparasite Bracon hebetor (B.h.) and the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae (S.c.) on G. mellonella larvae. We evaluated the activity of oxidative stress enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, cytochrome P450 activity, cell viability using Annexin V-FITC, DNA damage via comet assay, and larval morphology through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Control larvae exhibited higher GPx and GST activities compared to those treated with B.h., S.c., or the B.h. + S.c. combination. Conversely, MDA levels displayed the opposite trend. SOD activity was reduced in the B.h. and S.c. groups but significantly higher in the combined treatment. Cytochrome P450 activity increased in response to parasitism by B. hebetor. The Annexin V-FITC assay revealed decreased cell viability in parasitized groups (B.h. 79.4%, S.c. 77.3%, B.h. + S.c. 70.1%) compared to controls. DNA damage analysis demonstrated significant differences between groups, and SEM observations confirmed severe cuticle abnormalities or malformations in G. mellonella larvae. These findings highlight the complex interactions between B. hebetor, S. carpocapsae, and their host, G. mellonella. Additionally, they illuminate the intricate physiological responses triggered within the host larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neama A Aamer
- Department of Applied Entomology and Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21545, Egypt
| | - Zeinab A El-Moaty
- Biological Sciences Department, College of Science, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsaa 31982, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Moharam Bey, Alexandria 21511, Egypt
| | - Maria Augustyniak
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
| | - Lamia M El-Samad
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Moharam Bey, Alexandria 21511, Egypt
| | - Hanaa S Hussein
- Department of Applied Entomology and Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21545, Egypt
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15
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Flores-Pérez AJ, Loya-López S, Ávalos-Fuentes A, Calderon-Rivera A, Damo E, Lazcano-Pérez F, Khanna R, Florán-Garduño B, Sánchez-Rodríguez J. Effect of Crude Extract from the Sea Anemone Bunodeopsis globulifera on Voltage-Gated Ion Channels from Central and Peripheral Murine Nervous Systems. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:1006. [PMID: 39204111 PMCID: PMC11357587 DOI: 10.3390/ph17081006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Sea anemones are an important source of bioactive compounds with potential pharmacological applications. Their toxins are produced and stored in organelles called nematocysts and act on specific targets, including voltage-gated ion channels. To date, sea anemone toxins have demonstrated effects on voltage-gated sodium and potassium channels, facilitating investigations into the structure and function of these proteins. In this study, we evaluated the effect of Bunodeopsis globulifera sea anemone crude extract, and of a low molecular weight fraction, on voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels within the murine nervous system. Notably, the crude extract led to a significant reduction in total sodium current, while also triggering calcium-dependent glutamate release. Furthermore, the low molecular weight fraction, in particular, enhanced total calcium currents and current density. These findings underscore the existence of sea anemone toxins with diverse mechanisms of action beyond those previously documented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleida Jeannette Flores-Pérez
- Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, Mexico;
- Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales Puerto Morelos, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Prolongación Niños Héroes s/n, Domicilio Conocido, Puerto Morelos 77580, Mexico;
| | - Santiago Loya-López
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (S.L.-L.); (A.C.-R.); (R.K.)
| | - Arturo Ávalos-Fuentes
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. IPN 2508, Alcaldía Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City 07360, Mexico; (A.Á.-F.); (B.F.-G.)
| | - Aida Calderon-Rivera
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (S.L.-L.); (A.C.-R.); (R.K.)
| | - Elisa Damo
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, College of Dentistry, New York University, New York, NY 10010, USA;
| | - Fernando Lazcano-Pérez
- Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales Puerto Morelos, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Prolongación Niños Héroes s/n, Domicilio Conocido, Puerto Morelos 77580, Mexico;
| | - Rajesh Khanna
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (S.L.-L.); (A.C.-R.); (R.K.)
| | - Benjamin Florán-Garduño
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. IPN 2508, Alcaldía Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City 07360, Mexico; (A.Á.-F.); (B.F.-G.)
| | - Judith Sánchez-Rodríguez
- Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales Puerto Morelos, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Prolongación Niños Héroes s/n, Domicilio Conocido, Puerto Morelos 77580, Mexico;
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16
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Paas A, Dresler J, Talmann L, Vilcinskas A, Lüddecke T. Venom Ex Machina? Exploring the Potential of Cell-Free Protein Production for Venom Biodiscovery. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8286. [PMID: 39125859 PMCID: PMC11311792 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158286] [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: 06/19/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Venoms are a complex cocktail of potent biomolecules and are present in many animal lineages. Owed to their translational potential in biomedicine, agriculture and industrial applications, they have been targeted by several biodiscovery programs in the past. That said, many venomous animals are relatively small and deliver minuscule venom yields. Thus, the most commonly employed activity-guided biodiscovery pipeline cannot be applied effectively. Cell-free protein production may represent an attractive tool to produce selected venom components at high speed and without the creation of genetically modified organisms, promising rapid and highly efficient access to biomolecules for bioactivity studies. However, these methods have only sporadically been used in venom research and their potential remains to be established. Here, we explore the ability of a prokaryote-based cell-free system to produce a range of venom toxins of different types and from various source organisms. We show that only a very limited number of toxins could be expressed in small amounts. Paired with known problems to facilitate correct folding, our preliminary investigation underpins that venom-tailored cell-free systems probably need to be developed before this technology can be employed effectively in venom biodiscovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Paas
- Branch for Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Gießen, Germany; (J.D.); (A.V.)
- LOEWE-Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Josephine Dresler
- Branch for Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Gießen, Germany; (J.D.); (A.V.)
- LOEWE-Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Lea Talmann
- Syngenta Crop Protection, Werk Stein, Schaffhauserstrasse, CH4332 Stein, Switzerland;
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Branch for Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Gießen, Germany; (J.D.); (A.V.)
- LOEWE-Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Gießen, Heinrich-Buff Ring 26-32, 35392 Gießen, Germany
| | - Tim Lüddecke
- Branch for Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Gießen, Germany; (J.D.); (A.V.)
- LOEWE-Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
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17
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Pinheiro-Junior EL, Alirahimi E, Peigneur S, Isensee J, Schiffmann S, Erkoc P, Fürst R, Vilcinskas A, Sennoner T, Koludarov I, Hempel BF, Tytgat J, Hucho T, von Reumont BM. Diversely evolved xibalbin variants from remipede venom inhibit potassium channels and activate PKA-II and Erk1/2 signaling. BMC Biol 2024; 22:164. [PMID: 39075558 PMCID: PMC11288129 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01955-5] [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: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The identification of novel toxins from overlooked and taxonomically exceptional species bears potential for various pharmacological applications. The remipede Xibalbanus tulumensis, an underwater cave-dwelling crustacean, is the only crustacean for which a venom system has been described. Its venom contains several xibalbin peptides that have an inhibitor cysteine knot (ICK) scaffold. RESULTS Our screenings revealed that all tested xibalbin variants particularly inhibit potassium channels. Xib1 and xib13 with their eight-cysteine domain similar to spider knottins also inhibit voltage-gated sodium channels. No activity was noted on calcium channels. Expanding the functional testing, we demonstrate that xib1 and xib13 increase PKA-II and Erk1/2 sensitization signaling in nociceptive neurons, which may initiate pain sensitization. Our phylogenetic analysis suggests that xib13 either originates from the common ancestor of pancrustaceans or earlier while xib1 is more restricted to remipedes. The ten-cysteine scaffolded xib2 emerged from xib1, a result that is supported by our phylogenetic and machine learning-based analyses. CONCLUSIONS Our functional characterization of synthesized variants of xib1, xib2, and xib13 elucidates their potential as inhibitors of potassium channels in mammalian systems. The specific interaction of xib2 with Kv1.6 channels, which are relevant to treating variants of epilepsy, shows potential for further studies. At higher concentrations, xib1 and xib13 activate the kinases PKA-II and ERK1/2 in mammalian sensory neurons, suggesting pain sensitization and potential applications related to pain research and therapy. While tested insect channels suggest that all probably act as neurotoxins, the biological function of xib1, xib2, and xib13 requires further elucidation. A novel finding on their evolutionary origin is the apparent emergence of X. tulumensis-specific xib2 from xib1. Our study is an important cornerstone for future studies to untangle the origin and function of these enigmatic proteins as important components of remipede but also other pancrustacean and arthropod venoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto Lopes Pinheiro-Junior
- Toxicology and Pharmacology - Campus Gasthuisberg, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Herestraat 49, PO Box 922, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Ehsan Alirahimi
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Cologne, Translational Pain Research, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Steve Peigneur
- Toxicology and Pharmacology - Campus Gasthuisberg, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Herestraat 49, PO Box 922, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Jörg Isensee
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Cologne, Translational Pain Research, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Susanne Schiffmann
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Pelin Erkoc
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-Von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Robert Fürst
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-Von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), Ohlebergsweg 14, 35394, Giessen, Germany
| | - Tobias Sennoner
- Department of Informatics, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, i12, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstr. 3, 85748, Garching, Munich, Germany
| | - Ivan Koludarov
- Department of Informatics, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, i12, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstr. 3, 85748, Garching, Munich, Germany
| | - Benjamin-Florian Hempel
- Freie Unveristät Berlin, Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research (TZR), Robert-Von-Ostertag Str. 8, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Tytgat
- Toxicology and Pharmacology - Campus Gasthuisberg, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Herestraat 49, PO Box 922, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Tim Hucho
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Cologne, Translational Pain Research, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Björn M von Reumont
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany.
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe, Frankfurt, Max-Von-Laue-Str 13, 60438, Frankfurt, Germany.
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18
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Erkoc P, Schiffmann S, Ulshöfer T, Henke M, Marner M, Krämer J, Predel R, Schäberle TF, Hurka S, Dersch L, Vilcinskas A, Fürst R, Lüddecke T. Determining the pharmacological potential and biological role of linear pseudoscorpion toxins via functional profiling. iScience 2024; 27:110209. [PMID: 39021791 PMCID: PMC11253529 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Arthropod venoms contain bioactive molecules attractive for biomedical applications. However, few of these have been isolated, and only a tiny number has been characterized. Pseudoscorpions are small arachnids whose venom has been largely overlooked. Here, we present the first structural and functional assessment of the checacin toxin family, discovered in the venom of the house pseudoscorpion (Chelifer cancroides). We combined in silico and in vitro analyses to establish their bioactivity profile against microbes and various cell lines. This revealed inhibitory effects against bacteria and fungi. We observed cytotoxicity against specific cell types and effects involving second messengers. Our work provides insight into the biomedical potential and evolution of pseudoscorpion venoms. We propose that plesiotypic checacins evolved to defend the venom gland against infection, whereas apotypic descendants evolved additional functions. Our work highlights the importance of considering small and neglected species in biodiscovery programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pelin Erkoc
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Susanne Schiffmann
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Thomas Ulshöfer
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Marina Henke
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Michael Marner
- Branch of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Jonas Krämer
- Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Strasse 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26–32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Reinhard Predel
- Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Strasse 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Till F. Schäberle
- Branch of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), 35392 Giessen, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26–32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Giessen-Marburg-Langen, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Sabine Hurka
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Branch of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Ludwig Dersch
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Branch of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Branch of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), 35392 Giessen, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26–32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Robert Fürst
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Pharmacy – Center for Drug Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Tim Lüddecke
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Branch of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), 35392 Giessen, Germany
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19
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Kowalski K, Marciniak P, Nekaris KAI, Rychlik L. Proteins from shrews' venom glands play a role in gland functioning and venom production. ZOOLOGICAL LETTERS 2024; 10:12. [PMID: 39010181 PMCID: PMC11251227 DOI: 10.1186/s40851-024-00236-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
Venom production has evolved independently many times in the animal kingdom, although it is rare among mammals. Venomous shrews produce venom in their submandibular salivary glands and use it for food acquisition. Only a few toxins have been identified in shrew venoms thus far, and their modes of action require investigation. The biological and molecular processes relating to venom production and gland functioning also remain unknown. To address this gap, we investigated protein content in extracts from venom glands of two shrew species, Neomys fodiens and Sorex araneus, and interpreted their biological functions. Applying a proteomic approach coupled with Gene Ontology enrichment analysis, we identified 313 and 187 putative proteins in venom glands of N. fodiens and S. araneus, respectively. A search of the UniProt database revealed that most of the proteins found in both shrew species were involved in metabolic processes and stress response, while GO enrichment analysis revealed more stress-related proteins in the glands of S. araneus. Molecules that regulate molecule synthesis, cell cycles, and cell divisions are necessary to enable venom regeneration and ensure its effectiveness in predation and food hoarding. The presence of proteins involved in stress response may be the result of shrews' high metabolic rate and the costs of venom replenishment. Some proteins are likely to promote toxin spreading during envenomation and, due to their proteolytic action, reinforce venom toxicity. Finally, finding numerous proteins involved in immune response suggests a potential role of shrew venom gland secretions in protection against pathogens. These findings open up new perspectives for studying biological functions of molecules from shrew venom glands and extend our knowledge on the functioning of eulipotyphlan venom systems. Because the majority of existing and putative venomous mammals use oral venom systems to inject venom into target species, the methods presented here provide a promising avenue for confirming or discovering new taxa of venomous mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Kowalski
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology and Ecology, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Lwowska 1, Toruń, 87-100, Poland.
| | - Paweł Marciniak
- Department of Animal Physiology and Developmental Biology, Institute of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, Poznań, 61-614, Poland
| | - K Anne-Isola Nekaris
- Centre for Functional Genomics, Department of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Leszek Rychlik
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, Poznań, 61-614, Poland
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20
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Hassan A, Blakeley G, McGregor AP, Zancolli G. Venom gland organogenesis in the common house spider. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15379. [PMID: 38965282 PMCID: PMC11224297 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65336-2] [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: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Venom is a remarkable innovation found across the animal kingdom, yet the evolutionary origins of venom systems in various groups, including spiders, remain enigmatic. Here, we investigated the organogenesis of the venom apparatus in the common house spider, Parasteatoda tepidariorum. The venom apparatus consists of a pair of secretory glands, each connected to an opening at the fang tip by a duct that runs through the chelicerae. We performed bulk RNA-seq to identify venom gland-specific markers and assayed their expression using RNA in situ hybridisation experiments on whole-mount time-series. These revealed that the gland primordium emerges during embryonic stage 13 at the chelicera tip, progresses proximally by the end of embryonic development and extends into the prosoma post-eclosion. The initiation of expression of an important toxin component in late postembryos marks the activation of venom-secreting cells. Our selected markers also exhibited distinct expression patterns in adult venom glands: sage and the toxin marker were expressed in the secretory epithelium, forkhead and sum-1 in the surrounding muscle layer, while Distal-less was predominantly expressed at the gland extremities. Our study provides the first comprehensive analysis of venom gland morphogenesis in spiders, offering key insights into their evolution and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afrah Hassan
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Grace Blakeley
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | | | - Giulia Zancolli
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland.
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland.
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21
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Kodama T, Sakamoto SH, Mori A. Cold kiss still hot: limited temperature effects on envenomation performance in predatory strikes of a Japanese pit viper ( Gloydius blomhoffii). Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240719. [PMID: 39079665 PMCID: PMC11288664 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0719] [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: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding how environmental factors affect the performance of predators can provide profound insights into predator-prey interactions from evolutionary and ecological perspectives and the global distributional patterns of each taxon. Almost all venomous predators are ectotherms, with muscle contraction properties depending on temperature. For predators having venom transportation systems driven by muscle contraction, temperature may have quite large effects on envenomation performance for prey subjugation. Here, we used videography and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to examine thermal effects on envenomation kinematics and venom expenditure in predatory strikes of a venomous snake, the Mamushi Gloydius blomhoffii, to its main rodent prey at various body temperatures under both field and laboratory experimental conditions. Unexpectedly, we found that the thermal effects on envenomation performance are limited over nearly the entire ecologically relevant range of temperature (from 13.2°C to 26.2°C). Although temperature statistically significantly affected the mass of venom injected under field conditions, temperature explained only a minor proportion of the variation in venom expenditure. These findings suggest that the Mamushi is able to maintain prey subjugation performance across a wide range of temperatures, which is highly advantageous for ectothermic predators. Further studies should examine the underlying mechanisms of the limited thermal effects and their ubiquity across venomous predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomonori Kodama
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto606-8502, Japan
| | - Shinsuke H. Sakamoto
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki889-2192, Japan
- Center for Animal Disease Control, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki889-2192, Japan
| | - Akira Mori
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto606-8502, Japan
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22
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Schendel V, Müller CHG, Kenning M, Maxwell M, Jenner RA, Undheim EAB, Sombke A. The venom and telopodal defence systems of the centipede Lithobius forficatus are functionally convergent serial homologues. BMC Biol 2024; 22:135. [PMID: 38867210 PMCID: PMC11170834 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01925-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evolution of novelty is a central theme in evolutionary biology, yet studying the origins of traits with an apparently discontinuous origin remains a major challenge. Venom systems are a well-suited model for the study of this phenomenon because they capture several aspects of novelty across multiple levels of biological complexity. However, while there is some knowledge on the evolution of individual toxins, not much is known about the evolution of venom systems as a whole. One way of shedding light on the evolution of new traits is to investigate less specialised serial homologues, i.e. repeated traits in an organism that share a developmental origin. This approach can be particularly informative in animals with repetitive body segments, such as centipedes. RESULTS Here, we investigate morphological and biochemical aspects of the defensive telopodal glandular organs borne on the posterior legs of venomous stone centipedes (Lithobiomorpha), using a multimethod approach, including behavioural observations, comparative morphology, proteomics, comparative transcriptomics and molecular phylogenetics. We show that the anterior venom system and posterior telopodal defence system are functionally convergent serial homologues, where one (telopodal defence) represents a model for the putative early evolutionary state of the other (venom). Venom glands and telopodal glandular organs appear to have evolved from the same type of epidermal gland (four-cell recto-canal type) and while the telopodal defensive secretion shares a great degree of compositional overlap with centipede venoms in general, these similarities arose predominantly through convergent recruitment of distantly related toxin-like components. Both systems are composed of elements predisposed to functional innovation across levels of biological complexity that range from proteins to glands, demonstrating clear parallels between molecular and morphological traits in the properties that facilitate the evolution of novelty. CONCLUSIONS The evolution of the lithobiomorph telopodal defence system provides indirect empirical support for the plausibility of the hypothesised evolutionary origin of the centipede venom system, which occurred through functional innovation and gradual specialisation of existing epidermal glands. Our results thus exemplify how continuous transformation and functional innovation can drive the apparent discontinuous emergence of novelties on higher levels of biological complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Schendel
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Carsten H G Müller
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Strasse 26, Greifswald, 17489, Germany
| | - Matthes Kenning
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Strasse 26, Greifswald, 17489, Germany
| | - Michael Maxwell
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | | | - Eivind A B Undheim
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0316, Norway.
| | - Andy Sombke
- Centre for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Cell and Developmental Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse 17, Vienna, 1090, Austria.
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Austria.
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23
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Sofyantoro F, Septriani NI, Yudha DS, Wicaksono EA, Priyono DS, Putri WA, Primahesa A, Raharjeng ARP, Purwestri YA, Nuringtyas TR. Zebrafish as Versatile Model for Assessing Animal Venoms and Toxins: Current Applications and Future Prospects. Zebrafish 2024; 21:231-242. [PMID: 38608228 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2023.0088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Animal venoms and toxins hold promise as sources of novel drug candidates, therapeutic agents, and biomolecules. To fully harness their potential, it is crucial to develop reliable testing methods that provide a comprehensive understanding of their effects and mechanisms of action. However, traditional rodent assays encounter difficulties in mimicking venom-induced effects in human due to the impractical venom dosage levels. The search for reliable testing methods has led to the emergence of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a versatile model organism for evaluating animal venoms and toxins. Zebrafish possess genetic similarities to humans, rapid development, transparency, and amenability to high-throughput assays, making it ideal for assessing the effects of animal venoms and toxins. This review highlights unique attributes of zebrafish and explores their applications in studying venom- and toxin-induced effects from various species, including snakes, jellyfish, cuttlefish, anemones, spiders, and cone snails. Through zebrafish-based research, intricate physiological responses, developmental alterations, and potential therapeutic interventions induced by venoms are revealed. Novel techniques such as CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, optogenetics, and high-throughput screening hold great promise for advancing venom research. As zebrafish-based insights converge with findings from other models, the comprehensive understanding of venom-induced effects continues to expand, guiding the development of targeted interventions and promoting both scientific knowledge and practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fajar Sofyantoro
- Faculties of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | | | | | - Ega Adhi Wicaksono
- Faculties of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Dwi Sendi Priyono
- Faculties of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | | | - Alfian Primahesa
- Faculties of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Anita Restu Puji Raharjeng
- Faculties of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fatah Palembang, South Sumatera, Indonesia
| | - Yekti Asih Purwestri
- Faculties of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
- Research Center for Biotechnology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Tri Rini Nuringtyas
- Faculties of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
- Research Center for Biotechnology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
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24
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Fuller G, Wirdateti, Nekaris KAI. Evaluating the Use of Chemical Weapons for Capturing Prey by a Venomous Mammal, the Greater Slow Loris ( Nycticebus coucang). Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1438. [PMID: 38791656 PMCID: PMC11117385 DOI: 10.3390/ani14101438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Few mammals are venomous, including one group of primates-slow (Nycticebus spp.) and pygmy (Xanthonycticebus spp.) lorises. Hypotheses for the evolutionary function of venom in these primates include defense from predators or ectoparasites, communication or competition with conspecifics, and the capture of prey. We tested the prey capture hypothesis in 75 trials with 22 wild-caught greater slow lorises (N. coucang) housed in a rescue center in Java, Indonesia. We experimentally offered the slow lorises arthropod prey items varying in size, escape potential, and toxicity and recorded venom-related and predatory behaviors using live and video observations. The slow lorises visually targeted arthropod prey, approached it quickly and efficiently, and captured it with a manual grasping motion. They rarely performed venom-related behaviors and seemed to do so in a defensive context. The slow lorises exhibited little variation in pre-capture behavior as a function of prey size or escape potential. In response to noxious prey, the slow lorises performed tongue-flicking and other investigative behaviors that indicate they are using chemosensory input to assess prey characteristics. These data suggest it is unlikely that slow lorises use chemical weapons to subdue arthropod prey and may support, instead, a defensive function for slow loris venom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Fuller
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, School of Social Sciences and Law, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK;
- Detroit Zoological Society, Royal Oak, MI 48067, USA
| | - Wirdateti
- Division Zoology, Research Center for Biosystematics and Evolution, Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional (BRIN), Kawasan Sains dan Teknologi (KST), Soekarno, Cibinong 16911, Indonesia;
| | - K. A. I. Nekaris
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, School of Social Sciences and Law, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK;
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25
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Chandrasekara U, Broussard EM, Rokyta DR, Fry BG. High-Voltage Toxin'Roll: Electrostatic Charge Repulsion as a Dynamic Venom Resistance Trait in Pythonid Snakes. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:176. [PMID: 38668601 PMCID: PMC11053703 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16040176] [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: 02/11/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary interplay between predator and prey has significantly shaped the development of snake venom, a critical adaptation for subduing prey. This arms race has spurred the diversification of the components of venom and the corresponding emergence of resistance mechanisms in the prey and predators of venomous snakes. Our study investigates the molecular basis of venom resistance in pythons, focusing on electrostatic charge repulsion as a defense against α-neurotoxins binding to the alpha-1 subunit of the postsynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Through phylogenetic and bioactivity analyses of orthosteric site sequences from various python species, we explore the prevalence and evolution of amino acid substitutions that confer resistance by electrostatic repulsion, which initially evolved in response to predatory pressure by Naja (cobra) species (which occurs across Africa and Asia). The small African species Python regius retains the two resistance-conferring lysines (positions 189 and 191) of the ancestral Python genus, conferring resistance to sympatric Naja venoms. This differed from the giant African species Python sebae, which has secondarily lost one of these lysines, potentially due to its rapid growth out of the prey size range of sympatric Naja species. In contrast, the two Asian species Python brongersmai (small) and Python bivittatus (giant) share an identical orthosteric site, which exhibits the highest degree of resistance, attributed to three lysine residues in the orthosteric sites. One of these lysines (at orthosteric position 195) evolved in the last common ancestor of these two species, which may reflect an adaptive response to increased predation pressures from the sympatric α-neurotoxic snake-eating genus Ophiophagus (King Cobras) in Asia. All these terrestrial Python species, however, were less neurotoxin-susceptible than pythons in other genera which have evolved under different predatory pressure as: the Asian species Malayopython reticulatus which is arboreal as neonates and juveniles before rapidly reaching sizes as terrestrial adults too large for sympatric Ophiophagus species to consider as prey; and the terrestrial Australian species Aspidites melanocephalus which occupies a niche, devoid of selection pressure from α-neurotoxic predatory snakes. Our findings underline the importance of positive selection in the evolution of venom resistance and suggest a complex evolutionary history involving both conserved traits and secondary evolution. This study enhances our understanding of the molecular adaptations that enable pythons to survive in environments laden with venomous threats and offers insights into the ongoing co-evolution between venomous snakes and their prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uthpala Chandrasekara
- Adaptive Biotoxicology Lab, School of the Environment, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia;
| | - Emilie M. Broussard
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, 319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA; (E.M.B.); (D.R.R.)
| | - Darin R. Rokyta
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, 319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA; (E.M.B.); (D.R.R.)
| | - Bryan G. Fry
- Adaptive Biotoxicology Lab, School of the Environment, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia;
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26
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Barroso RA, Ramos L, Moreno H, Antunes A. Evolutionary Analysis of Cnidaria Small Cysteine-Rich Proteins (SCRiPs), an Enigmatic Neurotoxin Family from Stony Corals and Sea Anemones (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia). Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:75. [PMID: 38393153 PMCID: PMC10892658 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16020075] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cnidarians (corals, sea anemones, and jellyfish) produce toxins that play central roles in key ecological processes, including predation, defense, and competition, being the oldest extant venomous animal lineage. Cnidaria small cysteine-rich proteins (SCRiPs) were the first family of neurotoxins detected in stony corals, one of the ocean's most crucial foundation species. Yet, their molecular evolution remains poorly understood. Moreover, the lack of a clear classification system has hindered the establishment of an accurate and phylogenetically informed nomenclature. In this study, we extensively surveyed 117 genomes and 103 transcriptomes of cnidarians to identify orthologous SCRiP gene sequences. We annotated a total of 168 novel putative SCRiPs from over 36 species of stony corals and 12 species of sea anemones. Phylogenetic reconstruction identified four distinct SCRiP subfamilies, according to strict discrimination criteria based on well-supported monophyly with a high percentage of nucleotide and amino acids' identity. Although there is a high prevalence of purifying selection for most SCRiP subfamilies, with few positively selected sites detected, a subset of Acroporidae sequences is influenced by diversifying positive selection, suggesting potential neofunctionalizations related to the fine-tuning of toxin potency. We propose a new nomenclature classification system relying on the phylogenetic distribution and evolution of SCRiPs across Anthozoa, which will further assist future proteomic and functional research efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Alexandre Barroso
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal; (R.A.B.); (L.R.); (H.M.)
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Luana Ramos
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal; (R.A.B.); (L.R.); (H.M.)
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Hugo Moreno
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal; (R.A.B.); (L.R.); (H.M.)
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Agostinho Antunes
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal; (R.A.B.); (L.R.); (H.M.)
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
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Ajdi B, El Asbahani A, El Hidan MA, Bocquet M, Falconnet L, Ait Hamza M, Elmourid A, Touloun O, Boubaker H, Bulet P. Molecular diversity assessed by MALDI mass spectrometry of two scorpion species venom from two different locations in Morocco. Toxicon 2024; 238:107562. [PMID: 38103799 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107562] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Scorpion venom is a cocktail of molecules whose composition is remarkably plastic, controlled by several factors. The Moroccan scorpion fauna is characterized by its richness and high rate of endemism and the venom molecular variability of many species is not yet well characterized. The aim of the present study was to highlight the molecular variability of the venom composition of Androctonus amoreuxi and Buthacus stockmanni (endemic species), both belonging to the Buthidae family, collected from two Moroccan regions, Zagora and Tan-tan. Characterization of the molecular mass fingerprints (MFPs) of each specimen was performed by Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) using a sandwich (Sand) and a dried-droplet (DD) sample preparation and dilutions. Considering these two methods, a total of 828 ion signals were detected, and Sand method produced more adducts (56%) than DD (44%). We observed interspecific variations in the venom composition between these two species showing they share 235 ion signals, while 226 and 367 are specific for these two species, respectively. Moreover, B. stockmanni specimens showed a clear difference in their MFPs between the two geographical areas studied, suggesting intraspecific variations. Moreover, specimens from each population also show an intraspecific variability. In addition, for the same individual, a variation in the venom composition was also recorded depending on the milking frequency. Our results confirmed the presence of characteristic components in each extracted venom sample. In conclusion, MFPs assessed by MALDI-MS represent a fast, non-supervised, sensitive, reliable and cost-efficient approach for taxonomic identification and molecular variability characterization. This study undoubtedly represents a step forward for understanding the scorpion venom plasticity, intra/inter variations, and their temporal and geographical variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boujemaa Ajdi
- Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology and Plant Protection, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Morocco; Institute for Advanced Biosciences, CR Inserm U1209, CNRSUMR 5309, University of Grenoble-Alpes, 38000, Grenoble, France; Platform BioPark Archamps, 74160, Archamps, France.
| | - Abdelhafed El Asbahani
- Applied Chemistry and Environment Laboratory, Team of Bio-organic Chemistry and Natural Substances, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Morocco.
| | - Moulay Abdelmonaim El Hidan
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Valorization of Natural Resources, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco.
| | - Michel Bocquet
- Platform BioPark Archamps, 74160, Archamps, France; Apimedia, 74370, Annecy, France
| | | | - Mohamed Ait Hamza
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Valorization of Natural Resources, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco.
| | - Abdessamad Elmourid
- Polyvalent Team in Research and Development (EPVRD), Department of Biology & Geology, Polydisciplinary Faculty, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal, 23030, Morocco.
| | - Oulaid Touloun
- Polyvalent Team in Research and Development (EPVRD), Department of Biology & Geology, Polydisciplinary Faculty, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal, 23030, Morocco.
| | - Hassan Boubaker
- Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology and Plant Protection, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Morocco.
| | - Philippe Bulet
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, CR Inserm U1209, CNRSUMR 5309, University of Grenoble-Alpes, 38000, Grenoble, France; Platform BioPark Archamps, 74160, Archamps, France.
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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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Touchard A, Barassé V, Malgouyre JM, Treilhou M, Klopp C, Bonnafé E. The genome of the ant Tetramorium bicarinatum reveals a tandem organization of venom peptides genes allowing the prediction of their regulatory and evolutionary profiles. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:84. [PMID: 38245722 PMCID: PMC10800049 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10012-y] [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: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Venoms have evolved independently over a hundred times in the animal kingdom to deter predators and/or subdue prey. Venoms are cocktails of various secreted toxins, whose origin and diversification provide an appealing system for evolutionary researchers. Previous studies of the ant venom of Tetramorium bicarinatum revealed several Myrmicitoxin (MYRTX) peptides that gathered into seven precursor families suggesting different evolutionary origins. Analysis of the T. bicarinatum genome enabling further genomic approaches was necessary to understand the processes underlying the evolution of these myrmicitoxins. RESULTS Here, we sequenced the genome of Tetramorium bicarinatum and reported the organisation of 44 venom peptide genes (vpg). Of the eleven chromosomes that make up the genome of T. bicarinatum, four carry the vpg which are organized in tandem repeats. This organisation together with the ML evolutionary analysis of vpg sequences, is consistent with evolution by local duplication of ancestral genes for each precursor family. The structure of the vpg into two or three exons is conserved after duplication events while the promoter regions are the least conserved parts of the vpg even for genes with highly identical sequences. This suggests that enhancer sequences were not involved in duplication events, but were recruited from surrounding regions. Expression level analysis revealed that most vpg are highly expressed in venom glands, although one gene or group of genes is much more highly expressed in each family. Finally, the examination of the genomic data revealed that several genes encoding transcription factors (TFs) are highly expressed in the venom glands. The search for binding sites (BS) of these TFs in the vpg promoters revealed hot spots of GATA sites in several vpg families. CONCLUSION In this pioneering investigation on ant venom genes, we provide a high-quality assembly genome and the annotation of venom peptide genes that we think can fosters further genomic research to understand the evolutionary history of ant venom biochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Touchard
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Valentine Barassé
- BTSB-UR 7417, Université Fédérale de Toulouse, Institut National Universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81000, Albi, France
| | - Jean-Michel Malgouyre
- BTSB-UR 7417, Université Fédérale de Toulouse, Institut National Universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81000, Albi, France
| | - Michel Treilhou
- BTSB-UR 7417, Université Fédérale de Toulouse, Institut National Universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81000, Albi, France
| | - Christophe Klopp
- INRAE, BioinfOmics, Université Fédérale de Toulouse, GenoToul Bioinformatics Facility, Sigenae, 31326, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Elsa Bonnafé
- BTSB-UR 7417, Université Fédérale de Toulouse, Institut National Universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81000, Albi, France.
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Zancolli G, von Reumont BM, Anderluh G, Caliskan F, Chiusano ML, Fröhlich J, Hapeshi E, Hempel BF, Ikonomopoulou MP, Jungo F, Marchot P, de Farias TM, Modica MV, Moran Y, Nalbantsoy A, Procházka J, Tarallo A, Tonello F, Vitorino R, Zammit ML, Antunes A. Web of venom: exploration of big data resources in animal toxin research. Gigascience 2024; 13:giae054. [PMID: 39250076 PMCID: PMC11382406 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giae054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Research on animal venoms and their components spans multiple disciplines, including biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, pharmacology, medicine, and more. Manipulating and analyzing the diverse array of data required for venom research can be challenging, and relevant tools and resources are often dispersed across different online platforms, making them less accessible to nonexperts. In this article, we address the multifaceted needs of the scientific community involved in venom and toxin-related research by identifying and discussing web resources, databases, and tools commonly used in this field. We have compiled these resources into a comprehensive table available on the VenomZone website (https://venomzone.expasy.org/10897). Furthermore, we highlight the challenges currently faced by researchers in accessing and using these resources and emphasize the importance of community-driven interdisciplinary approaches. We conclude by underscoring the significance of enhancing standards, promoting interoperability, and encouraging data and method sharing within the venom research community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Zancolli
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Björn Marcus von Reumont
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty of Biological Sciences, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Gregor Anderluh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Figen Caliskan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26040 Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Maria Luisa Chiusano
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University Federico II of Naples, 80055 Portici, Naples, Italy
- Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy
| | - Jacob Fröhlich
- Veterinary Center for Resistance Research (TZR), Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Evroula Hapeshi
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, 1700 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Benjamin-Florian Hempel
- Veterinary Center for Resistance Research (TZR), Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Maria P Ikonomopoulou
- Madrid Institute of Advanced Studies in Food, Precision Nutrition & Aging Program, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Florence Jungo
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Swiss-Prot Group, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pascale Marchot
- Laboratory Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, Aix-Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Faculté des Sciences, Campus Luminy, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Tarcisio Mendes de Farias
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Maria Vittoria Modica
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 00198 Rome, Italy
| | - Yehu Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ayse Nalbantsoy
- Engineering Faculty, Bioengineering Department, Ege University, 35100 Bornova-Izmir, Turkey
| | - Jan Procházka
- Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Andrea Tarallo
- Institute of Research on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), National Research Council (CNR), 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Fiorella Tonello
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Rui Vitorino
- Department of Medical Sciences, iBiMED, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Mark Lawrence Zammit
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine & Surgery, University of Malta, 2090 Msida, Malta
- Malta National Poisons Centre, Malta Life Sciences Park, 3000 San Ġwann, Malta
| | - Agostinho Antunes
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
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Lecaudey LA, Netzer R, Wibberg D, Busche T, Bloecher N. Metatranscriptome analysis reveals the putative venom toxin repertoire of the biofouling hydroid Ectopleura larynx. Toxicon 2024; 237:107556. [PMID: 38072317 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Cnidarians thriving in biofouling communities on aquaculture net pens represent a significant health risk for farmed finfish due to their stinging cells. The toxins coming into contact with the fish, during net cleaning, can adversely affect their behavior, welfare, and survival, with a particularly serious health risk for the gills, causing direct tissue damage such as formation of thrombi and increasing risks of secondary infections. The hydroid Ectopleura larynx is one of the most common fouling organisms in Northern Europe. However, despite its significant economic, environmental, and operational impact on finfish aquaculture, biological information on this species is scarce and its venom composition has never been investigated. In this study, we generated a whole transcriptome of E. larynx, and identified its putative expressed venom toxin proteins (predicted toxin proteins, not functionally characterized) based on in silico transcriptome annotation mining and protein sequence analysis. The results uncovered a broad and diverse repertoire of putative toxin proteins for this hydroid species. Its toxic arsenal appears to include a wide and complex selection of toxin proteins, covering a large panel of potential biological functions that play important roles in envenomation. The putative toxins identified in this species, such as neurotoxins, GTPase toxins, metalloprotease toxins, ion channel impairing toxins, hemorrhagic toxins, serine protease toxins, phospholipase toxins, pore-forming toxins, and multifunction toxins may cause various major deleterious effects in prey, predators, and competitors. These results provide valuable new insights into the venom composition of cnidarians, and venomous marine organisms in general, and offer new opportunities for further research into novel and valuable bioactive molecules for medicine, agronomics and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roman Netzer
- SINTEF Ocean, Aquaculture Department, Brattørkaia 17c, 7010, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Daniel Wibberg
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Tobias Busche
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany; Medical School OWL, Bielefeld University, Morgenbreede 1, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Nina Bloecher
- SINTEF Ocean, Aquaculture Department, Brattørkaia 17c, 7010, Trondheim, Norway
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Shin MK, Hwang IW, Jang BY, Bu KB, Han DH, Lee SH, Oh JW, Yoo JS, Sung JS. The Identification of a Novel Spider Toxin Peptide, Lycotoxin-Pa2a, with Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory Activities. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1708. [PMID: 38136742 PMCID: PMC10740532 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12121708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
With the increasing challenge of controlling infectious diseases due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains, the importance of discovering new antimicrobial agents is rapidly increasing. Animal venoms contain a variety of functional peptides, making them a promising platform for pharmaceutical development. In this study, a novel toxin peptide with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities was discovered from the spider venom gland transcriptome by implementing computational approaches. Lycotoxin-Pa2a (Lytx-Pa2a) showed homology to known-spider toxin, where functional prediction indicated the potential of both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory peptides without hemolytic activity. The colony-forming assay and minimum inhibitory concentration test showed that Lytx-Pa2a exhibited comparable or stronger antibacterial activity against pathogenic strains than melittin. Following mechanistic studies revealed that Lytx-Pa2a disrupts both cytoplasmic and outer membranes of bacteria while simultaneously inducing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species. The peptide exerted no significant toxicity when treated to human primary cells, murine macrophages, and bovine red blood cells. Moreover, Lytx-Pa2a alleviated lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in mouse macrophages by suppressing the expression of inflammatory mediators. These findings not only suggested that Lytx-Pa2a with dual activity can be utilized as a new antimicrobial agent for infectious diseases but also demonstrated the implementation of in silico methods for discovering a novel functional peptide, which may enhance the future utilization of biological resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Kyoung Shin
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea; (M.K.S.); (I.-W.H.); (B.-Y.J.); (K.-B.B.); (D.-H.H.); (S.-H.L.); (J.W.O.)
| | - In-Wook Hwang
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea; (M.K.S.); (I.-W.H.); (B.-Y.J.); (K.-B.B.); (D.-H.H.); (S.-H.L.); (J.W.O.)
| | - Bo-Young Jang
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea; (M.K.S.); (I.-W.H.); (B.-Y.J.); (K.-B.B.); (D.-H.H.); (S.-H.L.); (J.W.O.)
| | - Kyung-Bin Bu
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea; (M.K.S.); (I.-W.H.); (B.-Y.J.); (K.-B.B.); (D.-H.H.); (S.-H.L.); (J.W.O.)
| | - Dong-Hee Han
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea; (M.K.S.); (I.-W.H.); (B.-Y.J.); (K.-B.B.); (D.-H.H.); (S.-H.L.); (J.W.O.)
| | - Seung-Ho Lee
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea; (M.K.S.); (I.-W.H.); (B.-Y.J.); (K.-B.B.); (D.-H.H.); (S.-H.L.); (J.W.O.)
| | - Jin Wook Oh
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea; (M.K.S.); (I.-W.H.); (B.-Y.J.); (K.-B.B.); (D.-H.H.); (S.-H.L.); (J.W.O.)
| | - Jung Sun Yoo
- Species Diversity Research Division, National Institute of Biological Resources, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea;
| | - Jung-Suk Sung
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea; (M.K.S.); (I.-W.H.); (B.-Y.J.); (K.-B.B.); (D.-H.H.); (S.-H.L.); (J.W.O.)
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Hernandez Duran L, Wilson DT, Rymer TL. Exploring behavioral traits over different contexts in four species of Australian funnel-web spiders. Curr Zool 2023; 69:766-774. [PMID: 37876639 PMCID: PMC10591153 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Australian funnel-web spiders are arguably the most venomous spiders in the world, with much research focusing on this aspect of their biology. However, other aspects related to their life history, ecology and behaviour have been overlooked. For the first time, we assessed repeatability, namely risk-taking behaviour, aggressiveness and activity in the contexts of predation, conspecific tolerance and exploration of a new territory in four species of Australian funnel-web spiders: two are closely related, Hadronyche valida and H. infensa, and two have overlapping distributions but occupy different habitats, H. cerberea and Atrax robustus. We also compared behaviors between species. At the species level, we found that H. valida showed consistency in risk-taking behavior when exposed to a predator stimulus, aggressiveness against conspecifics, and exploration of a new territory. In contrast, in the other species, only A. robustus showed repeatability in the context of exploration of a new territory. These results suggest that some behavioral traits are likely more flexible than others, and that the repeatability of behaviors may be species-specific in funnel-webs. When we compared species, we found differences in risk-taking behavior and defensiveness. This study provides novel insights to understanding variation in behavioral traits within and between species of funnel-web spiders, suggesting that some behavioral traits are likely context and/or species dependent, as a result of their evolutionary history. These findings provide key insights for understanding the ecological role of behavior and venom deployment in venomous animals, and a greater understanding of behavior in these medically significant and iconic spiders that are of conservation concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Hernandez Duran
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, P.O. Box 6811, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
| | - David Thomas Wilson
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute for Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4878, Australia
| | - Tasmin Lee Rymer
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, P.O. Box 6811, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
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Op den Brouw B, Fernandez-Rojo MA, Charlton T, Fry BG, Ikonomopoulou MP. Malaysian and Chinese King Cobra Venom Cytotoxicity in Melanoma and Neonatal Foreskin Fibroblasts Is Mediated by Age and Geography. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:549. [PMID: 37755975 PMCID: PMC10534572 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15090549] [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: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Snake venoms constitute a complex, rapidly evolving trait, whose composition varies between and within populations depending on geographical location, age and preys (diets). These factors have determined the adaptive evolution for predatory success and link venom heterogeneity with prey specificity. Moreover, understanding the evolutionary drivers of animal venoms has streamlined the biodiscovery of venom-derived compounds as drug candidates in biomedicine and biotechnology. The king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah; Cantor, 1836) is distributed in diverse habitats, forming independent populations, which confer differing scale markings, including between hatchlings and adults. Furthermore, king cobra venoms possess unique cytotoxic properties that are used as a defensive trait, but their toxins may also have utility as promising anticancer-agent candidates. However, the impact of geographical distribution and age on these potential venom applications has been typically neglected. In this study, we hypothesised that ontogenetic venom variation accompanies the morphological distinction between hatchlings and adults. We used non-transformed neonatal foreskin (NFF) fibroblasts to examine and compare the variability of venom cytotoxicity between adult captive breeding pairs from Malaysian and Chinese lineages, along with that of their progeny upon hatching. In parallel, we assessed the anticancer potential of these venoms in human-melanoma-patient-derived cells (MM96L). We found that in a geographical distribution and gender-independent manner, venoms from hatchlings were significantly less cytotoxic than those from adults (NFF; ~Log EC50: 0.5-0.6 vs. 0.2-0.35 mg/mL). This is consistent with neonates occupying a semifossorial habitat, while adults inhabit more above-ground habitats and are therefore more conspicuous to potential predators. We also observed that Malaysian venoms exhibited a slightly higher cytotoxicity than those from the Chinese cobra cohorts (NFF; Log EC50: 0.1-0.3 vs. 0.3-0.4 mg/mL), which is consistent with Malaysian king cobras being more strongly aposematically marked. These variations are therefore suggestive of differential anti-predator strategies associated with the occupation of distinct niches. However, all cobra venoms were similarly cytotoxic in both melanoma cells and fibroblasts, limiting their potential medical applications in their native forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Op den Brouw
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia;
| | - Manuel A. Fernandez-Rojo
- Hepatic Regenerative Medicine Group, Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies in Food, E28049 Madrid, Spain;
- Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Tom Charlton
- Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, All Saints Building, Manchester M15 6BH, UK;
| | - Bryan G. Fry
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia;
| | - Maria P. Ikonomopoulou
- Translational Venomics Group, Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies in Food, E28049 Madrid, Spain
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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González-Ferreiro M, García-París M, Sainz-Escudero L, López-Estrada EK. Analyses of head and thorax in Eupomphini (Meloidae) suggest that complex behaviors are not associated to changes in general shape. Integr Zool 2023; 18:949-957. [PMID: 36929152 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Our results reject an association between general shape of head and thorax with defensive and courtship behaviors in the studied Eupomphini blister beetles. Instead we found that shape of thorax and head radiated in all directions of the morphospace. We also identified a radical separation between two lineages that could represent future evolutionary constraints for thorax evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - E Karen López-Estrada
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Real Jardín Botánico (RJB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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36
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Lowe A, Kolmann MA, Paig-Tran EWM. How to Survive a (Juvenile) Piranha Attack: An Integrative Approach to Evaluating Predator Performance. Integr Org Biol 2023; 5:obad032. [PMID: 37818205 PMCID: PMC10561132 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obad032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Figures Cory cat panel figureDrawing of bite force measuring equipment and indentation rig Pygocentrus nattereri jaw muscle morphology and skull anatomyBox plot grid of number of Pygocentrus nattereri bites before puncture along different body regions of Corydoras trilineatus during feeding trials resultsDrawing of color-coded Corydoras trilineatus with attack frequencies and average bites until puncture by Pygocentrus nattereriBox plot of average voluntary juvenile Pygocentrus nattereri bite forces to standard lengthPanel of linear ordinary least-squares regressions of Pygocentrus nattereri bite force to adductor mandibulae mass, standard length, and body massOrdinary least-squares regressions of voluntary bites to restrained bites of Pygocentrus nattereriPanel of indentation tests for intact and removed Corydoras trilineatus scutesPanel of indentation tests for Corydoras trilineatus body region. Synopsis There is an evolutionary arms race between predators and prey. In aquatic environments, predatory fishes often use sharp teeth, powerful bites, and/or streamlined bodies to help capture their prey quickly and efficiently. Conversely, prey are often equipped with antipredator adaptations including: scaly armor, sharp spines, and/or toxic secretions. This study focused on the predator-prey interactions between the armored threestripe cory catfish (Corydoras trilineatus) and juvenile red-bellied piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri). Specifically, we investigated how resistant cory catfish armor is to a range of natural and theoretical piranha bite forces and how often this protection translated to survival from predator attacks by Corydoras. We measured the bite force and jaw functional morphology of P. nattereri, the puncture resistance of defensive scutes in C. trilineatus, and the in situ predatory interactions between the two. The adductor mandibulae muscle in juvenile P. nattereri is robust and delivers an average bite force of 1.03 N and maximum bite force of 9.71 N, yet its prey, C. trilineatus, survived 37% of confirmed bites without any damage. The C. trilineatus armor withstood an average of nine bites before puncture by P. nattereri. Predation was successful only when piranhas bit unarmored areas of the body, at the opercular opening and at the caudal peduncle. This study used an integrative approach to understand the outcomes of predator-prey interactions by evaluating the link between morphology and feeding behavior. We found that juvenile P. nattereri rarely used a maximal bite force and displayed a net predation success rate on par with other adult vertebrates. Conversely, C. trilineatus successfully avoided predation by orienting predator attacks toward their resilient, axial armor and behavioral strategies that reduced the predator's ability to bite in less armored regions of the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Lowe
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, 1 University Dr, Orange, CA 92866,USA
| | - M A Kolmann
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
| | - E W M Paig-Tran
- Department of Biological Science (MH-282), California State University, Fullerton, 800 N State College Blvd, Fullerton, CA 92834-6850, USA
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37
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Fitzpatrick LLJ, Ligabue-Braun R, Nekaris KAI. Slowly Making Sense: A Review of the Two-Step Venom System within Slow ( Nycticebus spp.) and Pygmy Lorises ( Xanthonycticebus spp.). Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:514. [PMID: 37755940 PMCID: PMC10536643 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15090514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the early 2000s, studies of the evolution of venom within animals have rapidly expanded, offering new revelations on the origins and development of venom within various species. The venomous mammals represent excellent opportunities to study venom evolution due to the varying functional usages, the unusual distribution of venom across unrelated mammals and the diverse variety of delivery systems. A group of mammals that excellently represents a combination of these traits are the slow (Nycticebus spp.) and pygmy lorises (Xanthonycticebus spp.) of south-east Asia, which possess the only confirmed two-step venom system. These taxa also present one of the most intriguing mixes of toxic symptoms (cytotoxicity and immunotoxicity) and functional usages (intraspecific competition and ectoparasitic defence) seen in extant animals. We still lack many pieces of the puzzle in understanding how this venom system works, why it evolved what is involved in the venom system and what triggers the toxic components to work. Here, we review available data building upon a decade of research on this topic, focusing especially on why and how this venom system may have evolved. We discuss that research now suggests that venom in slow lorises has a sophisticated set of multiple uses in both intraspecific competition and the potential to disrupt the immune system of targets; we suggest that an exudate diet reveals several toxic plants consumed by slow and pygmy lorises that could be sequestered into their venom and which may help heal venomous bite wounds; we provide the most up-to-date visual model of the brachial gland exudate secretion protein (BGEsp); and we discuss research on a complement component 1r (C1R) protein in saliva that may solve the mystery of what activates the toxicity of slow and pygmy loris venom. We conclude that the slow and pygmy lorises possess amongst the most complex venom system in extant animals, and while we have still a lot more to understand about their venom system, we are close to a breakthrough, particularly with current technological advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Lucy Joscelyne Fitzpatrick
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
- Centre for Functional Genomics, Department of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Rodrigo Ligabue-Braun
- Department of Pharmacosciences, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, Porto Alegre 90050-170, Brazil
| | - K Anne-Isola Nekaris
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
- Centre for Functional Genomics, Department of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
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38
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Farhat S, Modica MV, Puillandre N. Whole Genome Duplication and Gene Evolution in the Hyperdiverse Venomous Gastropods. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad171. [PMID: 37494290 PMCID: PMC10401626 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The diversity of venomous organisms and the toxins they produce have been increasingly investigated, but taxonomic bias remains important. Neogastropods, a group of marine predators representing almost 22% of the known gastropod diversity, evolved a wide range of feeding strategies, including the production of toxins to subdue their preys. However, whether the diversity of these compounds is at the origin of the hyperdiversification of the group and how genome evolution may correlate with both the compounds and species diversities remain understudied. Among the available gastropods genomes, only eight, with uneven quality assemblies, belong to neogastropods. Here, we generated chromosome-level assemblies of two species belonging to the Tonnoidea and Muricoidea superfamilies (Monoplex corrugatus and Stramonita haemastoma). The two obtained high-quality genomes had 3 and 2.2 Gb, respectively, and 92-89% of the total assembly conformed 35 pseudochromosomes in each species. Through the analysis of syntenic blocks, Hox gene cluster duplication, and synonymous substitutions distribution pattern, we inferred the occurrence of a whole genome duplication event in both genomes. As these species are known to release venom, toxins were annotated in both genomes, but few of them were found in homologous chromosomes. A comparison of the expression of ohnolog genes (using transcriptomes from osphradium and salivary glands in S. haemastoma), where both copies were differentially expressed, showed that most of them had similar expression profiles. The high quality of these genomes makes them valuable reference in their respective taxa, facilitating the identification of genome-level processes at the origin of their evolutionary success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Farhat
- Institut Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 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, Paris, France
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39
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Walker AA, Robinson SD, Merritt DJ, Cardoso FC, Goudarzi MH, Mercedes RS, Eagles DA, Cooper P, Zdenek CN, Fry BG, Hall DW, Vetter I, King GF. Horizontal gene transfer underlies the painful stings of asp caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Megalopygidae). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2305871120. [PMID: 37428925 PMCID: PMC10629529 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305871120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Larvae of the genus Megalopyge (Lepidoptera: Zygaenoidea: Megalopygidae), known as asp or puss caterpillars, produce defensive venoms that cause severe pain. Here, we present the anatomy, chemistry, and mode of action of the venom systems of caterpillars of two megalopygid species, the Southern flannel moth Megalopyge opercularis and the black-waved flannel moth Megalopyge crispata. We show that megalopygid venom is produced in secretory cells that lie beneath the cuticle and are connected to the venom spines by canals. Megalopygid venoms consist of large aerolysin-like pore-forming toxins, which we have named megalysins, and a small number of peptides. The venom system differs markedly from those of previously studied venomous zygaenoids of the family Limacodidae, suggestive of an independent origin. Megalopygid venom potently activates mammalian sensory neurons via membrane permeabilization and induces sustained spontaneous pain behavior and paw swelling in mice. These bioactivities are ablated by treatment with heat, organic solvents, or proteases, indicating that they are mediated by larger proteins such as the megalysins. We show that the megalysins were recruited as venom toxins in the Megalopygidae following horizontal transfer of genes from bacteria to the ancestors of ditrysian Lepidoptera. Megalopygids have recruited aerolysin-like proteins as venom toxins convergently with centipedes, cnidarians, and fish. This study highlights the role of horizontal gene transfer in venom evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew A. Walker
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Protein and Peptide Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
| | - Samuel D. Robinson
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
| | - David J. Merritt
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
| | - Fernanda C. Cardoso
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Protein and Peptide Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
| | - Mohaddeseh Hedayati Goudarzi
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Protein and Peptide Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
| | - Raine S. Mercedes
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Protein and Peptide Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
| | - David A. Eagles
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Protein and Peptide Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
| | - Paul Cooper
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT2601, Australia
| | - Christina N. Zdenek
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
| | - Bryan G. Fry
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
| | - Donald W. Hall
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32608
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4102, Australia
| | - Glenn F. King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Protein and Peptide Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
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40
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Heptinstall TC, Strickland JL, Rosales-Garcia RA, Rautsaw RM, Simpson CL, Nystrom GS, Ellsworth SA, Hogan MP, Borja M, Fernandes Campos P, Grazziotin FG, Rokyta DR, Junqueira-de-Azevedo ILM, Parkinson CL. Venom phenotype conservation suggests integrated specialization in a lizard-eating snake. Toxicon 2023; 229:107135. [PMID: 37146732 PMCID: PMC11000244 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107135] [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] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Biological specialization reduces the size of niche space while increasing efficiency in the use of available resources. Specialization often leads to phenotypic changes via natural selection aligning with niche space constraints. Commonly observed changes are in size, shape, behavior, and traits associated with feeding. One often selected trait for dietary specialization is venom, which, in snakes, often shows variation dependent on diet across and within species. The Neotropical Blunt-headed Treesnake (Imantodes cenchoa) is a highly specialized, rear-fanged, arboreal, lizard hunter that displays a long thin body, enlarged eyes, and a large Duvernoy's gland. However, toxin characterization of I. cenchoa has never been completed. Here, we use RNA-seq and mass spectrometry to assemble, annotate, and analyze the venom gland transcriptomes of four I. cenchoa from across their range. We find a lack of significant venom variation at the sequence and expression levels, suggesting venom conservation across the species. We propose this conservation provides evidence of a specialized venom repertoire, adapted to maximize efficiency of capturing and processing lizards. Importantly, this study provides the most complete venom gland transcriptomes of I. cenchoa and evidence of venom specialization in a rear-fanged snake, giving insight into selective pressures of venom across all snake species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason L Strickland
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA; Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, 36688, USA
| | | | - Rhett M Rautsaw
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA; School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA; Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - Cassandra L Simpson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
| | - Gunnar S Nystrom
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Schyler A Ellsworth
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Michael P Hogan
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Miguel Borja
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universdad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Av. Universidad s/n. Fracc. Filadelfia, C.P. 35070, Gómez Palacio, Dgo., Mexico
| | | | - Felipe G Grazziotin
- Laboratório Especial de Colecões Zoológicas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Darin R Rokyta
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | | | - Christopher L Parkinson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA; Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA.
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41
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Salimo ZM, Barros AL, Adrião AAX, Rodrigues AM, Sartim MA, de Oliveira IS, Pucca MB, Baia-da-Silva DC, Monteiro WM, de Melo GC, Koolen HHF. Toxins from Animal Venoms as a Potential Source of Antimalarials: A Comprehensive Review. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:375. [PMID: 37368676 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15060375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by Plasmodium spp. and it is mainly transmitted to humans by female mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles. Malaria is an important global public health problem due to its high rates of morbidity and mortality. At present, drug therapies and vector control with insecticides are respectively the most commonly used methods for the treatment and control of malaria. However, several studies have shown the resistance of Plasmodium to drugs that are recommended for the treatment of malaria. In view of this, it is necessary to carry out studies to discover new antimalarial molecules as lead compounds for the development of new medicines. In this sense, in the last few decades, animal venoms have attracted attention as a potential source for new antimalarial molecules. Therefore, the aim of this review was to summarize animal venom toxins with antimalarial activity found in the literature. From this research, 50 isolated substances, 4 venom fractions and 7 venom extracts from animals such as anurans, spiders, scorpions, snakes, and bees were identified. These toxins act as inhibitors at different key points in the biological cycle of Plasmodium and may be important in the context of the resistance of Plasmodium to currently available antimalarial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeca M Salimo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Metabolômica e Espectrometria de Massas, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69065-001, Brazil
| | - André L Barros
- Setor de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Nilton Lins, Manaus 69058-030, Brazil
| | - Asenate A X Adrião
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Metabolômica e Espectrometria de Massas, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69065-001, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia-Rede BIONORTE, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69065-001, Brazil
| | - Aline M Rodrigues
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Metabolômica e Espectrometria de Massas, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69065-001, Brazil
| | - Marco A Sartim
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia-Rede BIONORTE, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69065-001, Brazil
- Pro-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação, Universidade Nilton Lins, Manaus 69058-030, Brazil
| | - Isadora S de Oliveira
- Departamento de Ciências BioMoleculares, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-903, Brazil
| | - Manuela B Pucca
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Roraima, Boa Vista 69317-810, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Roraima, Boa Vista 69317-810, Brazil
| | - Djane C Baia-da-Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Nilton Lins, Manaus 69058-030, Brazil
- Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Manaus 69057-070, Brazil
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus 69080-900, Brazil
| | - Wuelton M Monteiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
| | - Gisely C de Melo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
| | - Hector H F Koolen
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Metabolômica e Espectrometria de Massas, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69065-001, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia-Rede BIONORTE, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69065-001, Brazil
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Westfall AK, Gopalan SS, Perry BW, Adams RH, Saviola AJ, Mackessy SP, Castoe TA. Single-Cell Heterogeneity in Snake Venom Expression Is Hardwired by Co-Option of Regulators from Progressively Activated Pathways. Genome Biol Evol 2023; 15:evad109. [PMID: 37311204 PMCID: PMC10289209 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad109] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitous cellular heterogeneity underlying many organism-level phenotypes raises questions about what factors drive this heterogeneity and how these complex heterogeneous systems evolve. Here, we use single-cell expression data from a Prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) venom gland to evaluate hypotheses for signaling networks underlying snake venom regulation and the degree to which different venom gene families have evolutionarily recruited distinct regulatory architectures. Our findings suggest that snake venom regulatory systems have evolutionarily co-opted trans-regulatory factors from extracellular signal-regulated kinase and unfolded protein response pathways that specifically coordinate expression of distinct venom toxins in a phased sequence across a single population of secretory cells. This pattern of co-option results in extensive cell-to-cell variation in venom gene expression, even between tandemly duplicated paralogs, suggesting this regulatory architecture has evolved to circumvent cellular constraints. While the exact nature of such constraints remains an open question, we propose that such regulatory heterogeneity may circumvent steric constraints on chromatin, cellular physiological constraints (e.g., endoplasmic reticulum stress or negative protein-protein interactions), or a combination of these. Regardless of the precise nature of these constraints, this example suggests that, in some cases, dynamic cellular constraints may impose previously unappreciated secondary constraints on the evolution of gene regulatory networks that favors heterogeneous expression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Blair W Perry
- Department of Biology, The University of Texas Arlington, Texas, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Richard H Adams
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, USA
| | - Anthony J Saviola
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, USA
| | - Stephen P Mackessy
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, USA
| | - Todd A Castoe
- Department of Biology, The University of Texas Arlington, Texas, USA
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Ashwood LM, Elnahriry KA, Stewart ZK, Shafee T, Naseem MU, Szanto TG, van der Burg CA, Smith HL, Surm JM, Undheim EAB, Madio B, Hamilton BR, Guo S, Wai DCC, Coyne VL, Phillips MJ, Dudley KJ, Hurwood DA, Panyi G, King GF, Pavasovic A, Norton RS, Prentis PJ. Genomic, functional and structural analyses elucidate evolutionary innovation within the sea anemone 8 toxin family. BMC Biol 2023; 21:121. [PMID: 37226201 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01617-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ShK toxin from Stichodactyla helianthus has established the therapeutic potential of sea anemone venom peptides, but many lineage-specific toxin families in Actiniarians remain uncharacterised. One such peptide family, sea anemone 8 (SA8), is present in all five sea anemone superfamilies. We explored the genomic arrangement and evolution of the SA8 gene family in Actinia tenebrosa and Telmatactis stephensoni, characterised the expression patterns of SA8 sequences, and examined the structure and function of SA8 from the venom of T. stephensoni. RESULTS We identified ten SA8-family genes in two clusters and six SA8-family genes in five clusters for T. stephensoni and A. tenebrosa, respectively. Nine SA8 T. stephensoni genes were found in a single cluster, and an SA8 peptide encoded by an inverted SA8 gene from this cluster was recruited to venom. We show that SA8 genes in both species are expressed in a tissue-specific manner and the inverted SA8 gene has a unique tissue distribution. While the functional activity of the SA8 putative toxin encoded by the inverted gene was inconclusive, its tissue localisation is similar to toxins used for predator deterrence. We demonstrate that, although mature SA8 putative toxins have similar cysteine spacing to ShK, SA8 peptides are distinct from ShK peptides based on structure and disulfide connectivity. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide the first demonstration that SA8 is a unique gene family in Actiniarians, evolving through a variety of structural changes including tandem and proximal gene duplication and an inversion event that together allowed SA8 to be recruited into the venom of T. stephensoni.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Ashwood
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia.
- Cancer Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, 4006, Australia.
| | - Khaled A Elnahriry
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Zachary K Stewart
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
| | - Thomas Shafee
- Department of Animal Plant & Soil Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
- Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Muhammad Umair Naseem
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Tibor G Szanto
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Chloé A van der Burg
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Hayden L Smith
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
| | - Joachim M Surm
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Eivind A B Undheim
- Department of Biosciences, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, Blindern, PO Box 1066, 0316, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Bruno Madio
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Brett R Hamilton
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Shaodong Guo
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Dorothy C C Wai
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Victoria L Coyne
- Research Infrastructure, Central Analytical Research Facility, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
| | - Matthew J Phillips
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
| | - Kevin J Dudley
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
- Research Infrastructure, Central Analytical Research Facility, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
| | - David A Hurwood
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
| | - Gyorgy Panyi
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- ARC Centre for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Ana Pavasovic
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
| | - Raymond S Norton
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- ARC Centre for Fragment-Based Design, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Peter J Prentis
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
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Duran LH, Wilson DT, Salih M, Rymer TL. Interactions between physiology and behaviour provide insights into the ecological role of venom in Australian funnel-web spiders: Interspecies comparison. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285866. [PMID: 37216354 PMCID: PMC10202279 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Australian funnel-web spiders are iconic species, characterized as being the most venomous spiders in the world. They are also valued for the therapeutics and natural bioinsecticides potentially hidden in their venom molecules. Although numerous biochemical and molecular structural approaches have tried to determine the factors driving venom complexity, these approaches have not considered behaviour, physiology and environmental conditions collectively, which can play a role in the evolution, complexity, and function of venom components in funnel-webs. This study used a novel interdisciplinary approach to understand the relationships between different behaviours (assessed in different ecological contexts) and morphophysiological variables (body condition, heart rate) that may affect venom composition in four species of Australian funnel-web spiders. We tested defensiveness, huddling behaviour, frequency of climbing, and activity for all species in three ecological contexts: i) predation using both indirect (puff of air) and direct (prodding) stimuli; ii) conspecific tolerance; and iii) exploration of a new territory. We also assessed morphophysiological variables and venom composition of all species. For Hadronyche valida, the expression of some venom components was associated with heart rate and defensiveness during the predation context. However, we did not find any associations between behavioural traits and morphophysiological variables in the other species, suggesting that particular associations may be species-specific. When we assessed differences between species, we found that the species separated out based on the venom profiles, while activity and heart rate are likely more affected by individual responses and microhabitat conditions. This study demonstrates how behavioural and morphophysiological traits are correlated with venom composition and contributes to a broader understanding of the function and evolution of venoms in funnel-web spiders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Hernández Duran
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
- Australian Institute for Tropical Health and Medicine, Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - David Thomas Wilson
- Australian Institute for Tropical Health and Medicine, Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - Mohamed Salih
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tasmin Lee Rymer
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
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45
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Menk JJ, Matuhara YE, Sebestyen-França H, Henrique-Silva F, Ferro M, Rodrigues RS, Santos-Júnior CD. Antimicrobial Peptide Arsenal Predicted from the Venom Gland Transcriptome of the Tropical Trap-Jaw Ant Odontomachus chelifer. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:toxins15050345. [PMID: 37235379 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15050345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
With about 13,000 known species, ants are the most abundant venomous insects. Their venom consists of polypeptides, enzymes, alkaloids, biogenic amines, formic acid, and hydrocarbons. In this study, we investigated, using in silico techniques, the peptides composing a putative antimicrobial arsenal from the venom gland of the neotropical trap-jaw ant Odontomachus chelifer. Focusing on transcripts from the body and venom gland of this insect, it was possible to determine the gland secretome, which contained about 1022 peptides with putative signal peptides. The majority of these peptides (75.5%) were unknown, not matching any reference database, motivating us to extract functional insights via machine learning-based techniques. With several complementary methodologies, we investigated the existence of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in the venom gland of O. chelifer, finding 112 non-redundant candidates. Candidate AMPs were predicted to be more globular and hemolytic than the remaining peptides in the secretome. There is evidence of transcription for 97% of AMP candidates across the same ant genus, with one of them also verified as translated, thus supporting our findings. Most of these potential antimicrobial sequences (94.8%) matched transcripts from the ant's body, indicating their role not solely as venom toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josilene J Menk
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Genetics and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luis, Km 235, São Carlos 13565-905, SP, Brazil
| | - Yan E Matuhara
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Genetics and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luis, Km 235, São Carlos 13565-905, SP, Brazil
| | - Henrique Sebestyen-França
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Genetics and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luis, Km 235, São Carlos 13565-905, SP, Brazil
| | - Flávio Henrique-Silva
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Genetics and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luis, Km 235, São Carlos 13565-905, SP, Brazil
| | - Milene Ferro
- Department of General and Applied Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro 01049-010, SP, Brazil
| | - Renata S Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uber-lândia (UFU), Uberlândia 38400-902, MG, Brazil
| | - Célio D Santos-Júnior
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Genetics and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luis, Km 235, São Carlos 13565-905, SP, Brazil
- Big Data Biology Laboratory, Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
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46
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Lopes Ferreira M, Falcão MAP, Bruni FM, Haddad V, Marques EE, Seibert CS, Lima C. Effective Pre-Clinical Treatment of Fish Envenoming with Polyclonal Antiserum. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24098338. [PMID: 37176045 PMCID: PMC10179662 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Envenomation by venomous fish, although not always fatal, is capable of causing damage to homeostasis by activating the inflammatory process, with the formation of edema, excruciating pain, necrosis that is difficult to heal, as well as hemodynamic and cardiorespiratory changes. Despite the wide variety of pharmacological treatments used to manage acute symptoms, none are effective in controlling envenomation. Knowing the essential role of neutralizing polyclonal antibodies in the treatment of envenoming for other species, such as snakes, this work aimed to produce a polyclonal antiserum in mice and test its ability to neutralize the main toxic effects induced by the venoms of the main venomous Brazilian fish. We found that the antiserum recognizes the main toxins present in the different venoms of Thalassophryne nattereri, Scorpaena plumieri, Potamotrygon gr. Orbignyi, and Cathorops spixii and was effective in pre-incubation trials. In an independent test, the antiserum applied immediately to the topical application of T. nattereri, P. gr orbygnyi, and C. spixii venoms completely abolished the toxic effects on the microcirculation, preventing alterations such as arteriolar contraction, slowing of blood flow in postcapillary venules, venular stasis, myofibrillar hypercontraction, and increased leukocyte rolling and adherence. The edematogenic and nociceptive activities induced by these venoms were also neutralized by the immediate application of the antiserum. Importantly, the antiserum prevented the acute inflammatory response in the lungs induced by the S. plumieri venom. The success of antiserum containing neutralizing polyclonal antibodies in controlling the toxic effects induced by different venoms offers a new strategy for the treatment of fish envenomation in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Lopes Ferreira
- Immunoregulation Unit of Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Maria Alice Pimentel Falcão
- Immunoregulation Unit of Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Miriane Bruni
- Immunoregulation Unit of Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Vidal Haddad
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil
| | - Elineide Eugênio Marques
- Environmental Sciences, Campus of Palmas, Federal University of Tocantins, Palmas 77001-090, Brazil
| | - Carla Simone Seibert
- Environmental Sciences, Campus of Palmas, Federal University of Tocantins, Palmas 77001-090, Brazil
| | - Carla Lima
- Immunoregulation Unit of Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
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47
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Lüddecke T, Dersch L, Schulte L, Hurka S, Paas A, Oberpaul M, Eichberg J, Hardes K, Klimpel S, Vilcinskas A. Functional Profiling of the A-Family of Venom Peptides from the Wolf Spider Lycosa shansia. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:toxins15050303. [PMID: 37235338 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15050303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The venoms of spiders from the RTA (retro-lateral tibia apophysis) clade contain diverse short linear peptides (SLPs) that offer a rich source of therapeutic candidates. Many of these peptides have insecticidal, antimicrobial and/or cytolytic activities, but their biological functions are unclear. Here, we explore the bioactivity of all known members of the A-family of SLPs previously identified in the venom of the Chinese wolf spider (Lycosa shansia). Our broad approach included an in silico analysis of physicochemical properties and bioactivity profiling for cytotoxic, antiviral, insecticidal and antibacterial activities. We found that most members of the A-family can form α-helices and resemble the antibacterial peptides found in frog poison. The peptides we tested showed no cytotoxic, antiviral or insecticidal activities but were able to reduce the growth of bacteria, including clinically relevant strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Listeria monocytogenes. The absence of insecticidal activity may suggest that these peptides have no role in prey capture, but their antibacterial activity may help to defend the venom gland against infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Lüddecke
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ludwig Dersch
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Lennart Schulte
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sabine Hurka
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Anne Paas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Markus Oberpaul
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- BMBF Junior Research Group in Infection Research "ASCRIBE", Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Johanna Eichberg
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- BMBF Junior Research Group in Infection Research "ASCRIBE", Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Kornelia Hardes
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- BMBF Junior Research Group in Infection Research "ASCRIBE", Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Sven Klimpel
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60439 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
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48
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Zhu B, Jin P, Zhang Y, Shen Y, Wang W, Li S. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses support a silk gland origin of spider venom glands. BMC Biol 2023; 21:82. [PMID: 37055766 PMCID: PMC10099834 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01581-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spiders comprise a hyperdiverse lineage of predators with venom systems, yet the origin of functionally novel spider venom glands remains unclear. Previous studies have hypothesized that spider venom glands originated from salivary glands or evolved from silk-producing glands present in early chelicerates. However, there is insufficient molecular evidence to indicate similarity among them. Here, we provide comparative analyses of genome and transcriptome data from various lineages of spiders and other arthropods to advance our understanding of spider venom gland evolution. RESULTS We generated a chromosome-level genome assembly of a model spider species, the common house spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum). Module preservation, GO semantic similarity, and differentially upregulated gene similarity analyses demonstrated a lower similarity in gene expressions between the venom glands and salivary glands compared to the silk glands, which questions the validity of the salivary gland origin hypothesis but unexpectedly prefers to support the ancestral silk gland origin hypothesis. The conserved core network in the venom and silk glands was mainly correlated with transcription regulation, protein modification, transport, and signal transduction pathways. At the genetic level, we found that many genes in the venom gland-specific transcription modules show positive selection and upregulated expressions, suggesting that genetic variation plays an important role in the evolution of venom glands. CONCLUSIONS This research implies the unique origin and evolutionary path of spider venom glands and provides a basis for understanding the diverse molecular characteristics of venom systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingyue Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China
| | - Pengyu Jin
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yiming Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China
| | - Yunxiao Shen
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Protection of Rare and Endangered Animals and Plants, Ministry of Education, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541004, China
| | - Shuqiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
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49
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Calvete JJ, Lomonte B, Lorente C, Pla D, Zollweg M, Mebs D. Proteomic analysis of the mandibular glands from the Chinese crocodile lizard, Shinisaurus crocodilurus - Another venomous lizard? Toxicon 2023; 225:107050. [PMID: 36736630 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107050] [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: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Based on its phylogenetic relationship to monitor lizards (Varanidae), Gila monsters (Heloderma spp.), and the earless monitor Lanthanotus borneesis, the Chinese crocodile lizard, Shinisaurus crocodilurus, has been assigned to the Toxicofera clade, which comprises venomous reptiles. However, no data about composition and biological activities of its oral secretion have been reported. In the present study, a proteomic analysis of the mandibular gland of S. crocodilurus and, for comparison, of the herbivorous Solomon Island skink Corucia zebrata, was performed. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the teeth from S. crocodilurus revealed a sharp ridge on the anterior surface, but no grooves, whereas those of C. zebrata possess a flattened crown with a pointed cusp. Proteomic analysis of their gland extracts provided no evidence of venom-derived peptides or proteins, strongly supporting the non-venomous character of these lizards. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD039424.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan J Calvete
- Laboratorio de Venómica Evolutiva y Traslacional, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, C.S.I.C., Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Bruno Lomonte
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiologia, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501, Costa Rica.
| | - Carolina Lorente
- Laboratorio de Venómica Evolutiva y Traslacional, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, C.S.I.C., Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Davinia Pla
- Laboratorio de Venómica Evolutiva y Traslacional, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, C.S.I.C., Jaime Roig 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
| | | | - Dietrich Mebs
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Kennedyallee 104, D-60569, Frankfurt, Germany.
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50
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Smith HL, Prentis PJ, Bryan SE, Norton RS, Broszczak DA. Acontia, a Specialised Defensive Structure, Has Low Venom Complexity in Calliactis polypus. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:218. [PMID: 36977109 PMCID: PMC10051995 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15030218] [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: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Phylum Cnidaria represents a unique group among venomous taxa, with its delivery system organised as individual organelles, known as nematocysts, heterogeneously distributed across morphological structures rather than packaged as a specialised organ. Acontia are packed with large nematocysts that are expelled from sea anemones during aggressive encounters with predatory species and are found in a limited number of species in the superfamily Metridioidea. Little is known about this specialised structure other than the commonly accepted hypothesis of its role in defence and a rudimentary understanding of its toxin content and activity. This study utilised previously published transcriptomic data and new proteomic analyses to expand this knowledge by identifying the venom profile of acontia in Calliactis polypus. Using mass spectrometry, we found limited toxin diversity in the proteome of acontia, with an abundance of a sodium channel toxin type I, and a novel toxin with two ShK-like domains. Additionally, genomic evidence suggests that the proposed novel toxin is ubiquitous across sea anemone lineages. Overall, the venom profile of acontia in Calliactis polypus and the novel toxin identified here provide the basis for future research to define the function of acontial toxins in sea anemones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayden L. Smith
- School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Peter J. Prentis
- School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Scott E. Bryan
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Raymond S. Norton
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- ARC Centre for Fragment-Based Design, Monash University, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Daniel A. Broszczak
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
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