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Richter S, Helm C, Meunier FA, Hering L, Campbell LI, Drukewitz SH, Undheim EAB, Jenner RA, Schiavo G, Bleidorn C. Comparative analyses of glycerotoxin expression unveil a novel structural organization of the bloodworm venom system. BMC Evol Biol 2017; 17:64. [PMID: 28259138 PMCID: PMC5336659 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-017-0904-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We present the first molecular characterization of glycerotoxin (GLTx), a potent neurotoxin found in the venom of the bloodworm Glycera tridactyla (Glyceridae, Annelida). Within the animal kingdom, GLTx shows a unique mode of action as it can specifically up-regulate the activity of Cav2.2 channels (N-type) in a reversible manner. The lack of sequence information has so far hampered a detailed understanding of its mode of action. RESULTS Our analyses reveal three ~3.8 kb GLTx full-length transcripts, show that GLTx represents a multigene family, and suggest it functions as a dimer. An integrative approach using transcriptomics, quantitative real-time PCR, in situ hybridization, and immunocytochemistry shows that GLTx is highly expressed exclusively in four pharyngeal lobes, a previously unrecognized part of the venom apparatus. CONCLUSIONS Our results overturn a century old textbook view on the glycerid venom system, suggesting that it is anatomically and functionally much more complex than previously thought. The herein presented GLTx sequence information constitutes an important step towards the establishment of GLTx as a versatile tool to understand the mechanism of synaptic function, as well as the mode of action of this novel neurotoxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandy Richter
- Institute of Biology - Molecular Evolution and Systematics of Animals, University of Leipzig, Talstraße 33, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd, London, SW7 5BD UK
| | - Conrad Helm
- Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 55, N-5008 Bergen, Norway
| | - Frederic A. Meunier
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, 4072 QLD Australia
| | - Lars Hering
- Institute of Biology - Department of Zoology, University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Straße 40, D-34132 Kassel, Germany
| | - Lahcen I. Campbell
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd, London, SW7 5BD UK
- The European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) - Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD UK
| | - Stephan H. Drukewitz
- Institute of Biology - Molecular Evolution and Systematics of Animals, University of Leipzig, Talstraße 33, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Eivind A. B. Undheim
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, 4072 QLD Australia
| | - Ronald A. Jenner
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd, London, SW7 5BD UK
| | - Giampietro Schiavo
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience & Movement Disorders, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
| | - Christoph Bleidorn
- Institute of Biology - Molecular Evolution and Systematics of Animals, University of Leipzig, Talstraße 33, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Calle José Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
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