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Budusan E, Payne CD, Gonzalez TI, Obergrussberger A, Becker N, Clark RJ, Johan Rosengren K, Rash LD, Cristofori-Armstrong B. The funnel-web spider venom derived single knot peptide Hc3a modulates acid-sensing ion channel 1a desensitisation. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 228:116175. [PMID: 38552850 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Acid-sensing ion channel 1a (ASIC1a) is a proton-gated channel involved in synaptic transmission, pain signalling, and several ischemia-associated pathological conditions. The spider venom-derived peptides PcTx1 and Hi1a are two of the most potent ASIC1a inhibitors known and have been instrumental in furthering our understanding of the structure, function, and biological roles of ASICs. To date, homologous spider peptides with different pharmacological profiles at ASIC1a have yet to be discovered. Here we report the characterisation of Hc3a, a single inhibitor cystine knot peptide from the Australian funnel-web spider Hadronyche cerberea with sequence similarity to PcTx1. We show that Hc3a has complex pharmacology and binds different ASIC1a conformational states (closed, open, and desensitised) with different affinities, with the most prominent effect on desensitisation. Hc3a slows the desensitisation kinetics of proton-activated ASIC1a currents across multiple application pHs, and when bound directly to ASIC1a in the desensitised conformation promotes current inhibition. The solution structure of Hc3a was solved, and the peptide-channel interaction examined via mutagenesis studies to highlight how small differences in sequence between Hc3a and PcTx1 can lead to peptides with distinct pharmacology. The discovery of Hc3a expands the pharmacological diversity of spider venom peptides targeting ASIC1a and adds to the toolbox of compounds to study the intricacies of ASIC1 gating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Budusan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Colton D Payne
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Tye I Gonzalez
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | | | | | - Richard J Clark
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - K Johan Rosengren
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
| | - Lachlan D Rash
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
| | - Ben Cristofori-Armstrong
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
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2
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Ramanujam V, Crawford T, Cristofori‐Armstrong B, Deuis JR, Jia X, Maxwell MJ, Jami S, Ma L, Vetter I, Mobli M. Structural Basis of the Bivalency of the TRPV1 Agonist DkTx. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202314621. [PMID: 37953402 PMCID: PMC10952689 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202314621] [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: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Bivalency is a prevalent natural mechanism to enhance receptor avidity. Various two-domain disulfide-rich peptides exhibiting bivalent action have been identified from animal venoms. A unique characteristic of these peptides is that they induce a pharmacological response different from that provoked by any of the constituent domains. The enhanced potency and avidity of such peptides is therefore a consequence of their domain fusion by a peptide linker. The role of the linker itself, beyond conjugation, remains unclear. Here, we investigate how the linker affects the bivalency of the capsaicin receptor (TRPV1) agonist DkTx. We recombinantly produced isotope labelled DkTx using a protein splicing approach, to solve the high-resolution solution structure of DkTx, revealing residual linker order stabilised by linker-domain interactions leading to biased domain orientations. The significance of this was studied using a combination of mutagenesis, spin relaxation studies and electrophysiology measurements. Our results reveal that disrupting the pre-organisation of the domains of DkTx is accompanied by reductions in potency and onset of avidity. Our findings support a model of pre-configured two-domain binding, in favour of the previously suggested sequential binding model. This highlights the significance of ordered elements in linker design and the natural evolution of these in bivalent toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkatraman Ramanujam
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt Lucia4072QueenslandAustralia
| | - Theo Crawford
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt Lucia4072QueenslandAustralia
| | - Ben Cristofori‐Armstrong
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt Lucia4072QueenslandAustralia
| | - Jennifer R. Deuis
- Institute for Molecular BiosciencesSchool of PharmacyThe University of QueenslandSt Lucia4072QueenslandAustralia
| | - Xinying Jia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt Lucia4072QueenslandAustralia
| | - Michael J. Maxwell
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt Lucia4072QueenslandAustralia
| | - Sina Jami
- Institute for Molecular BiosciencesSchool of PharmacyThe University of QueenslandSt Lucia4072QueenslandAustralia
| | - Linlin Ma
- Griffith Institute for Drug DiscoverySchool of Environment and ScienceGriffith UniversityNathan4111QueenslandAustralia
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular BiosciencesSchool of PharmacyThe University of QueenslandSt Lucia4072QueenslandAustralia
| | - Mehdi Mobli
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt Lucia4072QueenslandAustralia
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3
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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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A bivalent remipede toxin promotes calcium release via ryanodine receptor activation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1036. [PMID: 36823422 PMCID: PMC9950431 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36579-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Multivalent ligands of ion channels have proven to be both very rare and highly valuable in yielding unique insights into channel structure and pharmacology. Here, we describe a bivalent peptide from the venom of Xibalbanus tulumensis, a troglobitic arthropod from the enigmatic class Remipedia, that causes persistent calcium release by activation of ion channels involved in muscle contraction. The high-resolution solution structure of φ-Xibalbin3-Xt3a reveals a tandem repeat arrangement of inhibitor-cysteine knot (ICK) domains previously only found in spider venoms. The individual repeats of Xt3a share sequence similarity with a family of scorpion toxins that target ryanodine receptors (RyR). Single-channel electrophysiology and quantification of released Ca2+ stores within skinned muscle fibers confirm Xt3a as a bivalent RyR modulator. Our results reveal convergent evolution of RyR targeting toxins in remipede and scorpion venoms, while the tandem-ICK repeat architecture is an evolutionary innovation that is convergent with toxins from spider venoms.
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