Angiotensin converting enzymes in fish venom

Unraveling the venom constituents of the endoparasitoid Aphidius gifuensis with an emphasis on the discovery of a novel insecticidal peptide

BACKGROUND

Venom serves as a pivotal parasitic factor employed by parasitoid wasps to manipulate their hosts, creating a favorable environment for the successful growth of their progeny, and ultimately kill the host. The bioactive molecules within parasitoid venoms exhibit insecticidal activities with promising prospects for agricultural applications. However, knowledge regarding the venom components of parasitoids and the discovery of functional biomolecules from them remains limited.

RESULTS

In this study, 30 venom proteins were identified from the endoparasitoid Aphidius gifuensis through the application of a transcriptomic approach. These proteins were categorized into five groups: hydrolase, molecular chaperone, transferase, other functional protein, and hypothetical protein with unknown function. Particularly noteworthy is the abundant expression of the peptide Vn1 in the venom apparatus of A. gifuensis, indicating its pivotal role in venom activity. Consequently, Vn1 was chosen for further functional analysis, exhibiting insecticidal activity against Tenebrio molitor pupae. Further assessment for revealing its mode of action disclosed that Vn1 impacts genes related to immune response, environmental information processing, metabolism, and response to external stimuli in T. molitor, suggesting its involvement in the intricate parasitoid wasp-host interaction.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study significantly contribute to our knowledge of the composition and functionality of A. gifuensis venom, establishing a foundation for further investigation into the biological roles of the identified venom constituents. The insecticidal Vn1 isolated from the venom of this parasitoid represents a valuable resource for the development of innovative biocontrol agents with potential applications in agriculture. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

An integrated transcriptomic and proteomic approach to identify the main Torymus sinensis venom components

During oviposition, ectoparasitoid wasps not only inject their eggs but also a complex mixture of proteins and peptides (venom) in order to regulate the host physiology to benefit their progeny. Although several endoparasitoid venom proteins have been identified, little is known about the components of ectoparasitoid venom. To characterize the protein composition of Torymus sinensis Kamijo (Hymenoptera: Torymidae) venom, we used an integrated transcriptomic and proteomic approach and identified 143 venom proteins. Moreover, focusing on venom gland transcriptome, we selected additional 52 transcripts encoding putative venom proteins. As in other parasitoid venoms, hydrolases, including proteases, phosphatases, esterases, and nucleases, constitute the most abundant families in T. sinensis venom, followed by protease inhibitors. These proteins are potentially involved in the complex parasitic syndrome, with different effects on the immune system, physiological processes and development of the host, and contribute to provide nutrients to the parasitoid progeny. Although additional in vivo studies are needed, initial findings offer important information about venom factors and their putative host effects, which are essential to ensure the success of parasitism.