Dietary administration of tetrodotoxin and its putative biosynthetic intermediates to the captive-reared non-toxic Japanese fire-bellied newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster

Geographical differences in the composition of tetrodotoxin and 5,6,11-trideoxytetrodotoxin in Japanese pufferfishes and their origins

Tetrodotoxin (TTX)-bearing fish are thought to accumulate TTXs in their bodies through a food chain that begins with marine bacteria. However, the mechanism of TTXs transfer between prey and predators in the food chain remains unclear and the reasons for regional differences in pufferfish toxicity are also unknown. To investigate these matters, we collected juveniles of four species of pufferfish, Takifugu alboplumbeus, Takifugu flavipterus, Takifugu stictonotus, and Chelonodon patoca, from various locations in the Japanese Islands, and subjected them to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis for TTX and its analog 5,6,11-trideoxyTTX (TDT). Concentrations of these substances tended to be higher in pufferfish juveniles collected from the Sanriku coastal area (Pacific coast of northern Japan) than in those from other locations. Juveniles had higher concentrations of TTX at all locations than of TDT. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences specific to the TTX-bearing flatworm, Planocera multitentaculata, were detected in the intestinal contents of up to 100% of pufferfish juveniles from various sampling sites, suggesting that P. multitentaculata was widely involved in the toxification of the juveniles in the coastal waters of Japan. A toxification experiment was conducted on three species of pufferfish juveniles (T. alboplumbeus, Takifugu rubripes and C. patoca) using TTX-bearing flatworm eggs harboring equal amounts of TTX and TDT. The TTX content of juveniles fed on flatworm eggs was found to be more than twice that of TDT, suggesting that pufferfish preferentially incorporate TTX compared to TDT.

Isolation and Biological Activity of 9-epiTetrodotoxin and Isolation of Tb-242B, Possible Biosynthetic Shunt Products of Tetrodotoxin from Pufferfish

Tetrodotoxin (TTX, 1) is a potent voltage-gated sodium channel blocker detected in certain marine and terrestrial organisms. We report here a new TTX analogue, 9-epiTTX (2), and a TTX-related compound, Tb-242B (4), isolated from the pufferfish Takifugu flavipterus and Dichotomyctere ocellatus, respectively. NMR analysis suggested that 2 exists as a mixture of hemilactal and 10,8-lactone forms, whereas other reported TTX analogues are commonly present as an equilibrium mixture of hemilactal and 10,7-lactone forms. Compound 2 and TTX were confirmed not to convert to each other by incubation under neutral and acidic conditions at 37 °C for 24 h. Compound 4 was identified as the 9-epimer of Tb-242A (3), previously reported as a possible biosynthetic precursor of TTX. Compound 4 was partially converted to 3 by incubation in a neutral buffer at 37 °C for 7 days, whereas 3 was not converted to 4 under this condition. Compound 2 was detected in several TTX-containing marine animals and a newt. Mice injected with 600 ng of 2 by intraperitoneal injection did not show any adverse symptoms, suggesting that the C-9 configuration in TTX is critical for its biological activity. Based on the structures, 2 and 4 were predicted to be shunt products for TTX biosynthesis.

An Overview of the Anatomical Distribution of Tetrodotoxin in Animals

Tetrodotoxin (TTX), a potent paralytic sodium channel blocker, is an intriguing marine toxin. Widely distributed in nature, TTX has attracted attention in various scientific fields, from biomedical studies to environmental safety concerns. Despite a long history of studies, many issues concerning the biosynthesis, origin, and spread of TTX in animals and ecosystems remain. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge on TTX circulation inside TTX-bearing animal bodies. We focus on the advances in TTX detection at the cellular and subcellular levels, providing an expanded picture of intra-organismal TTX migration mechanisms. We believe that this review will help address the gaps in the understanding of the biological function of TTX and facilitate the development of further studies involving TTX-bearing animals.

Tetrodotoxins in the flatworm Planocera multitentaculata

The marine polyclad flatworm Planocera multitentaculata is known to possess high levels of tetrodotoxin (TTX), but the presence of TTX analogues in the species has been unexplored. In this study, TTX and several analogues such as 5,6,11-trideoxyTTX, monodeoxyTTXs, dideoxyTTXs, and 11-norTTX-6(S)-ol were identified in three adults and egg plates of P. multitentaculata using high resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HR-LC/MS) for the first time.

A review of chemical defense in harlequin toads (Bufonidae: Atelopus)

Toads of the genus Atelopus are chemically defended by a unique combination of endogenously synthesized cardiotoxins (bufadienolides) and neurotoxins which may be sequestered (guanidinium alkaloids). Investigation into Atelopus small-molecule chemical defenses has been primarily concerned with identifying and characterizing various forms of these toxins while largely overlooking their ecological roles and evolutionary implications. In addition to describing the extent of knowledge about Atelopus toxin structures, pharmacology, and biological sources, we review the detection, identification, and quantification methods used in studies of Atelopus toxins to date and conclude that many known toxin profiles are unlikely to be comprehensive because of methodological and sampling limitations. Patterns in existing data suggest that both environmental (toxin availability) and genetic (capacity to synthesize or sequester toxins) factors influence toxin profiles. From an ecological and evolutionary perspective, we summarize the possible selective pressures acting on Atelopus toxicity and toxin profiles, including predation, intraspecies communication, disease, and reproductive status. Ultimately, we intend to provide a basis for future ecological, evolutionary, and biochemical research on Atelopus.

Local Differences in the Toxin Amount and Composition of Tetrodotoxin and Related Compounds in Pufferfish (Chelonodon patoca) and Toxic Goby (Yongeichthys criniger) Juveniles

Tetrodotoxin (TTX)-bearing fish ingest TTX from their preys through the food chain and accumulate TTX in their bodies. Although a wide variety of TTX-bearing organisms have been reported, the missing link in the TTX supply chain has not been elucidated completely. Here, we investigated the composition of TTX and 5,6,11-trideoxyTTX in juveniles of the pufferfish, Chelonodon patoca, and toxic goby, Yongeichthys criniger, using LC-MS/MS, to resolve the missing link in the TTX supply chain. The TTX concentration varied among samples from different localities, sampling periods and fish species. In the samples from the same locality, the TTX concentration was significantly higher in the toxic goby juveniles than in the pufferfish juveniles. The concentration of TTX in all the pufferfish juveniles was significantly higher than that of 5,6,11-trideoxyTTX, whereas the compositional ratio of TTX and 5,6,11-trideoxyTTX in the goby was different among sampling localities. However, the TTX/5,6,11-trideoxyTTX ratio in the goby was not different among samples collected from the same locality at different periods. Based on a species-specific PCR, the detection rate of the toxic flatworm (Planocera multitentaculata)-specific sequence (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) also varied between the intestinal contents of the pufferfish and toxic goby collected at different localities and periods. These results suggest that although the larvae of the toxic flatworm are likely to be responsible for the toxification of the pufferfish and toxic goby juveniles by TTX, these fish juveniles are also likely to feed on other TTX-bearing organisms depending on their habitat, and they also possess different accumulation mechanisms of TTX and 5,6,11-trideoxyTTX.

Synthesis of the 8-Deoxy Analogue of 4,9-Anhydro-10-hemiketal-5-deoxy-tetrodotoxin, a Proposed Biosynthetic Precursor of Tetrodotoxin

Despite decades of research, the biosynthesis of tetrodotoxin, also known as a puffer fish toxin, remains an unsolved mystery. We disclose a synthesis of the 8-deoxy analogue of 4,9-anhydro-10-hemiketal-5-deoxy-tetrodotoxin, a possible biosynthetic precursor of tetrodotoxin isolated from the Japanese toxic newt, by an intramolecular radical cyclization of a known starting material.

Identification of Tricyclic Guanidino Compounds from the Tetrodotoxin-Bearing Newt Taricha granulosa

The biosynthesis of the potent neurotoxin tetrodotoxin (TTX, 1) is still unresolved. We used MS-guided screening and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses including long-range HSQMBC to characterize two novel skeletal tricyclic guanidino compounds, Tgr-288 (2a and 2b) and Tgr-210 (3), from the TTX-bearing newt, Taricha granulosa. The presence of these compounds in toxic newts is congruent with a previously proposed pathway for TTX biosynthesis in terrestrial organisms that includes a monoterpene precursor and the production of structurally diversified guanidino compounds.

Acquiring toxicity of a newt, Cynops orientalis

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) contents of wild-caught Chinese red-bellied newts, Cynops orientalis, and their offspring captive-reared from eggs to metamorphosed juveniles, were analysed using post-column LC-fluorescent detection (LC-FLD) and high resolution hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HR-HILIC-LC/MS). TTX was detected in the parent newts and their eggs, but not in the larvae and juveniles raised under artificial condition over 20 months. However, juveniles reared in the presence of their parents, contained TTX-concentrations up to 8.05 μg/g. The origin of TTX may be implied from a close connection between the parents and their offspring.

The chemistry and biology of guanidine secondary metabolites

Covering: 2017-2019Guanidine natural products isolated from microorganisms, marine invertebrates and terrestrial plants, amphibians and spiders, represented by non-ribosomal peptides, guanidine-bearing polyketides, alkaloids, terpenoids and shikimic acid derived, are the subject of this review. The topics include the discovery of new metabolites, total synthesis of natural guanidine compounds, biological activity and mechanism-of-action, biosynthesis and ecological functions.

Structures of N-Hydroxy-Type Tetrodotoxin Analogues and Bicyclic Guanidinium Compounds Found in Toxic Newts

The biosynthesis of tetrodotoxin (TTX, 1), a potent neurotoxin widely distributed in marine and terrestrial metazoans, remains unresolved. A significant issue has been identifying intermediates and shunt products associated with the biosynthetic pathway of TTX. We investigated TTX biosynthesis by screening and identifying new TTX-related compounds from Cynops ensicauda popei and Taricha granulosa. Mass spectrometry (MS)-guided screening identified two new N-hydroxy TTX analogues in newts: 1-hydroxy-8-epiTTX (2) and 1-hydroxy-8-epi-5,11-dideoxyTTX (3, previously reported as 1-hydroxy-5,11-dideoxyTTX). We prepared a new analogue, 8-epi-5,11-dideoxyTTX (4), from 3 via N-OH reduction and confirmed the presence of 4 in T. granulosa using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC)-LCMS. The presence of 8-epi-type TTX analogues in both Cynops and Taricha supports a branched biosynthetic pathway of terrestrial TTX, which produces 6- and 8-epimers. In addition, new bicyclic guanidinium compounds Tgr-238 (5) and Tgr-240 (6) were identified as putative shunt products of our proposed TTX biosynthesis pathway. A structural analysis of Cep-228A (7), another bicyclic compound, was performed using NMR. Based on the structures of 5-7 and their analogues, we propose a model of the shunt and metabolic pathways of the terrestrial TTX biosynthesis.

Isolation and Biological Activity of 8- Epitetrodotoxin and the Structure of a Possible Biosynthetic Shunt Product of Tetrodotoxin, Cep-226A, from the Newt Cynops ensicauda popei

Tetrodotoxin (TTX, 1), a potent neurotoxin, has been found in various animal species in both marine and terrestrial environments. In this study, a new TTX analogue, 8- epiTTX (2), and a possible biosynthetic shunt compound of TTX, Cep-226A (3), were isolated from the newt Cynops ensicauda popei. The voltage-gated sodium ion channel (Na_v) blocking activity of 2 and 6- epiTTX (4), a known analogue, were investigated by a colorimetric cell-based assay and compared with that of 1. The EC₅₀ values for 2 and 4 were determined to be 110 ± 40 and 33 ± 11 nM, respectively, which were larger than that of 1 (1.9 ± 0.7 nM). The results indicated that the equatorial hydroxy group at C-8 in TTX significantly contributes to its Na_v blocking activity, whereas the 6-epimer of TTX retains substantial activity, consistent with its previously reported toxicity in mice and binding affinity to rat brain membrane preparations. The presence of these epimers of TTX (2 and 4) and Cep-226A (3) in newts supports our hypothesis that TTX is derived from a monoterpene in terrestrial environments.

Parallel lives of symbionts and hosts: chemical mutualism in marine animals

Covering: up to 2018 Symbiotic microbes interact with animals, often by producing natural products (specialized metabolites; secondary metabolites) that exert a biological role. A major goal is to determine which microbes produce biologically important compounds, a deceptively challenging task that often rests on correlative results, rather than hypothesis testing. Here, we examine the challenges and successes from the perspective of marine animal-bacterial mutualisms. These animals have historically provided a useful model because of their technical accessibility. By comparing biological systems, we suggest a common framework for establishing chemical interactions between animals and microbes.