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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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Vlasenko AE, Pereverzeva AO, Velansky PV, Magarlamov TY. Tetrodotoxins in Tissues and Cells of Different Body Regions of Ribbon Worms Kulikovia alborostrata and K. manchenkoi from Spokoynaya Bay, Sea of Japan. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:186. [PMID: 38668611 PMCID: PMC11053740 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16040186] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Nemerteans, or ribbon worms, possess tetrodotoxin and its analogues (TTXs), neurotoxins of bacterial origin, which they presumably use for capturing prey and self-defense. Most TTXs-containing nemertean species have low levels of these toxins and, therefore, have usually been neglected in studies of TTXs functions and accumulation. In the present study, Kulikovia alborostrata and K. manchenkoi, two closely related species, were analyzed for TTXs distribution in the body using the HPLC-MS/MS and fluorescence microscopy methods. The abundance of TTXs-positive cells was determined in the proboscis, integument, and digestive system epithelium. As a result, six TTXs-positive cell types were identified in each species; however, only four were common. Moreover, the proportions of the toxins in different body parts were estimated. According to the HPLC-MS/MS analysis, the TTXs concentrations in K. alborostrata varied from 0.91 ng/g in the proboscis to 5.52 ng/g in the precerebral region; in K. manchenkoi, the concentrations ranged from 7.47 ng/g in the proboscis to 72.32 ng/g in the posterior body region. The differences observed between the two nemerteans in the distribution of the TTXs were consistent with the differences in the localization of TTXs-positive cells. In addition, TTXs-positive glandular cell types were found in the intestine and characterized for the first time. TTXs in the new cell types were assumed to play a unique physiological role for nemerteans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Timur Yu. Magarlamov
- A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 690041 Vladivostok, Russia
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Rodrigo AP, Moutinho Cabral I, Alexandre A, Costa PM. Exploration of Toxins from a Marine Annelid: An Analysis of Phyllotoxins and Accompanying Bioactives. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:635. [PMID: 38396603 PMCID: PMC10885894 DOI: 10.3390/ani14040635] [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: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Proteinaceous toxins are peptides or proteins that hold great biotechnological value, evidenced by their ecological role, whether as defense or predation mechanisms. Bioprospecting using bioinformatics and omics may render screening for novel bioactives more expeditious, especially considering the immense diversity of toxin-secreting marine organisms. Eulalia sp. (Annelida: Phyllodocidae), a toxin bearing marine annelid, was recently shown to secrete cysteine-rich protein (Crisp) toxins (hitherto referred to as 'phyllotoxins') that can immobilize its prey. By analyzing and validating transcriptomic data, we narrowed the list of isolated full coding sequences of transcripts of the most abundant toxins or accompanying bioactives secreted by the species (the phyllotoxin Crisp, hyaluronidase, serine protease, and peptidases M12A, M13, and M12B). Through homology matching with human proteins, the biotechnological potential of the marine annelid's toxins and related proteins was tentatively associated with coagulative and anti-inflammatory responses for the peptidases PepM12A, SePr, PepM12B, and PepM13, and with the neurotoxic activity of Crisp, and finally, hyaluronidase was inferred to bear properties of an permeabilizing agent. The in silico analysis succeeded by validation by PCR and Sanger sequencing enabled us to retrieve cDNAs can may be used for the heterologous expression of these toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana P. Rodrigo
- Associate Laboratory i4HB Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (I.M.C.); (A.A.)
- UCIBIO Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - Inês Moutinho Cabral
- Associate Laboratory i4HB Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (I.M.C.); (A.A.)
- UCIBIO Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - António Alexandre
- Associate Laboratory i4HB Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (I.M.C.); (A.A.)
- UCIBIO Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - Pedro M. Costa
- Associate Laboratory i4HB Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (I.M.C.); (A.A.)
- UCIBIO Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
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Hua QQH, Young C, Pukala TL, Martino JC, Hoffmann P, Gillanders BM, Doubleday ZA. Better late than never: Optimising the proteomic analysis of field-collected octopus. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0288084. [PMID: 37437086 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteomics, the temporal study of proteins expressed by an organism, is a powerful technique that can reveal how organisms respond to biological perturbations, such as disease and environmental stress. Yet, the use of proteomics for addressing ecological questions has been limited, partly due to inadequate protocols for the sampling and preparation of animal tissues from the field. Although RNAlater is an ideal alternative to freezing for tissue preservation in transcriptomics studies, its suitability for the field could be more broadly examined. Moreover, existing protocols require samples to be preserved immediately to maintain protein integrity, yet the effects of delays in preservation on proteomic analyses have not been thoroughly tested. Hence, we optimised a proteomic workflow for wild-caught samples. First, we conducted a preliminary in-lab test using SDS-PAGE analysis on aquaria-reared Octopus berrima confirming that RNAlater can effectively preserve proteins up to 6 h after incubation, supporting its use in the field. Subsequently, we collected arm tips from wild-caught Octopus berrima and preserved them in homemade RNAlater immediately, 3 h, and 6 h after euthanasia. Processed tissue samples were analysed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to ascertain protein differences between time delay in tissue preservation, as well as the influence of sex, tissue type, and tissue homogenisation methods. Over 3500 proteins were identified from all tissues, with bioinformatic analysis revealing protein abundances were largely consistent regardless of sample treatment. However, nearly 10% additional proteins were detected from tissues homogenised with metal beads compared to liquid nitrogen methods, indicating the beads were more efficient at extracting proteins. Our optimised workflow demonstrates that sampling non-model organisms from remote field sites is achievable and can facilitate extensive proteomic coverage without compromising protein integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaz Q H Hua
- Environment Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Clifford Young
- Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, Australia
- Clinical & Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Tara L Pukala
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Jasmin C Martino
- Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, Australia
| | - Peter Hoffmann
- Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, Australia
- Clinical & Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Bronwyn M Gillanders
- Environment Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Zoe A Doubleday
- Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, Australia
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High-Density Genetic Linkage Map of the Southern Blue-ringed Octopus (Octopodidae: Hapalochlaena maculosa). DIVERSITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/d14121068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Genetic linkage maps provide a useful resource for non-model genomes and can aid in genome reassembly to form more contiguous pseudo-chromosomes. We present the first linkage map of any cephalopod, H. maculosa, composed of 47 linkage groups (LG). A total of 2166 single nucleotide polymorphisms and 2455 presence–absence variant loci were utilised by Lep-Map3 in linkage map construction. The map length spans 2016.62 cM with an average marker distance of 0.85 cM. Integration of the recent H. maculosa genome allowed 1151 scaffolds comprising 34% of the total genomic sequence to be orientated and/or placed using 1278 markers across all 47 LG. The linkage map generated provides a new perspective on HOX gene distribution in octopods. In the H. maculosa linkage map three (SCR, LOX4 and POST1) of six identified HOX genes (HOX1/LAB, SCR, LOX2, LOX4, LOX5, POST1) were located within the same LG (LG 9). The generation of a linkage map for H. maculosa has provided a valuable resource for understanding the evolution of cephalopod genomes and will provide a base for future work.
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Marine Neurotoxins' Effects on Environmental and Human Health: An OMICS Overview. Mar Drugs 2021; 20:md20010018. [PMID: 35049872 PMCID: PMC8778346 DOI: 10.3390/md20010018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Harmful algal blooms (HAB), and the consequent release of toxic metabolites, can be responsible for seafood poisoning outbreaks. Marine wildlife can accumulate these toxins throughout the food chain, which presents a threat to consumers’ health. Some of these toxins, such as saxitoxin (STX), domoic acid (DA), ciguatoxin (CTX), brevetoxin (BTX), tetrodotoxin (TTX), and β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), cause severe neurological symptoms in humans. Considerable information is missing, however, notably the consequences of toxin exposures on changes in gene expression, protein profile, and metabolic pathways. This information could lead to understanding the consequence of marine neurotoxin exposure in aquatic organisms and humans. Nevertheless, recent contributions to the knowledge of neurotoxins arise from OMICS-based research, such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the most recent research and of the available solutions to explore OMICS datasets in order to identify new features in terms of ecotoxicology, food safety, and human health. In addition, future perspectives in OMICS studies are discussed.
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Intrabody Tetrodotoxin Distribution and Possible Hypothesis for Its Migration in Ribbon Worms Cephalothrix cf. simula (Palaeonemertea, Nemertea). Mar Drugs 2021; 19:md19090494. [PMID: 34564156 PMCID: PMC8465930 DOI: 10.3390/md19090494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurotoxin found in many marine and terrestrial animals, but only a few species, such as the ribbon worms of the genus Cephalothrix, accumulate it in extremely high concentrations. The intrabody distribution of TTX in highly toxic organisms is of great interest because it helps researchers to understand the pathways by which the toxin migrates, accumulates, and functions in tissues. Using immunohistochemistry with anti-TTX antibodies, the authors of this study investigated the toxin's distribution inside the organs, tissues, and cells of Cephalothrix cf. simula. The cell types of TTX-positive tissues were identified by light microscopy. The main sites of TTX accumulation occurred in the secretory cells of the integuments, the microvilli of the epidermal ciliary cells, cephalic glands, the glandular epithelia of the proboscises, the enterocytes of the digestive systems, and nephridia. Obtained data suggest the toxin migrates from the digestive system through blood vessels to target organs. TTX is excreted from the body through the nephridia and mucus of epidermal cells.
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Rodrigo AP, Grosso AR, Baptista PV, Fernandes AR, Costa PM. A Transcriptomic Approach to the Recruitment of Venom Proteins in a Marine Annelid. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13020097. [PMID: 33525375 PMCID: PMC7911839 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13020097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The growing number of known venomous marine invertebrates indicates that chemical warfare plays an important role in adapting to diversified ecological niches, even though it remains unclear how toxins fit into the evolutionary history of these animals. Our case study, the Polychaeta Eulalia sp., is an intertidal predator that secretes toxins. Whole-transcriptome sequencing revealed proteinaceous toxins secreted by cells in the proboscis and delivered by mucus. Toxins and accompanying enzymes promote permeabilization, coagulation impairment and the blocking of the neuromuscular activity of prey upon which the worm feeds by sucking pieces of live flesh. The main neurotoxins ("phyllotoxins") were found to be cysteine-rich proteins, a class of substances ubiquitous among venomous animals. Some toxins were phylogenetically related to Polychaeta, Mollusca or more ancient groups, such as Cnidaria. Some toxins may have evolved from non-toxin homologs that were recruited without the reduction in molecular mass and increased specificity of other invertebrate toxins. By analyzing the phylogeny of toxin mixtures, we show that Polychaeta is uniquely positioned in the evolution of animal venoms. Indeed, the phylogenetic models of mixed or individual toxins do not follow the expected eumetazoan tree-of-life and highlight that the recruitment of gene products for a role in venom systems is complex.
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Whitelaw BL, Cooke IR, Finn J, da Fonseca RR, Ritschard EA, Gilbert MTP, Simakov O, Strugnell JM. Adaptive venom evolution and toxicity in octopods is driven by extensive novel gene formation, expansion, and loss. Gigascience 2020; 9:giaa120. [PMID: 33175168 PMCID: PMC7656900 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giaa120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cephalopods represent a rich system for investigating the genetic basis underlying organismal novelties. This diverse group of specialized predators has evolved many adaptations including proteinaceous venom. Of particular interest is the blue-ringed octopus genus (Hapalochlaena), which are the only octopods known to store large quantities of the potent neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin, within their tissues and venom gland. FINDINGS To reveal genomic correlates of organismal novelties, we conducted a comparative study of 3 octopod genomes, including the Southern blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena maculosa). We present the genome of this species and reveal highly dynamic evolutionary patterns at both non-coding and coding organizational levels. Gene family expansions previously reported in Octopus bimaculoides (e.g., zinc finger and cadherins, both associated with neural functions), as well as formation of novel gene families, dominate the genomic landscape in all octopods. Examination of tissue-specific genes in the posterior salivary gland revealed that expression was dominated by serine proteases in non-tetrodotoxin-bearing octopods, while this family was a minor component in H. maculosa. Moreover, voltage-gated sodium channels in H. maculosa contain a resistance mutation found in pufferfish and garter snakes, which is exclusive to the genus. Analysis of the posterior salivary gland microbiome revealed a diverse array of bacterial species, including genera that can produce tetrodotoxin, suggestive of a possible production source. CONCLUSIONS We present the first tetrodotoxin-bearing octopod genome H. maculosa, which displays lineage-specific adaptations to tetrodotoxin acquisition. This genome, along with other recently published cephalopod genomes, represents a valuable resource from which future work could advance our understanding of the evolution of genomic novelty in this family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke L Whitelaw
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, 1 James Cook Dr, Douglas QLD 4811 , Australia
- Sciences, Museum Victoria, 11 Nicholson St, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia
| | - Ira R Cooke
- College of Public Health, Medical and Vet Sciences, James Cook University,1 James Cook Dr, Douglas QLD 4811 , Australia
- La Trobe Institute of Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Plenty Rd &, Kingsbury Dr, Bundoora, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Julian Finn
- Sciences, Museum Victoria, 11 Nicholson St, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia
| | - Rute R da Fonseca
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate (CMEC), GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Elena A Ritschard
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, University of Vienna,Universitätsring 1, 1010 Wien, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - M T P Gilbert
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5–7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Oleg Simakov
- Department of Neurosciences and Developmental Biology, University of Vienna,Universitätsring 1, 1010 Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jan M Strugnell
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, 1 James Cook Dr, Douglas QLD 4811 , Australia
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, Plenty Rd &, Kingsbury Dr, Bundoora, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
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Almeida D, Domínguez-Pérez D, Matos A, Agüero-Chapin G, Osório H, Vasconcelos V, Campos A, Antunes A. Putative Antimicrobial Peptides of the Posterior Salivary Glands from the Cephalopod Octopus vulgaris Revealed by Exploring a Composite Protein Database. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9110757. [PMID: 33143020 PMCID: PMC7693380 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9110757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cephalopods, successful predators, can use a mixture of substances to subdue their prey, becoming interesting sources of bioactive compounds. In addition to neurotoxins and enzymes, the presence of antimicrobial compounds has been reported. Recently, the transcriptome and the whole proteome of the Octopus vulgaris salivary apparatus were released, but the role of some compounds—e.g., histones, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), and toxins—remains unclear. Herein, we profiled the proteome of the posterior salivary glands (PSGs) of O. vulgaris using two sample preparation protocols combined with a shotgun-proteomics approach. Protein identification was performed against a composite database comprising data from the UniProtKB, all transcriptomes available from the cephalopods’ PSGs, and a comprehensive non-redundant AMPs database. Out of the 10,075 proteins clustered in 1868 protein groups, 90 clusters corresponded to venom protein toxin families. Additionally, we detected putative AMPs clustered with histones previously found as abundant proteins in the saliva of O. vulgaris. Some of these histones, such as H2A and H2B, are involved in systemic inflammatory responses and their antimicrobial effects have been demonstrated. These results not only confirm the production of enzymes and toxins by the O. vulgaris PSGs but also suggest their involvement in the first line of defense against microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Almeida
- CIIMAR/CIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal; (D.A.); (D.D.-P.); (A.M.); (G.A.-C.); (V.V.); (A.C.)
| | - Dany Domínguez-Pérez
- CIIMAR/CIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal; (D.A.); (D.D.-P.); (A.M.); (G.A.-C.); (V.V.); (A.C.)
| | - Ana Matos
- CIIMAR/CIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal; (D.A.); (D.D.-P.); (A.M.); (G.A.-C.); (V.V.); (A.C.)
- Biology Department of the Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Guillermin Agüero-Chapin
- CIIMAR/CIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal; (D.A.); (D.D.-P.); (A.M.); (G.A.-C.); (V.V.); (A.C.)
- Biology Department of the Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Hugo Osório
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde-i3S, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal;
- Ipatimup—Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Pathology and Oncology of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Vitor Vasconcelos
- CIIMAR/CIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal; (D.A.); (D.D.-P.); (A.M.); (G.A.-C.); (V.V.); (A.C.)
- Biology Department of the Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Alexandre Campos
- CIIMAR/CIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal; (D.A.); (D.D.-P.); (A.M.); (G.A.-C.); (V.V.); (A.C.)
| | - Agostinho Antunes
- CIIMAR/CIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal; (D.A.); (D.D.-P.); (A.M.); (G.A.-C.); (V.V.); (A.C.)
- Biology Department of the Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence:
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Ritschard EA, Whitelaw B, Albertin CB, Cooke IR, Strugnell JM, Simakov O. Coupled Genomic Evolutionary Histories as Signatures of Organismal Innovations in Cephalopods: Co-evolutionary Signatures Across Levels of Genome Organization May Shed Light on Functional Linkage and Origin of Cephalopod Novelties. Bioessays 2019; 41:e1900073. [PMID: 31664724 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201900073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
How genomic innovation translates into organismal organization remains largely unanswered. Possessing the largest invertebrate nervous system, in conjunction with many species-specific organs, coleoid cephalopods (octopuses, squids, cuttlefishes) provide exciting model systems to investigate how organismal novelties evolve. However, dissecting these processes requires novel approaches that enable deeper interrogation of genome evolution. Here, the existence of specific sets of genomic co-evolutionary signatures between expanded gene families, genome reorganization, and novel genes is posited. It is reasoned that their co-evolution has contributed to the complex organization of cephalopod nervous systems and the emergence of ecologically unique organs. In the course of reviewing this field, how the first cephalopod genomic studies have begun to shed light on the molecular underpinnings of morphological novelty is illustrated and their impact on directing future research is described. It is argued that the application and evolutionary profiling of evolutionary signatures from these studies will help identify and dissect the organismal principles of cephalopod innovations. By providing specific examples, the implications of this approach both within and beyond cephalopod biology are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena A Ritschard
- Department for Molecular Evolution and Development, University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Brooke Whitelaw
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia
| | | | - Ira R Cooke
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia
| | - Jan M Strugnell
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Oleg Simakov
- Department for Molecular Evolution and Development, University of Vienna, Austria
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12
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Ramírez-Carreto S, Vera-Estrella R, Portillo-Bobadilla T, Licea-Navarro A, Bernaldez-Sarabia J, Rudiño-Piñera E, Verleyen JJ, Rodríguez E, Rodríguez-Almazán C. Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analysis of the Tentacles and Mucus of Anthopleura dowii Verrill, 1869. Mar Drugs 2019; 17:md17080436. [PMID: 31349621 PMCID: PMC6722582 DOI: 10.3390/md17080436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Sea anemone venom contains a complex and diverse arsenal of peptides and proteins of pharmacological and biotechnological interest, however, only venom from a few species has been explored from a global perspective to date. In the present study, we identified the polypeptides present in the venom of the sea anemone Anthopleura dowii Verrill, 1869 through a transcriptomic and proteomic analysis of the tentacles and the proteomic profile of the secreted mucus. In our transcriptomic results, we identified 261 polypeptides related to or predicted to be secreted in the venom, including proteases, neurotoxins that could act as either potassium (K+) or sodium (Na+) channels inhibitors, protease inhibitors, phospholipases A2, and other polypeptides. Our proteomic data allowed the identification of 156 polypeptides—48 exclusively identified in the mucus, 20 in the tentacles, and 88 in both protein samples. Only 23 polypeptides identified by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) were related to the venom and 21 exclusively identified in the mucus, most corresponding to neurotoxins and hydrolases. Our data contribute to the knowledge of evolutionary and venomic analyses of cnidarians, particularly of sea anemones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santos Ramírez-Carreto
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México
| | - Rosario Vera-Estrella
- Departamento de Biología Molecular de Plantas, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México
| | - Tobías Portillo-Bobadilla
- Unidad de Bioinformática, Bioestadística y Biología Computacional. Red de Apoyo a la Investigación, Coordinación de la Investigación Científica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México-Instituto Nacional De Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Calle Vasco de Quiroga 15, Tlalpan, C.P. 14080, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Alexei Licea-Navarro
- Departamento de Innovación Biomédica, CICESE, Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana 3918, Ensenada, BC C.P. 22860, México
| | - Johanna Bernaldez-Sarabia
- Departamento de Innovación Biomédica, CICESE, Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana 3918, Ensenada, BC C.P. 22860, México
| | - Enrique Rudiño-Piñera
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México
| | - Jerome J Verleyen
- Unidad Universitaria de Secuenciación Masiva y Bioinformática, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México
| | - Estefanía Rodríguez
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, USA
| | - Claudia Rodríguez-Almazán
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México.
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13
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García-Fernández P, Prado-Alvarez M, Nande M, Garcia de la Serrana D, Perales-Raya C, Almansa E, Varó I, Gestal C. Global impact of diet and temperature over aquaculture of Octopus vulgaris paralarvae from a transcriptomic approach. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10312. [PMID: 31311948 PMCID: PMC6635378 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46492-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Common octopus, Octopus vulgaris, is an economically important cephalopod species. However, its rearing under captivity is currently challenged by massive mortalities previous to their juvenile stage due to nutritional and environmental factors. Dissecting the genetic basis and regulatory mechanism behind this mortality requires genomic background knowledge. A transcriptomic sequencing of 10 dph octopus paralarvae from different experimental conditions was constructed via RNA-seq. A total of 613,767,530 raw reads were filtered and de novo assembled into 363,527 contigs of which 82,513 were annotated in UniProt carrying also their GO and KEGG information. Differential gene expression analysis was carried out on paralarvae reared under different diet regimes and temperatures, also including wild paralarvae. Genes related to lipid metabolism exhibited higher transcriptional levels in individuals whose diet includes crustacean zoeas, which had an impact over their development and immune response capability. High temperature induces acclimation processes at the time that increase metabolic demands and oxidative stress. Wild individuals show an expression profile unexpectedly similar to Artemia fed individuals. Proteomic results support the hypothesis revealed by transcriptional analysis. The comparative study of the O. vulgaris transcriptomic profiles allowed the identification of genes that deserve to be further studied as candidates for biomarkers of development and health. The results obtained here on the transcriptional variations of genes caused by diet and temperature will provide new perspectives in understanding the molecular mechanisms behind nutritional and temperature requirements of common octopus that will open new opportunities to deepen in paralarvae rearing requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- P García-Fernández
- Marine Molecular Pathobiology Group, Institute of Marine Research (IIM-CSIC), Vigo, Spain
| | - M Prado-Alvarez
- Marine Molecular Pathobiology Group, Institute of Marine Research (IIM-CSIC), Vigo, Spain
| | - M Nande
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - D Garcia de la Serrana
- Serra Húnter Fellow, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - C Perales-Raya
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía. Centro Oceanográfico de Canarias, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - E Almansa
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía. Centro Oceanográfico de Canarias, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - I Varó
- Instituto de Acuicultura Torre de la Sal (IATS-CSIC), Castellón, Spain
| | - C Gestal
- Marine Molecular Pathobiology Group, Institute of Marine Research (IIM-CSIC), Vigo, Spain.
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14
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Caruana NJ, Strugnell JM, Faou P, Finn J, Cooke IR. Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Slime from the Striped Pyjama Squid, Sepioloidea lineolata, and the Southern Bottletail Squid, Sepiadarium austrinum (Cephalopoda: Sepiadariidae). J Proteome Res 2019; 18:890-899. [PMID: 30628786 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.8b00569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sepioloidea lineolata, the striped pyjama squid (family Sepiadariidae), is a small species of benthic bobtail squid distributed along the Southern Indo-Pacific coast of Australia. Like other sepiadariid squids, it is known to secrete large volumes of viscous slime when stressed. In order to identify key proteins involved in the function of sepiadariid slimes, we compared the slime proteome of Sepioloidea lineolata with that of a closely related species, Sepiadarium austrinum. Of the 550 protein groups identified in Sepioloidea lineolata slime, 321 had orthologs in Sepiadarium austrinum, and the abundance of these (iBAQ) was highly correlated between species. Both slimes were dominated by a small number of abundant proteins, and several of these were short secreted proteins with no homologues outside the class Cephalopoda. No mucins were identified within either species' slime, suggesting that it is structurally distinct from mucin polymer-based gels found in many vertebrate and echinoderm secretions. The extent of N-glycosylation in the slime of Sepioloidea lineolata was also studied via glycan cleavage with Peptide: N-glycosidase F (PNGase-F). Although very few (four) proteins showed strong evidence of N-glycosylation, we found that treatment with PNGase-F led to a slight increase in peptide identification rates compared with controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikeisha J Caruana
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution , La Trobe University , Melbourne , VIC 3086 , Australia
| | - Jan M Strugnell
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution , La Trobe University , Melbourne , VIC 3086 , Australia.,Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture , James Cook University , Townsville , QLD 4811 , Australia
| | - Pierre Faou
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science , La Trobe University , Melbourne , VIC 3086 , Australia
| | - Julian Finn
- Sciences , Museums Victoria , Carlton , VIC 3053 , Australia
| | - Ira R Cooke
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science , La Trobe University , Melbourne , VIC 3086 , Australia.,Department of Molecular and Cell Biology , James Cook University , Townsville , QLD 4811 , Australia
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15
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Whitelaw BL, Cooke IR, Finn J, Zenger K, Strugnell JM. The evolution and origin of tetrodotoxin acquisition in the blue-ringed octopus (genus Hapalochlaena). AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2019; 206:114-122. [PMID: 30472480 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2018.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Tetrodotoxin is a potent non-proteinaceous neurotoxin, which is commonly found in the marine environment. Synthesised by bacteria, tetrodotoxin has been isolated from the tissues of several genera including pufferfish, salamanders and octopus. Believed to provide a defensive function, the independent evolution of tetrodotoxin sequestration is poorly understood in most species. Two mechanisms of tetrodotoxin resistance have been identified to date, tetrodotoxin binding proteins in the circulatory system and mutations to voltage gated sodium channels, the binding target of tetrodotoxin with the former potentially succeeding the latter in evolutionary time. This review focuses on the evolution of tetrodotoxin acquisition, in particular how it may have occurred within the blue-ringed octopus genus (Hapalochlaena) and the subsequent impact on venom evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke L Whitelaw
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia.
| | - Ira R Cooke
- College of Public Health, Medical and Vet Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia; La Trobe Institute of Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, 3086, Vic. Australia
| | - Julian Finn
- Sciences, Museum Victoria, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia
| | - Kyall Zenger
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia
| | - J M Strugnell
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia; Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, Melbourne, 3086, Vic. Australia
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16
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Fingerhut LCHW, Strugnell JM, Faou P, Labiaga ÁR, Zhang J, Cooke IR. Shotgun Proteomics Analysis of Saliva and Salivary Gland Tissue from the Common Octopus Octopus vulgaris. J Proteome Res 2018; 17:3866-3876. [PMID: 30220204 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.8b00525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The salivary apparatus of the common octopus ( Octopus vulgaris) has been the subject of biochemical study for over a century. A combination of bioassays, behavioral studies and molecular analysis on O. vulgaris and related species suggests that its proteome should contain a mixture of highly potent neurotoxins and degradative proteins. However, a lack of genomic and transcriptomic data has meant that the amino acid sequences of these proteins remain almost entirely unknown. To address this, we assembled the posterior salivary gland transcriptome of O. vulgaris and combined it with high resolution mass spectrometry data from the posterior and anterior salivary glands of two adults, the posterior salivary glands of six paralarvae and the saliva from a single adult. We identified a total of 2810 protein groups from across this range of salivary tissues and age classes, including 84 with homology to known venom protein families. Additionally, we found 21 short secreted cysteine rich protein groups of which 12 were specific to cephalopods. By combining protein expression data with phylogenetic analysis we demonstrate that serine proteases expanded dramatically within the cephalopod lineage and that cephalopod specific proteins are strongly associated with the salivary apparatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Legana C H W Fingerhut
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology , James Cook University , Townsville , Queensland 4811 , Australia
| | - Jan M Strugnell
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, College of Science and Engineering , James Cook University , Townsville , Queensland 4811 , Australia.,Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, School of Life Sciences , La Trobe University , Melbourne , Victoria 3086 , Australia
| | - Pierre Faou
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science , La Trobe University , Melbourne , Victoria 3086 , Australia
| | - Álvaro Roura Labiaga
- Department of Ecology and Marine Biodiversity , Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas de Vigo (IIM-CSIC) , Vigo 36208 , Spain
| | - Jia Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology , James Cook University , Townsville , Queensland 4811 , Australia
| | - Ira R Cooke
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology , James Cook University , Townsville , Queensland 4811 , Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science , La Trobe University , Melbourne , Victoria 3086 , Australia
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17
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Cuevas N, Martins M, Rodrigo AP, Martins C, Costa PM. Explorations on the ecological role of toxin secretion and delivery in jawless predatory Polychaeta. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7635. [PMID: 29769587 PMCID: PMC5955894 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26031-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Motivated by biotechnological prospects, there is increasing evidence that we may just be scraping the tip of the iceberg of poisonous marine invertebrates, among which the Polychaeta are promising candidates for bioprospecting. Here we show that an inconspicuous phyllodocid uses toxins in its uncanny feeding strategy. The worm, a jawless active predator characterised by its bright green colour, preys on larger invertebrates (including conspecifics) by extracting tissue portions with its powerful proboscis through suction. The animal is even able to penetrate through the valves and plates of live molluscs and barnacles. Observations in situ and a series of experiments demonstrated that the worm compensates its simple anatomy with secretion of a novel toxin, or mixture of toxins, referred to by us as "phyllotoxins". These are carried by mucus and delivered via repeated contact with the tip of the proboscis until the prey is relaxed or immobilised (reversibly). Proteolytic action permeabilises material to toxins and softens tissue to enable extraction by suction. The findings show that toxins are a major ecological trait and therefore play a key role in evolutionary success and diversification of Polychaeta, demonstrating also that understanding adaptative features may become the best showcase for novel animal toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Cuevas
- UCIBIO - Research Unit on Applied Molecular Biosciences, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
| | - M Martins
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Departamento de Ciências e Engenharia do ambiente, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
- UCIBIO - Research Unit on Applied Molecular Biosciences, Departamento de Química Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
| | - A P Rodrigo
- UCIBIO - Research Unit on Applied Molecular Biosciences, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Departamento de Ciências e Engenharia do ambiente, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
| | - C Martins
- UCIBIO - Research Unit on Applied Molecular Biosciences, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Departamento de Ciências e Engenharia do ambiente, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
| | - P M Costa
- UCIBIO - Research Unit on Applied Molecular Biosciences, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal.
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18
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Proffitt JM, Glenn J, Cesnik AJ, Jadhav A, Shortreed MR, Smith LM, Kavanagh K, Cox LA, Olivier M. Proteomics in non-human primates: utilizing RNA-Seq data to improve protein identification by mass spectrometry in vervet monkeys. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:877. [PMID: 29132314 PMCID: PMC5683380 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-4279-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Shotgun proteomics utilizes a database search strategy to compare detected mass spectra to a library of theoretical spectra derived from reference genome information. As such, the robustness of proteomics results is contingent upon the completeness and accuracy of the gene annotation in the reference genome. For animal models of disease where genomic annotation is incomplete, such as non-human primates, proteogenomic methods can improve the detection of proteins by incorporating transcriptional data from RNA-Seq to improve proteomics search databases used for peptide spectral matching. Customized search databases derived from RNA-Seq data are capable of identifying unannotated genetic and splice variants while simultaneously reducing the number of comparisons to only those transcripts actively expressed in the tissue. Results We collected RNA-Seq and proteomic data from 10 vervet monkey liver samples and used the RNA-Seq data to curate sample-specific search databases which were analyzed in the program Morpheus. We compared these results against those from a search database generated from the reference vervet genome. A total of 284 previously unannotated splice junctions were predicted by the RNA-Seq data, 92 of which were confirmed by peptide spectral matches. More than half (53/92) of these unannotated splice variants had orthologs in other non-human primates, suggesting that failure to match these peptides in the reference analyses likely arose from incomplete gene model information. The sample-specific databases also identified 101 unique peptides containing single amino acid substitutions which were missed by the reference database. Because the sample-specific searches were restricted to actively expressed transcripts, the search databases were smaller, more computationally efficient, and identified more peptides at the empirically derived 1 % false discovery rate. Conclusion Proteogenomic approaches are ideally suited to facilitate the discovery and annotation of proteins in less widely studies animal models such as non-human primates. We expect that these approaches will help to improve existing genome annotations of non-human primate species such as vervet. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi: 10.1186/s12864-017-4279-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Michael Proffitt
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Jeremy Glenn
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Anthony J Cesnik
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Avinash Jadhav
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA.,Current address: Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Molecular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, NRC Building, G-55, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27157, USA
| | | | - Lloyd M Smith
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.,Genome Center of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Kylie Kavanagh
- Department of Pathology and Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Laura A Cox
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA.,Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Michael Olivier
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA. .,Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA. .,Current address: Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Molecular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, NRC Building, G-55, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27157, USA.
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19
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Villanueva R, Perricone V, Fiorito G. Cephalopods as Predators: A Short Journey among Behavioral Flexibilities, Adaptions, and Feeding Habits. Front Physiol 2017; 8:598. [PMID: 28861006 PMCID: PMC5563153 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The diversity of cephalopod species and the differences in morphology and the habitats in which they live, illustrates the ability of this class of molluscs to adapt to all marine environments, demonstrating a wide spectrum of patterns to search, detect, select, capture, handle, and kill prey. Photo-, mechano-, and chemoreceptors provide tools for the acquisition of information about their potential preys. The use of vision to detect prey and high attack speed seem to be a predominant pattern in cephalopod species distributed in the photic zone, whereas in the deep-sea, the development of mechanoreceptor structures and the presence of long and filamentous arms are more abundant. Ambushing, luring, stalking and pursuit, speculative hunting and hunting in disguise, among others are known modes of hunting in cephalopods. Cannibalism and scavenger behavior is also known for some species and the development of current culture techniques offer evidence of their ability to feed on inert and artificial foods. Feeding requirements and prey choice change throughout development and in some species, strong ontogenetic changes in body form seem associated with changes in their diet and feeding strategies, although this is poorly understood in planktonic and larval stages. Feeding behavior is altered during senescence and particularly in brooding octopus females. Cephalopods are able to feed from a variety of food sources, from detritus to birds. Their particular requirements of lipids and copper may help to explain why marine crustaceans, rich in these components, are common prey in all cephalopod diets. The expected variation in climate change and ocean acidification and their effects on chemoreception and prey detection capacities in cephalopods are unknown and needs future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Villanueva
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Graziano Fiorito
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton DohrnNapoli, Italy
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20
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Venomics of Remipede Crustaceans Reveals Novel Peptide Diversity and Illuminates the Venom's Biological Role. Toxins (Basel) 2017; 9:toxins9080234. [PMID: 28933727 PMCID: PMC5577568 DOI: 10.3390/toxins9080234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
We report the first integrated proteomic and transcriptomic investigation of a crustacean venom. Remipede crustaceans are the venomous sister group of hexapods, and the venom glands of the remipede Xibalbanus tulumensis express a considerably more complex cocktail of proteins and peptides than previously thought. We identified 32 venom protein families, including 13 novel peptide families that we name xibalbins, four of which lack similarities to any known structural class. Our proteomic data confirm the presence in the venom of 19 of the 32 families. The most highly expressed venom components are serine peptidases, chitinase and six of the xibalbins. The xibalbins represent Inhibitory Cystine Knot peptides (ICK), a double ICK peptide, peptides with a putative Cystine-stabilized α-helix/β-sheet motif, a peptide similar to hairpin-like β-sheet forming antimicrobial peptides, two peptides related to different hormone families, and four peptides with unique structural motifs. Remipede venom components represent the full range of evolutionary recruitment frequencies, from families that have been recruited into many animal venoms (serine peptidases, ICKs), to those having a very narrow taxonomic range (double ICKs), to those unique for remipedes. We discuss the most highly expressed venom components to shed light on their possible functional significance in the predatory and defensive use of remipede venom, and to provide testable ideas for any future bioactivity studies.
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21
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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: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [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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