1
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McDougall JJ, O'Brien MS. Analgesic potential of voltage gated sodium channel modulators for the management of pain. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2024; 75:102433. [PMID: 38277942 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2024.102433] [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: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Neuronal electrochemical signals involve the flux of sodium ions through voltage-gated sodium channels (NaV) located in the neurolemma. Of the nine sodium channel subtypes, NaV-1.7, 1.8, and 1.9 are predominantly located on nociceptors, making them prime targets to control pain. This review highlights some of the latest discoveries targeting NaV channel activity, including: (1) charged local anaesthetic derivatives; (2) NaV channel toxins and associated small peptide blockers; (3) regulation of NaV channel accessory proteins; and (4) genetic manipulation of NaV channel function. While the translation of preclinical findings to a viable treatment in humans has remained a challenge, a greater understanding of NaV channel physiology could lead to the development of a new stream of therapies aimed at alleviating chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason J McDougall
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anaesthesia, Pain Management & Perioperative Medicine, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada.
| | - Melissa S O'Brien
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anaesthesia, Pain Management & Perioperative Medicine, Dalhousie University, 5850 College Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
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2
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Chen L, Jiang J, Dou B, Feng H, Liu J, Zhu Y, Zhang B, Zhou T, Wei GW. Machine learning study of the extended drug-target interaction network informed by pain related voltage-gated sodium channels. Pain 2024; 165:908-921. [PMID: 37851391 PMCID: PMC11021136 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003089] [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: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Pain is a significant global health issue, and the current treatment options for pain management have limitations in terms of effectiveness, side effects, and potential for addiction. There is a pressing need for improved pain treatments and the development of new drugs. Voltage-gated sodium channels, particularly Nav1.3, Nav1.7, Nav1.8, and Nav1.9, play a crucial role in neuronal excitability and are predominantly expressed in the peripheral nervous system. Targeting these channels may provide a means to treat pain while minimizing central and cardiac adverse effects. In this study, we construct protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks based on pain-related sodium channels and develop a corresponding drug-target interaction network to identify potential lead compounds for pain management. To ensure reliable machine learning predictions, we carefully select 111 inhibitor data sets from a pool of more than 1000 targets in the PPI network. We employ 3 distinct machine learning algorithms combined with advanced natural language processing (NLP)-based embeddings, specifically pretrained transformer and autoencoder representations. Through a systematic screening process, we evaluate the side effects and repurposing potential of more than 150,000 drug candidates targeting Nav1.7 and Nav1.8 sodium channels. In addition, we assess the ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) properties of these candidates to identify leads with near-optimal characteristics. Our strategy provides an innovative platform for the pharmacological development of pain treatments, offering the potential for improved efficacy and reduced side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Chen
- Research Center of Nonlinear Science, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, P R. China
| | - Jian Jiang
- Research Center of Nonlinear Science, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, P R. China
- Department of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Bozheng Dou
- Research Center of Nonlinear Science, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, P R. China
| | - Hongsong Feng
- Department of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Jie Liu
- Research Center of Nonlinear Science, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, P R. China
| | - Yueying Zhu
- Research Center of Nonlinear Science, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, P R. China
| | - Bengong Zhang
- Research Center of Nonlinear Science, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, P R. China
| | - Tianshou Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Computational Mathematics, Guangdong Province, and School of Mathematics, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P R. China
| | - Guo-Wei Wei
- Department of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
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3
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Balchan NR, Smith CF, Mackessy SP. A plethora of rodents: Rattlesnake predators generate unanticipated patterns of venom resistance in a grassland ecosystem. Toxicon X 2024; 21:100179. [PMID: 38144228 PMCID: PMC10746501 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxcx.2023.100179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Predation has the potential to impart strong selective pressures on organisms within their environments, resulting in adaptive changes in prey that minimize risk of predation. Pressures from venomous snakes present an exceptional challenge to prey, as venom represents a unique chemical arsenal evolutionarily tailored to incapacitate prey. In response, venom resistance has been detected in various snake prey species, and to varying degrees. This study analyzes venom resistance in an eastern Colorado grassland habitat, where the Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) and Desert Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus tergeminus edwardsii) co-occur with a suite of grassland rodents. We test for venom resistance across rodent and snake pairings using two geographically distant field sites to determine the role of 1) predation pressure and trophic ecology, and 2) sympatric and allopatric patterns of venom resistance. Resistance was measured using serum-based metalloproteinase inhibition assays to determine potential inhibition of proteolytic activity, augmented by median lethal dose (LD50) assays on rodent species to assess toxicity of crude venoms. Resistance is present in several rodent species, with strong resistance present in populations of Eastern Woodrat (Neotoma floridana), Ord's Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys ordii), and Northern Grasshopper Mouse (Onychomys leucogaster). Resistance is less developed in other species, including the House Mouse (Mus musculus) and Plains Pocket Mouse (Perognathus flavescens). An unexpected differential is present, where Lincoln County Kangaroo Rats are highly resistant to venom of co-occurring Prairie Rattlesnakes yet are sensitive to an allopatric population of Prairie Rattlesnakes in Weld County. Lincoln Co. Northern Grasshopper Mice also demonstrate extremely elevated resistance to Weld Co. Prairie Rattlesnake venoms, and they may possess resistance mechanisms for myotoxin a, an abundant component of Weld Co. C. v viridis venoms. This study illustrates the complexity of venom resistance in biological communities that can exist when incorporating multiple species interactions. Future studies aimed at characterizing resistance mechanisms at the molecular level will provide a more detailed physiological context for understanding mechanisms by which resistance to venoms occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil R. Balchan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, 80639, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA
| | - Cara F. Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, 80639, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, 12801 East 17th Avenue, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Stephen P. Mackessy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, 80639, USA
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4
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Kelly TS, Martin RA, Ronez C, Cañón C, Pardiñas UFJ. Morphology and genetics of grasshopper mice revisited in a paleontological framework: reinstatement of Onychomyini (Rodentia, Cricetidae). J Mammal 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyac093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Grasshopper mice of the genus Onychomys, represented by three living species in North America, have a long and controversial taxonomic history. Usually allocated to either the cricetine or neotomine cricetids, they also have been considered to represent a distinct tribe. Since the discovery and description of the extinct grasshopper mouse relative Acrolophomys rhodopetros from the late Miocene of the upper Dove Spring Formation of California, dated at 9.3–8.8 Ma, it has become apparent that the grasshopper mouse clade has a long, distinct evolutionary history. Using a combination of morphological (including paleontological material) and molecular data, we reassessed the phylogenetic position of grasshopper mice. A morphological phylogenetic analysis was done on fossil and modern specimens of all recognized neotomine tribes, including craniodental, phallic, and soft tissue characters. A DNA-based matrix was constructed including 72 species representing all known living genera of Neotominae and 13 outgroup taxa belonging mostly to cricetid subfamilies. DNA sampling covered the mitochondrial protein-coding gene cytochrome-b (Cytb), and seven nuclear loci. The morphological analysis yielded a single most parsimonious tree of 42 steps, placing Ochrotomys (Ochrotomyini), Baiomys (Baiomyini), Reithrodontomys (Reithrodontomyini), and an Onychomys–Acrolophomys clade as successive sister clades to a Peromyscus clade, respectively. The molecular phylogenetic analyses recovered seven major clades: (1) a clade including Habromys, Megadontomys, Neotomodon, Osgoodomys, Podomys, and a paraphyletic Peromyscus clade, sister to (2) a second clade containing extant Onychomys species, (3) a Reithrodontomys clade, (4) an Isthmomys clade, (5) a clade including Baiomys and Scotinomys, (6) an Ochrotomys clade, and (7) a well-supported clade containing Hodomys, Neotoma, and Xenomys. A Bayesian combined morphological and molecular analysis recovered the same major phylogenetic associations as the molecular analyses. The sum of molecular markers and morphological traits expressed by Acrolophomys and Onychomys leads to a phylogenetic position supporting their recognition as a distinct tribe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas S Kelly
- Vertebrate Paleontology Department, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County , 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90007 , USA
| | - Robert A Martin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University , 102 Curris Center, Murray, Kentucky 42071 , USA
| | - Christophe Ronez
- Instituto de Diversidad y Evolución Austral (IDEAus-CONICET) , Boulevard Almirante Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn 9120, Chubut , Argentina
| | - Carola Cañón
- Departamento de Ecosistemas y Medio Ambiente, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile , Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul 7820436, Santiago , Chile
| | - Ulyses F J Pardiñas
- Instituto de Diversidad y Evolución Austral (IDEAus-CONICET) , Boulevard Almirante Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn 9120, Chubut , Argentina
- Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INABIO) , Pasaje Rumipamba y Av. Shyris, Quito 170135 , Ecuador
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5
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Cytotoxicity and Molecular Alterations Induced by Scorpion Venom Antimicrobial Peptide Smp43 in Breast Cancer Cell Lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7. Int J Pept Res Ther 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-022-10474-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
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6
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Thill VL, Moniz HA, Teglas MB, Wasley MJ, Feldman CR. Preying dangerously: black widow spider venom resistance in sympatric lizards. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:221012. [PMID: 36277837 PMCID: PMC9579766 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Lizards and spiders are natural adversaries, yet little is known of adaptations that lizards might possess for dealing with the venomous defences of spider prey. In the Western USA, two lizard species (Elgaria multicarinata and Sceloporus occidentalis) are sympatric with and predate western black widow spiders (Latrodectus hesperus). The consequences of black widow spider venom (BWSV) can be severe, and are well understood for mammals but unknown for reptiles. We evaluated potential resistance to BWSV in the lizards that consume black widows, and a potentially susceptible species (Uta stansburiana) known as prey of widows. We investigated BWSV effects on whole-animal performance (sprint) and muscle tissue at two venom doses compared with control injections. Sprint speed was not significantly decreased in E. multicarinata or S. occidentalis in any treatment, while U. stansburiana suffered significant performance reductions in response to BWSV. Furthermore, E. multicarinata showed minimal tissue damage and immune response, while S. occidentalis and U. stansburiana exhibited increased muscle damage and immune system infiltration in response to BWSV. Our data suggest predator-prey relationships between lizards and spiders are complex, possibly leading to physiological and molecular adaptations that allow some lizards to tolerate or overcome the dangerous defences of their arachnid prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicki L. Thill
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Haley A. Moniz
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Mike B. Teglas
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
- Department of Agriculture, Veterinary and Rangeland Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - McKenzie J. Wasley
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Klamath Falls Fish and Wildlife Office, Klamath Falls, OR 97602, USA
| | - Chris R. Feldman
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
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7
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Freeman M, Palmer A, West G, Goe A. Successful management of Arizona bark scorpion (
Centruroides sculpturatus
) envenomation in a Gray's monitor (
Varanus olivaceus
). VETERINARY RECORD CASE REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/vrc2.471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Alexandra Goe
- Department of Specialty Medicine College of Veterinary Medicine Midwestern University Glendale Arizona USA
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8
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Drabeck DH, Rucavado A, Hingst-Zaher E, Dean A, Jansa SA. Ancestrally reconstructed Von Willebrand Factor (vWF) reveals evidence for trench warfare coevolution between opossums and pit vipers. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6611844. [PMID: 35723968 PMCID: PMC9255381 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Opossums in the tribe Didelphini are resistant to pit viper venoms and are hypothesized to be coevolving with venomous snakes. Specifically, a protein involved in blood clotting (von Willebrand factor [vWF] which is targeted by snake venom C-type lectins [CTLs]) has been found to undergo rapid adaptive evolution in Didelphini. Several unique amino acid changes in vWF could explain their resistance; however, experimental evidence that these changes disrupt binding to venom CTLs was lacking. Furthermore, without explicit testing of ancestral phenotypes to reveal the mode of evolution, the assertion that this system represents an example of coevolution rather than noncoevolutionary adaptation remains unsupported. Using expressed vWF proteins and purified venom CTLs, we quantified binding affinity for vWF proteins from all resistant taxa, their venom-sensitive relatives, and their ancestors. We show that CTL-resistant vWF is present in opossums outside clade Didelphini and likely across a wider swath of opossums (family Didelphidae) than previously thought. Ancestral reconstruction and in vitro testing of vWF phenotypes in a clade of rapidly evolving opossums reveal a pattern consistent with trench warfare coevolution between opossums and their venomous snake prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle H Drabeck
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Ave., St Paul, MN 55108, USA.,Bell Museum, University of Minnesota, 1987 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Alexandra Rucavado
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Erika Hingst-Zaher
- Museu Biológico, Instituto Butantan, CEP 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Antony Dean
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Ave., St Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Sharon A Jansa
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Ave., St Paul, MN 55108, USA.,Bell Museum, University of Minnesota, 1987 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
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9
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George K, Lopez-Mateos D, Abd El-Aziz TM, Xiao Y, Kline J, Bao H, Raza S, Stockand JD, Cummins TR, Fornelli L, Rowe MP, Yarov-Yarovoy V, Rowe AH. Structural and Functional Characterization of a Novel Scorpion Toxin that Inhibits NaV1.8 via Interactions With the DI Voltage Sensor and DII Pore Module. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:846992. [PMID: 35662692 PMCID: PMC9160825 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.846992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.8 regulates transmission of pain signals to the brain. While NaV1.8 has the potential to serve as a drug target, the molecular mechanisms that shape NaV1.8 gating are not completely understood, particularly mechanisms that couple activation to inactivation. Interactions between toxin producing animals and their predators provide a novel approach for investigating NaV structure-function relationships. Arizona bark scorpions produce Na+ channel toxins that initiate pain signaling. However, in predatory grasshopper mice, toxins inhibit NaV1.8 currents and block pain signals. A screen of synthetic peptide toxins predicted from bark scorpion venom showed that peptide NaTx36 inhibited Na+ current recorded from a recombinant grasshopper mouse NaV1.8 channel (OtNaV1.8). Toxin NaTx36 hyperpolarized OtNaV1.8 activation, steady-state fast inactivation, and slow inactivation. Mutagenesis revealed that the first gating charge in the domain I (DI) S4 voltage sensor and an acidic amino acid (E) in the DII SS2 – S6 pore loop are critical for the inhibitory effects of NaTx36. Computational modeling showed that a DI S1 – S2 asparagine (N) stabilizes the NaTx36 – OtNaV1.8 complex while residues in the DI S3 – S4 linker and S4 voltage sensor form electrostatic interactions that allow a toxin glutamine (Q) to contact the first S4 gating charge. Surprisingly, the models predicted that NaTx36 contacts amino acids in the DII S5 – SS1 pore loop instead of the SS2 – S6 loop; the DII SS2 – S6 loop motif (QVSE) alters the conformation of the DII S5 – SS1 pore loop, enhancing allosteric interactions between toxin and the DII S5 – SS1 pore loop. Few toxins have been identified that modify NaV1.8 gating. Moreover, few toxins have been described that modify sodium channel gating via the DI S4 voltage sensor. Thus, NaTx36 and OtNaV1.8 provide tools for investigating the structure-activity relationship between channel activation and inactivation gating, and the connection to alternative pain phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran George
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Diego Lopez-Mateos
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Tarek Mohamed Abd El-Aziz
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Minia University, El-Minia, Egypt
- Amsaal Venom Farm L.L.C., Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Yucheng Xiao
- Department of Biology, School of Science, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Jake Kline
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Hong Bao
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Syed Raza
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - James D. Stockand
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Theodore R. Cummins
- Department of Biology, School of Science, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Luca Fornelli
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Matthew P. Rowe
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Vladimir Yarov-Yarovoy
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Ashlee H. Rowe
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
- *Correspondence: Ashlee H. Rowe,
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10
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van Thiel J, Khan MA, Wouters RM, Harris RJ, Casewell NR, Fry BG, Kini RM, Mackessy SP, Vonk FJ, Wüster W, Richardson MK. Convergent evolution of toxin resistance in animals. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1823-1843. [PMID: 35580905 PMCID: PMC9543476 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Convergence is the phenomenon whereby similar phenotypes evolve independently in different lineages. One example is resistance to toxins in animals. Toxins have evolved many times throughout the tree of life. They disrupt molecular and physiological pathways in target species, thereby incapacitating prey or deterring a predator. In response, molecular resistance has evolved in many species exposed to toxins to counteract their harmful effects. Here, we review current knowledge on the convergence of toxin resistance using examples from a wide range of toxin families. We explore the evolutionary processes and molecular adaptations driving toxin resistance. However, resistance adaptations may carry a fitness cost if they disrupt the normal physiology of the resistant animal. Therefore, there is a trade‐off between maintaining a functional molecular target and reducing toxin susceptibility. There are relatively few solutions that satisfy this trade‐off. As a result, we see a small set of molecular adaptations appearing repeatedly in diverse animal lineages, a phenomenon that is consistent with models of deterministic evolution. Convergence may also explain what has been called ‘autoresistance’. This is often thought to have evolved for self‐protection, but we argue instead that it may be a consequence of poisonous animals feeding on toxic prey. Toxin resistance provides a unique and compelling model system for studying the interplay between trophic interactions, selection pressures and the molecular mechanisms underlying evolutionary novelties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jory van Thiel
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Muzaffar A Khan
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Roel M Wouters
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Richard J Harris
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072, Australia
| | - Nicholas R Casewell
- Centre for Snakebite Research & Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA, U.K
| | - Bryan G Fry
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072, Australia
| | - R Manjunatha Kini
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117558, Singapore.,Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117600, Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, U.S.A
| | - Stephen P Mackessy
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, 80639-0017, U.S.A
| | - Freek J Vonk
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands.,Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wolfgang Wüster
- Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, LL57 2UW, U.K
| | - Michael K Richardson
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
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11
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Yang R, Song Y, Wang H, Chen C, Bai F, Li C. BmK DKK13, A Scorpion Toxin, Alleviates Pain Behavior in a Rat Model of Trigeminal Neuralgia by Modulating Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels and MAPKs/CREB Pathway. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:4535-4549. [PMID: 35579847 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-02855-x] [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: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BmK DKK13 (DKK13) is a mutated recombinant peptide, which has a significant antinociception in a rat model of the inflammatory pain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antinociceptive effect of DKK13 on trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were treated with the chronic constriction injury of the infraorbital nerve (IoN-CCI) model to induce stable symptoms of TN. DKK13 (1.0 mg/kg, 2.0 mg/kg and 4.0 mg/kg, i.v.) or morphine (4.0 mg/kg, i.v.) was administered by tail vein once on day 14 after IoN-CCI injury. Behavioral tests, electrophysiology and western blotting were performed to investigate the role and underlying mechanisms of DKK13 on IoN-CCI model. Behavioral test results showed that DKK13 could significantly increase the mechanical pain and thermal radiation pain thresholds of IoN-CCI rats and inhibit the asymmetric spontaneous pain scratching behavior. Electrophysiological results showed that DKK13 could significantly reduce the current density of Nav1.8 in the ipsilateral side of trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons in IoN-CCI rats, and the steady-state activation and inactivation curves of Nav1.8 shifted, respectively, to the direction of hyperpolarization and depolarization. Western blotting results showed that DKK13 significantly reduced the expression of Nav1.8 and the phosphorylation levels of key proteins of MAPKs/CREB pathway in TG tissues of IoN-CCI rats. In brief, DKK13 has a significant antinociceptive effect on IoN-CCI rats, which may be achieved by changing the dynamic characteristics of Nav1.8 channel and regulating the protein phosphorylation in MAPKs/CREB pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Yongbo Song
- School of Life Sciences and Biopharmaceutical Science, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Haipeng Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Chunyun Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Fei Bai
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Chunli Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China.
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12
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Li S, Ding M, Wu Y, Xue S, Ji Y, Zhang P, Zhang Z, Cao Z, Zhang F. Histamine Sensitization of the Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Nav1.7 Contributes to Histaminergic Itch in Mice. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:700-710. [PMID: 35157443 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Itch, a common clinical symptom of many skin diseases, severely impairs the life quality of patients. Nav1.7, a subtype of voltage-gated sodium channels mainly expressed in primary sensory neurons, is responsible for the amplification of threshold currents that trigger action potential (AP) generation. Gain-of-function mutation of Nav1.7 leads to paroxysmal itch, while pharmacological inhibition of Nav1.7 alleviates histamine-dependent itch. However, the crosstalk between histamine and Nav1.7 that leads to itch is unclear. In the present study, we demonstrated that in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons from histamine-dependent itch model mice induced by compound 48/80, tetrodotoxin-sensitive (TTX-S) but not TTX-resistant Na+ currents were activated at more hyperpolarized membrane potentials compared to those on DRG neurons from vehicle-treated mice. Meanwhile, bath application of histamine shifted the activation voltages of TTX-S Na+ currents to the hyperpolarized direction, increased the AP frequency, and reduced the current threshold required to elicit APs. Further mechanistic studies demonstrated that selective activation of H1 but not H2 and H4 receptors mimicked histamine effect on TTX-S Na+ channels in DRG neurons. The protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor GO 8963, but not the PKA inhibitor H89, normalized histamine-sensitized TTX-S Na+ channels. We also demonstrated that histamine shifted the activation voltages of Na+ currents to the hyperpolarized direction in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing Nav1.7. Importantly, selective inhibition of Nav1.7 by PF-05089771 significantly relieved the scratching frequency in a histamine-dependent itch model induced by compound 48/80. Taken together, these data suggest that activation of H1 receptors by histamine sensitizes Nav1.7 channels through the PKC pathway in DRG neurons that contributes to histamine-dependent itch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory for TCM Evaluation and Translational Development, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Meihuizi Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory for TCM Evaluation and Translational Development, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Ying Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory for TCM Evaluation and Translational Development, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Shuwen Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory for TCM Evaluation and Translational Development, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Yunyun Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory for TCM Evaluation and Translational Development, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Pinhui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory for TCM Evaluation and Translational Development, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Zhuang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory for TCM Evaluation and Translational Development, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Zhengyu Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory for TCM Evaluation and Translational Development, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory for TCM Evaluation and Translational Development, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
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13
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Bucciarelli GM, Alsalek F, Kats LB, Green DB, Shaffer HB. Toxic Relationships and Arms-Race Coevolution Revisited. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2022; 10:63-80. [PMID: 35167315 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-013120-024716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Toxin evolution in animals is one of the most fascinating and complex subjects of scientific inquiry today. Gaining an understanding of toxins poses a multifaceted challenge given the diverse modes of acquisition, evolutionary adaptations, and abiotic components that affect toxin phenotypes. Here, we highlight some of the main genetic and ecological factors that influence toxin evolution and discuss the role of antagonistic interactions and coevolutionary dynamics in shaping the direction and extent of toxicity and resistance in animals. We focus on toxic Pacific newts (family Salamandridae, genus Taricha) as a system to investigate and better evaluate the widely distributed toxin they possess, tetrodotoxin (TTX), and the hypothesized model of arms-race coevolution with snake predators that is used to explain phenotypic patterns of newt toxicity. Finally, we propose an alternative coevolutionary model that incorporates TTX-producing bacteria and draws from an elicitor-receptor concept to explain TTX evolution and ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- G M Bucciarelli
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA; , , .,La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Farid Alsalek
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA; , ,
| | - L B Kats
- Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California, USA; ,
| | - D B Green
- Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California, USA; ,
| | - H B Shaffer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA; , , .,La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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14
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Flexibility and rigidity in hunting behaviour in rodents: is there room for cognition? Anim Cogn 2022; 25:731-743. [PMID: 34993671 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01588-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Predatory hunting is a complex species-typical behaviour involving different skills, some of which may include learning. This research aims to distinguish between rigid and flexible parts in live-insect hunting behaviour in nine herbivorous and granivorous rodent species, and to find out whether there is room for cognition in this activity. In laboratory experiments, all species studied manifest skilful attacks towards insects in a manner that is typical for specialised predators chasing a fleeing prey. Voles demonstrate a "core" and somewhat primitive scheme of a hunting pattern: approaching a potential victim, biting it, and then seizing and handling. Hamsters display the tendency to start their attacks by actions with paws, but they can achieve success only using teeth as well. Gerbils can successfully use both paws and teeth to start the attack, which brings their hunting behaviour closer to that of specialised rodent predators. We revealed variability in the display of hunting in different species, methods of seizing the prey, and the number of attempts to attack an insect before catching it. We found specific flexible fragments within the "bite-grasp-handle" bouts that can be precursors for adaptive phenotypic variations and include some cognitive attributes. We hypothesise that the divergence and specialisation of predatory behaviour in rodents can be based on the natural fragmentation of the original hunting patterns, that is, on the loss or recombination of particular behavioural elements. We consider a possible link between the fragmentation of hunting behaviour and social learning in different classes of animals and conjecture an intriguing correlation between predatory activity, cognitive skills and personal traits in rodents.
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Whitford MD, Freymiller GA, Higham TE, Clark RW. Shaking things up: the unique feeding behaviour of western banded geckos when consuming scorpions. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Predators that feed on dangerous prey species must evolve mechanisms to reduce the likelihood of injury or death during a predation attempt. Scorpions are prime examples of dangerous prey items for insectivores, because they can inflict a venomous and potentially fatal sting when attacked. Despite this risk, the western banded gecko (Coleonyx variegatus), a generalist insectivore, occasionally preys on dune scorpions (Smeringurus mesaensis). We use high-speed videography to examine the modulation of prey capture biomechanics in relationship to prey type. The capture of undefended evasive (cricket) and non-evasive (worms) prey follows previous studies of lizard attack kinematics. However, we have discovered a unique shake-feeding behaviour used by western banded geckos when feeding on scorpions, whereby the gecko bites the scorpion, then performs very rapid side-to-side shaking with its head and body. Given the speed and violence of shake-feeding, we suggest that geckos shake the scorpion to cause mass trauma and subsequent immobility or, potentially, to break the stinger and render the scorpion harmless. This behaviour might be widespread among geckos that feed on these dangerous prey species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malachi D Whitford
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
- Ecology Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Departiment of Biology, Clovis Community College, Fresno, CA, USA
| | - Grace A Freymiller
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Timothy E Higham
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Rulon W Clark
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
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16
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OUP accepted manuscript. Syst Biol 2022; 71:1281-1289. [DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syac021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Simone Y, van der Meijden A. Armed stem to stinger: a review of the ecological roles of scorpion weapons. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2021; 27:e20210002. [PMID: 34527038 PMCID: PMC8425188 DOI: 10.1590/1678-9199-jvatitd-2021-0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Scorpions possess two systems of weapons: the pincers (chelae) and the stinger (telson). These are placed on anatomically and developmentally well separated parts of the body, that is, the oral appendages and at the end of the body axis. The otherwise conserved body plan of scorpions varies most in the shape and relative dimensions of these two weapon systems, both across species and in some cases between the sexes. We review the literature on the ecological function of these two weapon systems in each of three contexts of usage: (i) predation, (ii) defense and (iii) sexual contests. In the latter context, we will also discuss their usage in mating. We first provide a comparative background for each of these contexts of usage by giving examples of other weapon systems from across the animal kingdom. Then, we discuss the pertinent aspects of the anatomy of the weapon systems, particularly those aspects relevant to their functioning in their ecological roles. The literature on the functioning and ecological role of both the chelae and the telson is discussed in detail, again organized by context of usage. Particular emphasis is given on the differences in morphology or usage between species or higher taxonomic groups, or between genders, as such cases are most insightful to understand the roles of each of the two distinct weapon systems of the scorpions and their evolutionary interactions. We aimed to synthesize the literature while minimizing conjecture, but also to point out gaps in the literature and potential future research opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri Simone
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Porto, Portugal
| | - Arie van der Meijden
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Porto, Portugal
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18
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Abd El-Aziz TM, Xiao Y, Kline J, Gridley H, Heaston A, Linse KD, Ward MJ, Rokyta DR, Stockand JD, Cummins TR, Fornelli L, Rowe AH. Identification and Characterization of Novel Proteins from Arizona Bark Scorpion Venom That Inhibit Nav1.8, a Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Regulator of Pain Signaling. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13070501. [PMID: 34357973 PMCID: PMC8310189 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13070501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.8 is linked to neuropathic and inflammatory pain, highlighting the potential to serve as a drug target. However, the biophysical mechanisms that regulate Nav1.8 activation and inactivation gating are not completely understood. Progress has been hindered by a lack of biochemical tools for examining Nav1.8 gating mechanisms. Arizona bark scorpion (Centruroides sculpturatus) venom proteins inhibit Nav1.8 and block pain in grasshopper mice (Onychomys torridus). These proteins provide tools for examining Nav1.8 structure–activity relationships. To identify proteins that inhibit Nav1.8 activity, venom samples were fractioned using liquid chromatography (reversed-phase and ion exchange). A recombinant Nav1.8 clone expressed in ND7/23 cells was used to identify subfractions that inhibited Nav1.8 Na+ current. Mass-spectrometry-based bottom-up proteomic analyses identified unique peptides from inhibitory subfractions. A search of the peptides against the AZ bark scorpion venom gland transcriptome revealed four novel proteins between 40 and 60% conserved with venom proteins from scorpions in four genera (Centruroides, Parabuthus, Androctonus, and Tityus). Ranging from 63 to 82 amino acids, each primary structure includes eight cysteines and a “CXCE” motif, where X = an aromatic residue (tryptophan, tyrosine, or phenylalanine). Electrophysiology data demonstrated that the inhibitory effects of bioactive subfractions can be removed by hyperpolarizing the channels, suggesting that proteins may function as gating modifiers as opposed to pore blockers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarek Mohamed Abd El-Aziz
- Department of Cellular & Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (T.M.A.E.-A.); (J.D.S.)
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Minia University, El-Minia 61519, Egypt
| | - Yucheng Xiao
- Department of Biology, School of Science, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (Y.X.); (T.R.C.)
| | - Jake Kline
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA; (J.K.); (H.G.); (A.H.); (L.F.)
| | - Harold Gridley
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA; (J.K.); (H.G.); (A.H.); (L.F.)
| | - Alyse Heaston
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA; (J.K.); (H.G.); (A.H.); (L.F.)
| | - Klaus D. Linse
- Bio-Synthesis Inc., 612 E. Main Street, Lewisville, TX 75057, USA;
| | - Micaiah J. Ward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida State University, 319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA; (M.J.W.); (D.R.R.)
| | - Darin R. Rokyta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida State University, 319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA; (M.J.W.); (D.R.R.)
| | - James D. Stockand
- Department of Cellular & Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (T.M.A.E.-A.); (J.D.S.)
| | - Theodore R. Cummins
- Department of Biology, School of Science, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (Y.X.); (T.R.C.)
| | - Luca Fornelli
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA; (J.K.); (H.G.); (A.H.); (L.F.)
| | - Ashlee H. Rowe
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA; (J.K.); (H.G.); (A.H.); (L.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-936-577-5782
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19
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Luo X, Ding L, Ye X, Zhu W, Zhang K, Li F, Jiang H, Zhao Z, Chen Z. An Smp43-Derived Short-Chain α-Helical Peptide Displays a Unique Sequence and Possesses Antimicrobial Activity against Both Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13050343. [PMID: 34064808 PMCID: PMC8150835 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13050343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Scorpion venoms are rich resources of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). While the short-chain noncysteine-containing AMPs have attracted much attention as templates for drug development, the antimicrobial potential of long-chain noncysteine-containing AMPs has been largely overlooked. Here, by using the online HeliQuest server, we designed and analyzed a series of 14-residue fragments of Smp43, a 43-residue long-chain noncysteine-containing AMP identified from the venom of Scorpio maurus palmatus. We found that Smp43(1-14) shows high antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and is nontoxic to mammalian cells at the antimicrobial dosage. Sequence alignments showed that the designed Smp43(1-14) displays a unique primary structure that is different from other natural short-chain noncysteine-containing AMPs from scorpions, such as Uy17, Uy192 and IsCT. Moreover, the peptide Smp43(1-14) caused concentration-dependent fluorescence increases in the bacteria for all of the tested dyes, propidium iodide, SYTOXTM Green and DiSC3-5, suggesting that the peptide may kill the bacteria through the formation of pore structures in the plasma membrane. Taken together, our work sheds light on a new avenue for the design of novel short-chain noncysteine-containing AMPs and provides a good peptide template with a unique sequence for the development of novel drugs for use against bacterial infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudong Luo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China; (X.L.); (L.D.); (X.Y.); (W.Z.); (K.Z.); (F.L.); (H.J.); (Z.Z.)
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China
| | - Li Ding
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China; (X.L.); (L.D.); (X.Y.); (W.Z.); (K.Z.); (F.L.); (H.J.); (Z.Z.)
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Dongfeng Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China
| | - Xiangdong Ye
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China; (X.L.); (L.D.); (X.Y.); (W.Z.); (K.Z.); (F.L.); (H.J.); (Z.Z.)
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China
| | - Wen Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China; (X.L.); (L.D.); (X.Y.); (W.Z.); (K.Z.); (F.L.); (H.J.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Kaiyue Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China; (X.L.); (L.D.); (X.Y.); (W.Z.); (K.Z.); (F.L.); (H.J.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Fangyan Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China; (X.L.); (L.D.); (X.Y.); (W.Z.); (K.Z.); (F.L.); (H.J.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Huiwen Jiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China; (X.L.); (L.D.); (X.Y.); (W.Z.); (K.Z.); (F.L.); (H.J.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Zhiwen Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China; (X.L.); (L.D.); (X.Y.); (W.Z.); (K.Z.); (F.L.); (H.J.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Zongyun Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China; (X.L.); (L.D.); (X.Y.); (W.Z.); (K.Z.); (F.L.); (H.J.); (Z.Z.)
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-(0)-719-8469073
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20
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Holding ML, Strickland JL, Rautsaw RM, Hofmann EP, Mason AJ, Hogan MP, Nystrom GS, Ellsworth SA, Colston TJ, Borja M, Castañeda-Gaytán G, Grünwald CI, Jones JM, Freitas-de-Sousa LA, Viala VL, Margres MJ, Hingst-Zaher E, Junqueira-de-Azevedo ILM, Moura-da-Silva AM, Grazziotin FG, Gibbs HL, Rokyta DR, Parkinson CL. Phylogenetically diverse diets favor more complex venoms in North American pitvipers. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2015579118. [PMID: 33875585 PMCID: PMC8092465 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2015579118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of natural selection in the evolution of trait complexity can be characterized by testing hypothesized links between complex forms and their functions across species. Predatory venoms are composed of multiple proteins that collectively function to incapacitate prey. Venom complexity fluctuates over evolutionary timescales, with apparent increases and decreases in complexity, and yet the causes of this variation are unclear. We tested alternative hypotheses linking venom complexity and ecological sources of selection from diet in the largest clade of front-fanged venomous snakes in North America: the rattlesnakes, copperheads, cantils, and cottonmouths. We generated independent transcriptomic and proteomic measures of venom complexity and collated several natural history studies to quantify dietary variation. We then constructed genome-scale phylogenies for these snakes for comparative analyses. Strikingly, prey phylogenetic diversity was more strongly correlated to venom complexity than was overall prey species diversity, specifically implicating prey species' divergence, rather than the number of lineages alone, in the evolution of complexity. Prey phylogenetic diversity further predicted transcriptomic complexity of three of the four largest gene families in viper venom, showing that complexity evolution is a concerted response among many independent gene families. We suggest that the phylogenetic diversity of prey measures functionally relevant divergence in the targets of venom, a claim supported by sequence diversity in the coagulation cascade targets of venom. Our results support the general concept that the diversity of species in an ecological community is more important than their overall number in determining evolutionary patterns in predator trait complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew L Holding
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634;
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306
| | - Jason L Strickland
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634
| | - Rhett M Rautsaw
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634
| | - Erich P Hofmann
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634
| | - Andrew J Mason
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Michael P Hogan
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306
| | - Gunnar S Nystrom
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306
| | - Schyler A Ellsworth
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306
| | - Timothy J Colston
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306
| | - Miguel Borja
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, C.P. 35010 Gómez Palacio, Dgo., Mexico
| | - Gamaliel Castañeda-Gaytán
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, C.P. 35010 Gómez Palacio, Dgo., Mexico
| | | | - Jason M Jones
- HERP.MX A.C., Villa del Álvarez, Colima 28973, Mexico
| | | | - Vincent Louis Viala
- Laboratório de Toxinologia Aplicada, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
- Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Mark J Margres
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | | | - Inácio L M Junqueira-de-Azevedo
- Laboratório de Toxinologia Aplicada, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
- Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Ana M Moura-da-Silva
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
- Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus 69040, Brazil
| | - Felipe G Grazziotin
- Laboratório de Coleções Zoológicas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - H Lisle Gibbs
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Darin R Rokyta
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306
| | - Christopher L Parkinson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634;
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634
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21
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Pritchard DI, Falcone FH, Mitchell PD. The evolution of IgE-mediated type I hypersensitivity and its immunological value. Allergy 2021; 76:1024-1040. [PMID: 32852797 DOI: 10.1111/all.14570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The allergic phenotype manifests itself in a spectrum of troublesome to life-threatening diseases, from seasonal hay fever, through the food allergies, atopic eczema, asthma, to anaphylaxis. Allergy, that is an overreaction to allergen in hypersensitive individuals, results from the production of IgE, mast cell and basophil sensitisation and degranulation, requiring a range of medications to manage the conditions. Yet it is highly likely that allergy evolved for a purpose and that allergic diseases are accidental consequences of an insufficiently regulated immune response. This article presents a viewpoint from which to restore the immunological reputation of the allergic phenotype. We consider the evolutionary origins of potential allergens, toxins and parasites, and how they might have influenced early-mammal species in existence when IgE first developed. We conclude that the allergic phenotype has likely saved the lives of many more mammals than have ever died from allergy, so justifying the positive role of IgE in our evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Franco H. Falcone
- Institute for Parasitology Justus‐Liebig‐University Gießen Gießen Germany
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Expanding evolutionary neuroscience: insights from comparing variation in behavior. Neuron 2021; 109:1084-1099. [PMID: 33609484 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Neuroscientists have long studied species with convenient biological features to discover how behavior emerges from conserved molecular, neural, and circuit level processes. With the advent of new tools, from viral vectors and gene editing to automated behavioral analyses, there has been a recent wave of interest in developing new, "nontraditional" model species. Here, we advocate for a complementary approach to model species development, that is, model clade development, as a way to integrate an evolutionary comparative approach with neurobiological and behavioral experiments. Capitalizing on natural behavioral variation in and investing in experimental tools for model clades will be a valuable strategy for the next generation of neuroscience discovery.
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Panteleeva SN, Levenets JV, Novikovskaya AA, Reznikova ZI, Lopatina NV, Litvinov YN. Experimental Investigations of Hunting Behavior in the Mountain Voles Alticola strelzowi and Alticola Tuvinicus (Rodentia, Cricetidae). BIOL BULL+ 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359020080099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Physiological Stress Integrates Resistance to Rattlesnake Venom and the Onset of Risky Foraging in California Ground Squirrels. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12100617. [PMID: 32992585 PMCID: PMC7601495 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12100617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Using venom for predation often leads to the evolution of resistance in prey. Understanding individual variation in venom resistance is key to unlocking basic mechanisms by which antagonistic coevolution can sustain variation in traits under selection. For prey, the opposing challenges of predator avoidance and resource acquisition often lead to correlated levels of risk and reward, which in turn can favor suites of integrated morphological, physiological and behavioral traits. We investigate the relationship between risk-sensitive behaviors, physiological resistance to rattlesnake venom, and stress in a population of California ground squirrels. For the same individuals, we quantified foraging decisions in the presence of snake predators, fecal corticosterone metabolites (a measure of “stress”), and blood serum inhibition of venom enzymatic activity (a measure of venom resistance). Individual responses to snakes were repeatable for three measures of risk-sensitive behavior, indicating that some individuals were consistently risk-averse whereas others were risk tolerant. Venom resistance was lower in squirrels with higher glucocorticoid levels and poorer body condition. Whereas resistance failed to predict proximity to and interactions with snake predators, individuals with higher glucocorticoid levels and in lower body condition waited the longest to feed when near a snake. We compared alternative structural equation models to evaluate alternative hypotheses for the relationships among stress, venom resistance, and behavior. We found support for stress as a shared physiological correlate that independently lowers venom resistance and leads to squirrels that wait longer to feed in the presence of a snake, whereas we did not find evidence that resistance directly facilitates latency to forage. Our findings suggest that stress may help less-resistant squirrels avoid a deadly snakebite, but also reduces feeding opportunities. The combined lethal and non-lethal effects of stressors in predator–prey interactions simultaneously impact multiple key traits in this system, making environmental stress a potential contributor to geographic variation in trait expression of toxic predators and resistant prey.
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Niermann CN, Tate TG, Suto AL, Barajas R, White HA, Guswiler OD, Secor SM, Rowe AH, Rowe MP. Defensive Venoms: Is Pain Sufficient for Predator Deterrence? Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12040260. [PMID: 32316477 PMCID: PMC7232307 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12040260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain, though unpleasant, is adaptive in calling an animal’s attention to potential tissue damage. A long list of animals representing diverse taxa possess venom-mediated, pain-inducing bites or stings that work by co-opting the pain-sensing pathways of potential enemies. Typically, such venoms include toxins that cause tissue damage or disrupt neuronal activity, rendering painful stings honest indicators of harm. But could pain alone be sufficient for deterring a hungry predator? Some venomologists have argued “no”; predators, in the absence of injury, would “see through” the bluff of a painful but otherwise benign sting or bite. Because most algogenic venoms are also toxic (although not vice versa), it has been difficult to disentangle the relative contributions of each component to predator deterrence. Southern grasshopper mice (Onychomys torridus) are voracious predators of arthropods, feeding on a diversity of scorpion species whose stings vary in painfulness, including painful Arizona bark scorpions (Centruroides sculpturatus) and essentially painless stripe-tailed scorpions (Paravaejovis spinigerus). Moreover, southern grasshopper mice have evolved resistance to the lethal toxins in bark scorpion venom, rendering a sting from these scorpions painful but harmless. Results from a series of laboratory experiments demonstrate that painful stings matter. Grasshopper mice preferred to prey on stripe-tailed scorpions rather than bark scorpions when both species could sting; the preference disappeared when each species had their stingers blocked. A painful sting therefore appears necessary for a scorpion to deter a hungry grasshopper mouse, but it may not always be sufficient: after first attacking and consuming a painless stripe-tailed scorpion, many grasshopper mice went on to attack, kill, and eat a bark scorpion even when the scorpion was capable of stinging. Defensive venoms that result in tissue damage or neurological dysfunction may, thus, be required to condition greater aversion than venoms causing pain alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal N. Niermann
- Department of Biology, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX 77340, USA; (C.N.N.); (T.G.T.)
| | - Travis G. Tate
- Department of Biology, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX 77340, USA; (C.N.N.); (T.G.T.)
| | - Amber L. Suto
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.L.S.); (O.D.G.)
| | - Rolando Barajas
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (R.B.); (H.A.W.)
| | - Hope A. White
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (R.B.); (H.A.W.)
| | - Olivia D. Guswiler
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (A.L.S.); (O.D.G.)
| | - Stephen M. Secor
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA;
| | - Ashlee H. Rowe
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA;
| | - Matthew P. Rowe
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-405-325-6539
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Fangs for the Memories? A Survey of Pain in Snakebite Patients Does Not Support a Strong Role for Defense in the Evolution of Snake Venom Composition. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12030201. [PMID: 32235759 PMCID: PMC7150919 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12030201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals use venoms for multiple purposes, most prominently for prey acquisition and self-defense. In snakes, venom composition often evolves as a result of selection for optimization for local diet. However, whether selection for a defensive function has also played a role in driving the evolution of venom composition has remained largely unstudied. Here, we use an online survey of snakebite victims to test a key prediction of a defensive function, that envenoming should result in the rapid onset of severe pain. From the analysis of 584 snakebite reports, involving 192 species of venomous snake, we find that the vast majority of bites do not result in severe early pain. Phylogenetic comparative analysis shows that where early pain after a bite evolves, it is often lost rapidly. Our results, therefore, do not support the hypothesis that natural selection for antipredator defense played an important role in the origin of venom or front-fanged delivery systems in general, although there may be intriguing exceptions to this rule.
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Levenets JV, Panteleeva SN, Reznikova ZI, Gureeva AV, Feoktistova NY, Surov AV. Experimental Comparative Analysis of Hunting Behavior in Four Species of Cricetinae Hamsters. BIOL BULL+ 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359019090097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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28
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Geffeney SL, Hanifin CT. Synthesizing and Expressing Native Ion Channels. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2068:283-290. [PMID: 31576535 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9845-6_16] [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] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Synthesizing and expressing ion channels in heterologous systems enable the characterization of the functional properties of these proteins. The cDNA that encodes ion channels can be amplified directly from mRNA or synthesized de novo in its entirety before cloning into an appropriate expression vector. Gibson assembly is a powerful tool that allows rapid cloning and integration of protein-coding cDNA into a variety of expression vectors. Here we describe a method in which the cDNA encoding a native snake ion channel (NaV 1.4) is synthesized in four equal-sized pieces (or blocks), and then assembled and ligated into an expression vector. Once in an appropriate expression vector, the assembled cDNA can be used for synthesis of mRNA, and the mRNA injected and expressed in Xenopus oocytes. This method has significant advantages over traditional rtPCR and ligation-based cloning including speed, cost, ease of codon optimization, and inclusion of silent restriction sites for Gibson-based mutagenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shana L Geffeney
- Department of Biology, Utah State University-Uintah Basin, Vernal, UT, USA.
| | - Charles T Hanifin
- Department of Biology, Utah State University-Uintah Basin, Vernal, UT, USA.
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29
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Eigenbrod O, Debus KY, Reznick J, Bennett NC, Sánchez-Carranza O, Omerbašić D, Hart DW, Barker AJ, Zhong W, Lutermann H, Katandukila JV, Mgode G, Park TJ, Lewin GR. Rapid molecular evolution of pain insensitivity in multiple African rodents. Science 2019; 364:852-859. [PMID: 31147513 DOI: 10.1126/science.aau0236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Noxious substances, called algogens, cause pain and are used as defensive weapons by plants and stinging insects. We identified four previously unknown instances of algogen-insensitivity by screening eight African rodent species related to the naked mole-rat with the painful substances capsaicin, acid (hydrogen chloride, pH 3.5), and allyl isothiocyanate (AITC). Using RNA sequencing, we traced the emergence of sequence variants in transduction channels, like transient receptor potential channel TRPA1 and voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.7, that accompany algogen insensitivity. In addition, the AITC-insensitive highveld mole-rat exhibited overexpression of the leak channel NALCN (sodium leak channel, nonselective), ablating AITC detection by nociceptors. These molecular changes likely rendered highveld mole-rats immune to the stings of the Natal droptail ant. Our study reveals how evolution can be used as a discovery tool to find molecular mechanisms that shut down pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ole Eigenbrod
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Karlien Y Debus
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jane Reznick
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nigel C Bennett
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa
| | - Oscar Sánchez-Carranza
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Damir Omerbašić
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel W Hart
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa
| | - Alison J Barker
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wei Zhong
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Heike Lutermann
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa
| | - Jestina V Katandukila
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa.,University of Dar es Salaam, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Department of Zoology and Wildlife Conservation, P.O. Box 35064, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Georgies Mgode
- Pest Management Centre, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - Thomas J Park
- Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Gary R Lewin
- Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany. .,NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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30
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Williams CJA, James LE, Bertelsen MF, Wang T. Analgesia for non-mammalian vertebrates. CURRENT OPINION IN PHYSIOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cophys.2019.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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31
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Reynaert ML, Dupoiron D, Yeramian E, Marsollier L, Brodin P. Could Mycolactone Inspire New Potent Analgesics? Perspectives and Pitfalls. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11090516. [PMID: 31487908 PMCID: PMC6783859 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11090516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain currently represents the most common symptom for which medical attention is sought by patients. The available treatments have limited effectiveness and significant side-effects. In addition, most often, the duration of analgesia is short. Today, the handling of pain remains a major challenge. One promising alternative for the discovery of novel potent analgesics is to take inspiration from Mother Nature; in this context, the detailed investigation of the intriguing analgesia implemented in Buruli ulcer, an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium ulcerans and characterized by painless ulcerative lesions, seems particularly promising. More precisely, in this disease, the painless skin ulcers are caused by mycolactone, a polyketide lactone exotoxin. In fact, mycolactone exerts a wide range of effects on the host, besides being responsible for analgesia, as it has been shown notably to modulate the immune response or to provoke apoptosis. Several cellular mechanisms and different targets have been proposed to account for the analgesic effect of the toxin, such as nerve degeneration, the inhibition of inflammatory mediators and the activation of angiotensin II receptor 2. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge in the field, highlighting possible controversies. We first discuss the different pain-mimicking experimental models that were used to study the effect of mycolactone. We then detail the different variants of mycolactone that were used in such models. Overall, based on the results and the discussions, we conclude that the development of mycolactone-derived molecules can represent very promising perspectives for new analgesic drugs, which could be effective for specific pain indications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Line Reynaert
- France Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR8204-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Denis Dupoiron
- Institut de Cancérologie de l'Ouest Paul Papin, 15 rue André Boquel-49055 Angers, France
| | - Edouard Yeramian
- Unité de Microbiologie Structurale, Institut Pasteur, CNRS, Univ. Paris, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Laurent Marsollier
- Equipe ATIP AVENIR, CRCINA, INSERM, Univ. Nantes, Univ. Angers, 4 rue Larrey, F-49933 Angers, France.
| | - Priscille Brodin
- France Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR8204-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France.
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32
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Li B, Silva JR, Lu X, Luo L, Wang Y, Xu L, Aierken A, Shynykul Z, Kamau PM, Luo A, Yang J, Su D, Yang F, Cui J, Yang S, Lai R. Molecular game theory for a toxin-dominant food chain model. Natl Sci Rev 2019; 6:1191-1200. [PMID: 34691998 PMCID: PMC8291550 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwz097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 06/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal toxins that are used to subdue prey and deter predators act as the key drivers in natural food chains and ecosystems. However, the predators of venomous animals may exploit feeding adaptation strategies to overcome toxins their prey produce. Much remains unknown about the genetic and molecular game process in the toxin-dominant food chain model. Here, we show an evolutionary strategy in different trophic levels of scorpion-eating amphibians, scorpions and insects, representing each predation relationship in habitats dominated by the paralytic toxins of scorpions. For scorpions preying on insects, we found that the scorpion α-toxins irreversibly activate the skeletal muscle sodium channel of their prey (insect, BgNaV1) through a membrane delivery mechanism and an efficient binding with the Asp/Lys-Tyr motif of BgNaV1. However, in the predatory game between frogs and scorpions, with a single point mutation (Lys to Glu) in this motif of the frog's skeletal muscle sodium channel (fNaV1.4), fNaV1.4 breaks this interaction and diminishes muscular toxicity to the frog; thus, frogs can regularly prey on scorpions without showing paralysis. Interestingly, this molecular strategy also has been employed by some other scorpion-eating amphibians, especially anurans. In contrast to these amphibians, the Asp/Lys-Tyr motifs are structurally and functionally conserved in other animals that do not prey on scorpions. Together, our findings elucidate the protein-protein interacting mechanism of a toxin-dominant predator-prey system, implying the evolutionary game theory at a molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowen Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Jonathan R Silva
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University St. Louis, MO 63130, UK
| | - Xiancui Lu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming 650223, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lei Luo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Yunfei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Lizhen Xu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Department of Biophysics and Kidney Disease Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Aerziguli Aierken
- Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Department of Biophysics and Kidney Disease Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhanserik Shynykul
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Peter Muiruri Kamau
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Anna Luo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Jian Yang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming 650223, China
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, UK
| | - Deyuan Su
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Department of Biophysics and Kidney Disease Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jianmin Cui
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University St. Louis, MO 63130, UK
| | - Shilong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Ren Lai
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming 650223, China
- KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming 650223, China
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33
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Levenets JV, Gromov VS, Reznikova ZI, Parteleeva SN. Experimental Investigation of Interrelations between Small Rodents and Red Wood Ants. CONTEMP PROBL ECOL+ 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s1995425519030077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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34
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Using the Data-Compression Method for Studying Hunting Behavior in Small Mammals. ENTROPY 2019; 21:e21040368. [PMID: 33267082 PMCID: PMC7514852 DOI: 10.3390/e21040368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Using the data-compression method we revealed a similarity between hunting behaviors of the common shrew, which is insectivorous, and several rodent species with different types of diet. Seven rodent species studied displayed succinct, highly predictable hunting stereotypes, in which it was easy for the data compressor to find regularities. The generalist Norway rat, with its changeable manipulation of prey and less predictable transitions between stereotype elements, significantly differs from other species. The levels of complexities of hunting stereotypes in young and adult rats are similar, and both groups had no prior experience with the prey, so one can assume that it is not learning, but rather the specificity of the organization of the stereotype that is responsible for the nature of the hunting behavior in rats. We speculate that rodents possess different types of hunting behaviors, one of which is based on a succinct insectivorous standard, and another type, perhaps characteristic of generalists, which is less ordered and is characterized by poorly predictable transitions between elements. We suggest that the data-compression method may well be more broadly applicable to behavioral analysis.
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Bennett DL, Clark AJ, Huang J, Waxman SG, Dib-Hajj SD. The Role of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels in Pain Signaling. Physiol Rev 2019; 99:1079-1151. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00052.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 256] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute pain signaling has a key protective role and is highly evolutionarily conserved. Chronic pain, however, is maladaptive, occurring as a consequence of injury and disease, and is associated with sensitization of the somatosensory nervous system. Primary sensory neurons are involved in both of these processes, and the recent advances in understanding sensory transduction and human genetics are the focus of this review. Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) are important determinants of sensory neuron excitability: they are essential for the initial transduction of sensory stimuli, the electrogenesis of the action potential, and neurotransmitter release from sensory neuron terminals. Nav1.1, Nav1.6, Nav1.7, Nav1.8, and Nav1.9 are all expressed by adult sensory neurons. The biophysical characteristics of these channels, as well as their unique expression patterns within subtypes of sensory neurons, define their functional role in pain signaling. Changes in the expression of VGSCs, as well as posttranslational modifications, contribute to the sensitization of sensory neurons in chronic pain states. Furthermore, gene variants in Nav1.7, Nav1.8, and Nav1.9 have now been linked to human Mendelian pain disorders and more recently to common pain disorders such as small-fiber neuropathy. Chronic pain affects one in five of the general population. Given the poor efficacy of current analgesics, the selective expression of particular VGSCs in sensory neurons makes these attractive targets for drug discovery. The increasing availability of gene sequencing, combined with structural modeling and electrophysiological analysis of gene variants, also provides the opportunity to better target existing therapies in a personalized manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L. Bennett
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; and Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut
| | - Alex J. Clark
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; and Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut
| | - Jianying Huang
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; and Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut
| | - Stephen G. Waxman
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; and Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut
| | - Sulayman D. Dib-Hajj
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; and Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut
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36
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Neural Evolution of Context-Dependent Fly Song. Curr Biol 2019; 29:1089-1099.e7. [PMID: 30880014 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
It is unclear where in the nervous system evolutionary changes tend to occur. To localize the source of neural evolution that has generated divergent behaviors, we developed a new approach to label and functionally manipulate homologous neurons across Drosophila species. We examined homologous descending neurons that drive courtship song in two species that sing divergent song types and localized relevant evolutionary changes in circuit function downstream of the intrinsic physiology of these descending neurons. This evolutionary change causes different species to produce divergent motor patterns in similar social contexts. Artificial stimulation of these descending neurons drives multiple song types, suggesting that multifunctional properties of song circuits may facilitate rapid evolution of song types.
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Zhang F, Zhang C, Xu X, Zhang Y, Gong X, Yang Z, Zhang H, Tang D, Liang S, Liu Z. Naja atra venom peptide reduces pain by selectively blocking the voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.8. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:7324-7334. [PMID: 30804211 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.007370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.8 is preferentially expressed in peripheral nociceptive neurons and contributes to inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Therefore, Nav1.8 has emerged as one of the most promising analgesic targets for pain relief. Using large-scale screening of various animal-derived toxins and venoms for Nav1.8 inhibitors, here we identified μ-EPTX-Na1a, a 62-residue three-finger peptide from the venom of the Chinese cobra (Naja atra), as a potent inhibitor of Nav1.8, exhibiting high selectivity over other voltage-gated sodium channel subtypes. Using whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings, we observed that purified μ-EPTX-Na1a blocked the Nav1.8 current. This blockade was associated with a depolarizing shift of activation and repolarizing shift of inactivation, a mechanism distinct from that of any other gating modifier toxin identified to date. In rodent models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain, μ-EPTX-Na1a alleviated nociceptive behaviors more potently than did morphine, indicating that μ-EPTX-Na1a has a potent analgesic effect. μ-EPTX-Na1a displayed no evident cytotoxicity and cardiotoxicity and produced no obvious adverse responses in mice even at a dose 30-fold higher than that producing a significant analgesic effect. Our study establishes μ-EPTX-Na1a as a promising lead for the development of Nav1.8-targeting analgesics to manage pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Zhang
- From The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081 Hunan, China
| | - Changxin Zhang
- From The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081 Hunan, China
| | - Xunxun Xu
- From The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081 Hunan, China
| | - Yunxiao Zhang
- From The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081 Hunan, China
| | - Xue Gong
- From The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081 Hunan, China
| | - Zuqin Yang
- From The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081 Hunan, China
| | - Heng Zhang
- From The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081 Hunan, China
| | - Dongfang Tang
- From The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081 Hunan, China
| | - Songping Liang
- From The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081 Hunan, China
| | - Zhonghua Liu
- From The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081 Hunan, China
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Walcher J, Ojeda‐Alonso J, Haseleu J, Oosthuizen MK, Rowe AH, Bennett NC, Lewin GR. Specialized mechanoreceptor systems in rodent glabrous skin. J Physiol 2018; 596:4995-5016. [PMID: 30132906 PMCID: PMC6187043 DOI: 10.1113/jp276608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS An ex vivo preparation was developed to record from single sensory fibres innervating the glabrous skin of the mouse forepaw. The density of mechanoreceptor innervation of the forepaw glabrous skin was found to be three times higher than that of hindpaw glabrous skin. Rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors that innervate Meissner's corpuscles were severalfold more responsive to slowly moving stimuli in the forepaw compared to those innervating hindpaw skin. We found a distinct group of small hairs in the centre of the mouse hindpaw glabrous skin that were exclusively innervated by directionally sensitive D-hair receptors. The directional sensitivity, but not the end-organ anatomy, were the opposite to D-hair receptors in the hairy skin. Glabrous skin hairs in the hindpaw are not ubiquitous in rodents, but occur in African and North American species that diverged more than 65 million years ago. ABSTRACT Rodents use their forepaws to actively interact with their tactile environment. Studies on the physiology and anatomy of glabrous skin that makes up the majority of the forepaw are almost non-existent in the mouse. Here we developed a preparation to record from single sensory fibres of the forepaw and compared anatomical and physiological receptor properties to those of the hindpaw glabrous and hairy skin. We found that the mouse forepaw skin is equipped with a very high density of mechanoreceptors; >3 times more than hindpaw glabrous skin. In addition, rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors that innervate Meissner's corpuscles of the forepaw were severalfold more sensitive to slowly moving mechanical stimuli compared to their counterparts in the hindpaw glabrous skin. All other mechanoreceptor types as well as myelinated nociceptors had physiological properties that were invariant regardless of which skin area they occupied. We discovered a novel D-hair receptor innervating a small group of hairs in the middle of the hindpaw glabrous skin in mice. These glabrous skin D-hair receptors were direction sensitive albeit with an orientation sensitivity opposite to that described for hairy skin D-hair receptors. Glabrous skin hairs do not occur in all rodents, but are present in North American and African rodent species that diverged more than 65 million years ago. The function of these specialized hairs is unknown, but they are nevertheless evolutionarily very ancient. Our study reveals novel physiological specializations of mechanoreceptors in the glabrous skin that likely evolved to facilitate tactile exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Walcher
- Max‐Delbrück Centre for Molecular MedicineDepartment of NeuroscienceRobert‐Rössle Str. 1013125Berlin‐BuchGermany
| | - Julia Ojeda‐Alonso
- Max‐Delbrück Centre for Molecular MedicineDepartment of NeuroscienceRobert‐Rössle Str. 1013125Berlin‐BuchGermany
| | - Julia Haseleu
- Max‐Delbrück Centre for Molecular MedicineDepartment of NeuroscienceRobert‐Rössle Str. 1013125Berlin‐BuchGermany
| | - Maria K. Oosthuizen
- Department of Zoology and EntomologyUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaRepublic of South Africa
| | - Ashlee H. Rowe
- Department of Biology and Program in Cellular and Behavioral NeurobiologyUniversity of OklahomaNormanOKUSA
| | - Nigel C. Bennett
- Department of Zoology and EntomologyUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaRepublic of South Africa
| | - Gary R. Lewin
- Max‐Delbrück Centre for Molecular MedicineDepartment of NeuroscienceRobert‐Rössle Str. 1013125Berlin‐BuchGermany
- Excellence Cluster NeurocureCharité Universitätsmedizin10117BerlinGermany
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Ward MJ, Ellsworth SA, Hogan MP, Nystrom GS, Martinez P, Budhdeo A, Zelaya R, Perez A, Powell B, He H, Rokyta DR. Female-biased population divergence in the venom of the Hentz striped scorpion (Centruroides hentzi). Toxicon 2018; 152:137-149. [PMID: 30096334 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.07.026] [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] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Revised: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Sex-biased genes are expressed at higher levels in one sex and contribute to phenotypic differences between males and females, as well as overall phenotypic variation within and among populations. Venom has evolved primarily for predation and defense, making venom expression a highly variable phenotype as a result of local adaptation. Several scorpion species have shown both intraspecific and intersexual venom variation, and males have been observed using venom in courtship and mating, suggesting the existence of venom-specific, sex-biased genes that may contribute to population divergence. We used reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), Agilent protein bioanalyzer chips, nano-liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (nLC/MS/MS), and median lethal dose (LD50) assays in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) and banded crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus) to investigate proteomic and functional venom variation within and among three Florida populations of the Hentz striped scorpion (Centruroides hentzi). We found significant venom variation among populations, with females, not males, being responsible for this divergence. We also found significant variation in venom expression within populations, with males contributing more to within population variation than females. Our results provide evidence that male and female scorpions experience different natural and sexual selective pressures that have led to the expression of sex-biased venom genes and that these genes may be consequential in population divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micaiah J Ward
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Schyler A Ellsworth
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Michael P Hogan
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Gunnar S Nystrom
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Paul Martinez
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Amisha Budhdeo
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Roxana Zelaya
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Alexander Perez
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Barclay Powell
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Huan He
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics and College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Darin R Rokyta
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA.
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Swapna I, Ghezzi A, York JM, Markham MR, Halling DB, Lu Y, Gallant JR, Zakon HH. Electrostatic Tuning of a Potassium Channel in Electric Fish. Curr Biol 2018; 28:2094-2102.e5. [PMID: 29937349 PMCID: PMC6067922 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Molecular variation contributes to the evolution of adaptive phenotypes, though it is often difficult to understand precisely how. The adaptively significant electric organ discharge behavior of weakly electric fish is the direct result of biophysical membrane properties set by ion channels. Here, we describe a voltage-gated potassium-channel gene in African electric fishes that is under positive selection and highly expressed in the electric organ. The channel produced by this gene shortens electric organ action potentials by activating quickly and at hyperpolarized membrane potentials. The source of these properties is a derived patch of negatively charged amino acids in an extracellular loop near the voltage sensor. We demonstrate that this negative patch acts by contributing to the global surface charge rather than by local interactions with specific amino acids in the channel's extracellular face. We suggest a more widespread role for this loop in the evolutionary tuning of voltage-dependent channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Immani Swapna
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Alfredo Ghezzi
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras, San Juan, PR 00931, USA
| | - Julia M York
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Michael R Markham
- Department of Biology, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - D Brent Halling
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Ying Lu
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Jason R Gallant
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48864, USA.
| | - Harold H Zakon
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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Ogawara H. Comparison of Strategies to Overcome Drug Resistance: Learning from Various Kingdoms. Molecules 2018; 23:E1476. [PMID: 29912169 PMCID: PMC6100412 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23061476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug resistance, especially antibiotic resistance, is a growing threat to human health. To overcome this problem, it is significant to know precisely the mechanisms of drug resistance and/or self-resistance in various kingdoms, from bacteria through plants to animals, once more. This review compares the molecular mechanisms of the resistance against phycotoxins, toxins from marine and terrestrial animals, plants and fungi, and antibiotics. The results reveal that each kingdom possesses the characteristic features. The main mechanisms in each kingdom are transporters/efflux pumps in phycotoxins, mutation and modification of targets and sequestration in marine and terrestrial animal toxins, ABC transporters and sequestration in plant toxins, transporters in fungal toxins, and various or mixed mechanisms in antibiotics. Antibiotic producers in particular make tremendous efforts for avoiding suicide, and are more flexible and adaptable to the changes of environments. With these features in mind, potential alternative strategies to overcome these resistance problems are discussed. This paper will provide clues for solving the issues of drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Ogawara
- HO Bio Institute, Yushima-2, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0034, Japan.
- Department of Biochemistry, Meiji Pharmaceutical University, Noshio-2, Kiyose, Tokyo 204-8588, Japan.
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Thompson BM. The Grasshopper Mouse and Bark Scorpion: Evolutionary Biology Meets Pain Modulation and Selective Receptor Inactivation. JOURNAL OF UNDERGRADUATE NEUROSCIENCE EDUCATION : JUNE : A PUBLICATION OF FUN, FACULTY FOR UNDERGRADUATE NEUROSCIENCE 2018; 16:R51-R53. [PMID: 30057511 PMCID: PMC6057761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Pain, however unpleasant, is a vital part of survival, providing a motivating response to noxious stimuli that helps move us away from danger. In medicine, adequate pain control can be maintained using analgesics, many of which produce unwanted and complicating side effects, most notably opioid analgesics. Here, I review a study which explored the unique predator/prey relationship between the Southern grasshopper mouse (Onychomys torridus) and its natural prey, the Arizona bark scorpion (Centruroides sculpturatus). O. torridus has developed an analgesic response to the scorpion's usually highly painful sting and, in doing so, provides a wonderful display of ion channel function and evolutionary biology. O. torridus' unique adaptation serves as a strong example of Krugg's Principle, which states there exists a best animal specimen for any scientific question. This principle is utilized to great effect by the authors to better understand receptor activation in pain. The study gradually progresses from an animal behavior model to isolating the amino acid residue in the ion channel responsible for the pain-relieving effect of scorpion venom on O. torridus. This provides a convincing argument for the potential of highly selective analgesics and the prospective sites of action for these future drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M Thompson
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, UK KY16 9JP
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Hoffstaetter LJ, Bagriantsev SN, Gracheva EO. TRPs et al.: a molecular toolkit for thermosensory adaptations. Pflugers Arch 2018; 470:745-759. [PMID: 29484488 PMCID: PMC5945325 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-018-2120-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Revised: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The ability to sense temperature is crucial for the survival of an organism. Temperature influences all biological operations, from rates of metabolic reactions to protein folding, and broad behavioral functions, from feeding to breeding, and other seasonal activities. The evolution of specialized thermosensory adaptations has enabled animals to inhabit extreme temperature niches and to perform specific temperature-dependent behaviors. The function of sensory neurons depends on the participation of various types of ion channels. Each of the channels involved in neuronal excitability, whether through the generation of receptor potential, action potential, or the maintenance of the resting potential have temperature-dependent properties that can tune the neuron's response to temperature stimuli. Since the function of all proteins is affected by temperature, animals need adaptations not only for detecting different temperatures, but also for maintaining sensory ability at different temperatures. A full understanding of the molecular mechanism of thermosensation requires an investigation of all channel types at each step of thermosensory transduction. A fruitful avenue of investigation into how different molecules can contribute to the fine-tuning of temperature sensitivity is to study the specialized adaptations of various species. Given the diversity of molecular participants at each stage of sensory transduction, animals have a toolkit of channels at their disposal to adapt their thermosensitivity to their particular habitats or behavioral circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia J Hoffstaetter
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8026, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8026, USA
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8026, USA
| | - Sviatoslav N Bagriantsev
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8026, USA
| | - Elena O Gracheva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8026, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8026, USA.
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8026, USA.
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Ward MJ, Ellsworth SA, Rokyta DR. Venom-gland transcriptomics and venom proteomics of the Hentz striped scorpion (Centruroides hentzi; Buthidae) reveal high toxin diversity in a harmless member of a lethal family. Toxicon 2018; 142:14-29. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.12.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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Starobova H, S. W. A. H, Lewis RJ, Vetter I. Transcriptomics in pain research: insights from new and old technologies. Mol Omics 2018; 14:389-404. [DOI: 10.1039/c8mo00181b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Physiological and pathological pain involves a complex interplay of multiple cell types and signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. Starobova
- Centre for Pain Research
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience
- University of Queensland
- St Lucia
- Australia
| | - Himaya S. W. A.
- Centre for Pain Research
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience
- University of Queensland
- St Lucia
- Australia
| | - R. J. Lewis
- Centre for Pain Research
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience
- University of Queensland
- St Lucia
- Australia
| | - I. Vetter
- Centre for Pain Research
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience
- University of Queensland
- St Lucia
- Australia
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Pain-Causing Venom Peptides: Insights into Sensory Neuron Pharmacology. Toxins (Basel) 2017; 10:toxins10010015. [PMID: 29280959 PMCID: PMC5793102 DOI: 10.3390/toxins10010015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2017] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Venoms are produced by a wide variety of species including spiders, scorpions, reptiles, cnidarians, and fish for the purpose of harming or incapacitating predators or prey. While some venoms are of relatively simple composition, many contain hundreds to thousands of individual components with distinct pharmacological activity. Pain-inducing or "algesic" venom compounds have proven invaluable to our understanding of how physiological nociceptive neural networks operate. In this review, we present an overview of some of the diverse nociceptive pathways that can be modulated by specific venom components to evoke pain.
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Coevolution takes the sting out of it: Evolutionary biology and mechanisms of toxin resistance in animals. Toxicon 2017; 140:118-131. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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When is overkill optimal? Tritrophic interactions reveal new insights into venom evolution. THEOR ECOL-NETH 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s12080-017-0354-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Predator counteradaptations: stealth echolocation overcomes insect sonar-jamming and evasive-manoeuvring defences. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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