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Dashevsky D, Baumann K, Undheim EAB, Nouwens A, Ikonomopoulou MP, Schmidt JO, Ge L, Kwok HF, Rodriguez J, Fry BG. Functional and Proteomic Insights into Aculeata Venoms. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:toxins15030224. [PMID: 36977115 PMCID: PMC10053895 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15030224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Aculeate hymenopterans use their venom for a variety of different purposes. The venom of solitary aculeates paralyze and preserve prey without killing it, whereas social aculeates utilize their venom in defence of their colony. These distinct applications of venom suggest that its components and their functions are also likely to differ. This study investigates a range of solitary and social species across Aculeata. We combined electrophoretic, mass spectrometric, and transcriptomic techniques to characterize the compositions of venoms from an incredibly diverse taxon. In addition, in vitro assays shed light on their biological activities. Although there were many common components identified in the venoms of species with different social behavior, there were also significant variations in the presence and activity of enzymes such as phospholipase A2s and serine proteases and the cytotoxicity of the venoms. Social aculeate venom showed higher presence of peptides that cause damage and pain in victims. The venom-gland transcriptome from the European honeybee (Apis mellifera) contained highly conserved toxins which match those identified by previous investigations. In contrast, venoms from less-studied taxa returned limited results from our proteomic databases, suggesting that they contain unique toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Dashevsky
- Australian National Insect Collection, Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
- Correspondence: (D.D.); (B.G.F.)
| | - Kate Baumann
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Eivind A. B. Undheim
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Bioscience, University of Oslo, N-0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Amanda Nouwens
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Maria P. Ikonomopoulou
- Translational Venomics Group, Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies in Food, 4075 Madrid, Spain
| | - Justin O. Schmidt
- Southwestern Biological Institute, 1961 W. Brichta Dr., Tucson, AZ 85745, USA
| | - Lilin Ge
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for TCM Quality and Efficacy, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xianlin Avenue, Qixia District, Nanjing 210046, China
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau
| | - Hang Fai Kwok
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau
| | - Juanita Rodriguez
- Australian National Insect Collection, Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Bryan G. Fry
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
- Correspondence: (D.D.); (B.G.F.)
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Alberto-Silva C, Vieira Portaro FC, Kodama RT, Pantaleão HQ, Inagaki H, Nihei KI, Konno K. Comprehensive Analysis and Biological Characterization of Venom Components from Solitary Scoliid Wasp Campsomeriella annulata annulata. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:885. [PMID: 34941722 PMCID: PMC8708821 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13120885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Venoms of solitary wasps are utilized for prey capture (insects and spiders), paralyzing them with a stinger injection to be offered as food for their larvae. Thus, the identification and characterization of the components of solitary wasp venoms can have biotechnological application. In the present study, the venom components profile of a solitary scoliid wasp, Campsomeriella annulata annulata, was investigated through a comprehensive analysis using LC-MS and -MS/MS. Online mass fingerprinting revealed that the venom extract contains 138 components, and MS/MS analysis identified 44 complete sequences of the peptide components. The peptides are broadly divided into two classes: bradykinin-related peptides, and linear α-helical peptides. Among the components of the first class, the two main peptides, α-campsomerin (PRLRRLTGLSPLR) and β-campsomerin (PRLRRLTGLSPLRAP), had their biological activities evaluated. Both peptides had no effects on metallopeptidases [human neprilysin (NEP) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)] and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and had no cytotoxic effects. Studies with PC12 neuronal cells showed that only α-campsomerin was able to enhance cell viability, while β-campsomerin had no effect. It is noteworthy that the only difference between the primary structures from these peptides is the presence of the AP extension at the C-terminus of β-campsomerin, compared to α-campsomerin. Among the linear α-helical peptides, annulatin (ISEALKSIIVG-NH2) was evaluated for its biological activities. Annulatin showed histamine releasing activity from mast cells and low hemolytic activity, but no antimicrobial activities against all microbes tested were observed. Thus, in addition to providing unprecedented information on the whole components, the three peptides selected for the study suggest that molecules present in solitary scoliid wasp venoms may have interesting biological activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Alberto-Silva
- Experimental Morphophysiology Laboratory, Natural and Humanities Sciences Center, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), São Bernardo do Campo 09606-070, SP, Brazil;
| | - Fernanda Calheta Vieira Portaro
- Structure and Functions of Biomolecules Laboratory, Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, SP, Brazil; (F.C.V.P.); (R.T.K.)
| | - Roberto Tadashi Kodama
- Structure and Functions of Biomolecules Laboratory, Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, SP, Brazil; (F.C.V.P.); (R.T.K.)
| | - Halyne Queiroz Pantaleão
- Experimental Morphophysiology Laboratory, Natural and Humanities Sciences Center, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), São Bernardo do Campo 09606-070, SP, Brazil;
| | - Hidetoshi Inagaki
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8566, Ibaraki, Japan;
| | - Ken-ichi Nihei
- School of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University, Utsunomiya 321-8505, Tochigi, Japan;
| | - Katsuhiro Konno
- Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Toyama, Japan
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