Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Benjamin Americus, Nicole Hams, Anna M. L. Klompen, Gema Alama-Bermejo, Tamar Lotan, Jerri L. Bartholomew, Stephen D. Atkinson
Summary: Cnidarians are ancient venomous organisms that use nematocysts for prey capture or defense. Myxozoans, a group of parasitic cnidarians, have reduced diversity in venom-like compounds (VLCs) compared to free-living cnidarians. VLCs play a role in host adhesion and invasion, with some inherited from a cnidarian ancestor and others potentially gained through convergent evolution. Understanding the function and expression of VLCs during infection enriches the concept of venom function and provides potential targets for therapeutic development against myxozoan infections.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ahmet Karabulut, Melainia McClain, Boris Rubinstein, Keith Z. Sabin, Sean A. McKinney, Matthew C. Gibson
Summary: This study describes the nematocyst thread and its sub-structures in the sea anemone N. vectensis, revealing complexity and sophistication in this cellular weapon. Nematocysts are remarkable cellular weapons used for predation and defense, with pressurized capsules containing coiled harpoon-like threads for rapid discharge.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Arie Fridrich, Miguel Salinas-Saaverda, Itamar Kozlolvski, Joachim M. Surm, Eleni Chrysostomou, Abhinandan M. Tripathi, Uri Frank, Yehu Moran
Summary: The study reveals the importance of miR-2022 in initiating cell generation in Nematostella and its conservation across other cnidarian species.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Aoyu Li, Huahua Yu, Rongfeng Li, Yang Yue, Chunlin Yu, Hao Geng, Song Liu, Ronge Xing, Pengcheng Li
Summary: The study demonstrates the myotoxicity of Nemopilema nomurai nematocyst venom for the first time, showing significant muscle swelling, increased CK and LDH in serum, muscle tissue inflammation, and tissue damage. Metalloproteinase inhibitors BMT and EDTA significantly reduce the myotoxicity, inflammatory stimulation, and tissue necrosis induced by NnNV.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2022)
Review
Toxicology
K. L. Kaposi, R. L. Courtney, J. E. Seymour
Summary: This review highlights the lack of research in the field of coral venom ecology under bleaching stress. It explores the potential impacts of bleaching on cnidarians' cnidae, venom composition, and venom toxicity, and identifies ecological factors driving these changes. Suggestions for future research to fill this knowledge gap are provided.
Article
Biology
Cheng-Tsung Pan, Chien-Chu Lin, I-Jin Lin, Kun-Yi Chien, Yeong-Shin Lin, Hsiao-Han Chang, Wen-Guey Wu
Summary: For decades, researchers have focused on studying the dominant soluble proteins in snake venom. However, there is still much to learn about the minor venom components, such as snake venom phosphodiesterase (svPDE). In this study, the authors explore svPDE and show that it is derived from a membrane-attached gene and plays a role in purinergic signaling and insulin transduction.
Article
Fisheries
S. Amreen Nisa, K. Govindaraju, R. Vasantharaja, M. Kannan, K. Raja
Summary: The study investigates the production of gold nanoparticles using jellyfish venom and their effectiveness in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. The nanoparticles were characterized using various techniques and were found to have spherical and triangular shapes with different sizes. The results of the MTT assay showed that the venom-mediated nanoparticles significantly reduced the proliferation of MCF-7 cells compared to normal cells.
AQUACULTURE INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Wei Yuen Yap, Jung Shan Hwang
Summary: HALT-4 differs from other actinoporins due to its N-terminal propart containing additional residues. Five truncated versions of HALT-4 were created to investigate the role of the N-terminal region and potential cleavage sites. Results showed that proHALT-4, tKK1, and tKK2 exhibited similar cytolytic activity, while tRK3, tKK4, and tKK5 failed to kill cells, suggesting cleavage did not enhance cytolytic activity but may aid in sorting to secretory pathway.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Y. Mazhdi, S. M. Hamidi
Summary: This study investigated the reliability of a two-dimensional plasmonic structure and circular dichroism (CD) in detecting venom concentrations and neurotoxic effects on human neurotransmitters. The results confirmed the dependency of CD signal on venom concentrations' neurotoxic effects and the sensor's sensitivity with achiral plasmonic structure.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhiyi Liao, Xiaopeng Tang, Wenlin Chen, Xuelong Jiang, Zhongzheng Chen, Kai He, Quan Li, Zilei Duan, Xiaoqin He, Peter Muiruri Kamau, Longbao Lv, Zhiye Zhang, Mingqiang Rong, Qiumin Lv, Ren Lai
Summary: Eulipotyphlan mammals such as shrews possess oral venom systems, and a toxin (BQTX) from shrews' submaxillary glands induces acute hypertension, blood coagulation, hypokinesia, and has strong analgesic function. This toxin has high plasma stability, which likely extends the immobilization of prey for maximizing foraging profit.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anna Luo, Aili Wang, Peter Muiruri Kamau, Ren Lai, Lei Luo
Summary: Centipedes are ancient and successful venomous animals, with their venoms targeting ion channels in the nervous system. Understanding the mechanism of neurotoxins acting on ion channels contributes to the knowledge of centipede venoms and channel functions. The unique structure and selective activities of centipede venom peptides make them potential research tools and biological drugs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biology
Hemavathi Maduraiveeran, Kavitha Raja, Arulvasu Chinnasamy
Summary: The study found that crude venom from nematocyst of A. flagellatus has anti-cancer and antioxidant properties, inhibiting lung and liver cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 60 μg/ml and 40 μg/ml, respectively, while showing no cytotoxic effects on the Vero cell line.
SAUDI JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Anant Deshwal, Phuc Phan, Jyotishka Datta, Ragupathy Kannan, Suresh Kumar Thallapuranam
Summary: Venom components, with their specificity and potency, offer a unique advantage in pharmaceutical drug development. Understanding the relationships between these components is crucial in medical research, and meta-analysis can reveal patterns and associations within toxin families.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
S. Amreen Nisa, K. Govindaraju, R. Vasantharaja, M. Kannan, D. Karthickeyan
Summary: The study synthesized gold nanoparticles using jellyfish nematocyst venom protein extracted from PBS and DDW. The two different nanoparticles exhibited spherical morphology with sizes ranging from 31 nm to 27 nm respectively. The toxicity of the nanoparticles was analyzed using HEK293 cells through the MTT assay. Moreover, the anti-cancer activity of the venom protein, PBS/DDW-extracted venom protein-mediated synthesized gold nanoparticles, and standard drug 5-Fluorouracil was evaluated using MCF-7 cancer cells.
CHEMICAL PHYSICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Tuany Siqueira-Silva, Luiz Antonio Gonzaga de Lima, Jonatas Chaves-Silveira, Talita Ferreira Amado, Julian Naipauer, Pablo Riul, Pablo Ariel Martinez
Summary: The study found that environments with higher productivity contribute to more complex snake venom with higher toxin proportions, while snake species living on islands with lower resource variability tend to have less complex venom dominated by fewer toxins. The extent of isolation of an island seems to play a role in the faster fixation of specific venom compositions.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Mohammadhossein Movassaghghazani, Nazanin Shabansalmani
Summary: The study revealed high levels of AFM1 in both breast milk and powdered milk samples in Tehran, with some samples exceeding the established limits. Therefore, monitoring and regulating toxin levels in these products is crucial for maternal and infant health.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Defeng Wen, Wantong Han, Quan Chen, Guanhui Qi, Mengling Gao, Pu Guo, Yu Liu, Zhongyuan Wu, Shulin Fu, Qirong Lu, Yinsheng Qiu
Summary: Luteolin can inhibit FB1-induced intestinal inflammatory injury by inhibiting the activation of NF-kappa B and ERK signaling pathways, according to network pharmacology and in vitro experiments.