Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yunfei Wang, Chuanlin Yin, Hao Zhang, Peter Muiruri Kamau, Wenqi Dong, Anna Luo, Longhui Chai, Shilong Yang, Ren Lai
Summary: This study reveals the mechanism of tissue-specific resistance in centipedes, where a splice variant of the receptor repels its own toxin, establishing a safe zone in the venom-storing/secreting environment.
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Silvia L. Saggiomo, Cadhla Firth, David T. Wilson, Jamie Seymour, John J. Miles, Yide Wong
Summary: This review focuses on the comprehensive study and summary of stonefish venom, including global distribution, clinical case reports, antivenom development, and biomolecular composition. The study found that further research on stonefish venom is crucial for discovering new drug molecules or other physiological uses.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Charles Brighton Ndandala, Umar Farouk Mustapha, Yaorong Wang, Daniel Assan, Guangwen Zhao, Chunren Huang, Robert Mkuye, Hai Huang, Guangli Li, Huapu Chen
Summary: Fish venom has various biological activities, such as enzyme activity, cytotoxicity, neurotoxicity, muscular toxicity, haemolytic, and cardiotoxicity. Transcriptomic analysis of fish venom glands has revealed numerous proteins related to pharmacological activity, despite limited research. The unstable nature of fish venoms at normal temperatures poses challenges for their study.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
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)
Review
Biology
Wei-qiao Rao, Konstantinos Kalogeropoulos, Morten E. Allentoft, Shyam Gopalakrishnan, Wei-ning Zhao, Christopher T. Workman, Cecilie Knudsen, Belen Jimenez-Mena, Lorenzo Seneci, Mahsa Mousavi-Derazmahalleh, Timothy P. Jenkins, Esperanza Rivera-de-Torre, Si-qi Liu, Andreas H. Laustsen
Summary: Snake venoms contain bioactive proteins that can be used for drug discovery, and the evolution of snake venom proteins is driven by gene duplication and positive selection. Snake genomics is still in its early stages but has the potential to provide insights into venom evolution and toxinology. The presence of repeat sequences in snake genomes poses challenges for DNA sequencing, but advances in sequencing technologies and computational tools have improved our understanding of snake venom evolution.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aoyu Li, Yang Yue, Rongfeng Li, Chunlin Yu, Xueqin Wang, Song Liu, Ronge Xing, Pengcheng Li, Quanbin Zhang, Huahua Yu
Summary: This study investigated the biological activity of fucoidan for the treatment of jellyfish dermatitis. The results showed that fucoidan attenuated the inflammatory effects of jellyfish venom and downregulated the MAPK and NF-kappa B pathways. Fucoidan also inhibited the activity of metalloproteinases and phospholipase A2 in the jellyfish venom, reducing the symptoms of jellyfish dermatitis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eivind A. B. Undheim, Ronald A. Jenner
Summary: Animal venoms have evolved through recruitment of endogenous proteins with physiological functions, with centipedes being the only known animals with venoms containing gene families derived from horizontal gene transfer events. Horizontal gene transfer serves as a fast track channel for the evolution of novelty in animal venoms.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Edward G. G. Smith, Joachim M. M. Surm, Jason Macrander, Adi Simhi, Guy Amir, Maria Y. Y. Sachkova, Magda Lewandowska, Adam M. M. Reitzel, Yehu Moran
Summary: The authors compare toxin expression across sea anemone species and find variation in dominant toxin diploid copy number, generating distinct haplotypes. Venom is a complex trait with substantial inter- and intraspecific variability resulting from strong selective pressures. However, the understanding of underlying toxin expression dynamics and the determination of venom phenotype remains unresolved.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Letter
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Tianci Liao, Mailin Gan, Yanhao Qiu, Yuhang Lei, Qiuyang Chen, Xingyu Wang, Yiting Yang, Lei Chen, Ye Zhao, Lili Niu, Yan Wang, Shunhua Zhang, Li Zhu, Linyuan Shen
Summary: This study reveals the important role of exosomes and their miRNAs in cobra envenomation. The isolated exosomes from cobra venom were found to contain a large number of co-expressed and abundant miRNAs, including the specific miR-2904. Further experiments showed that the overexpression of CV-exo-miR-2904 induced symptoms similar to cobra envenomation in mice and caused liver damage, indicating its crucial role in cobra envenomation.
JOURNAL OF NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biology
Bjoern M. von Reumont, Gregor Anderluh, Agostinho Antunes, Naira Ayvazyan, Dimitris Beis, Figen Caliskan, Ana Crnkovic, Maik Damm, Sebastien Dutertre, Lars Ellgaard, Goran Gajski, Hannah German, Beata Halassy, Benjamin-Florian Hempel, Tim Hucho, Nasit Igci, Maria P. Ikonomopoulou, Izhar Karbat, Maria Klapa, Ivan Koludarov, Jeroen Kool, Tim Lueddecke, Riadh Ben Mansour, Maria Vittoria Modica, Yehu Moran, Ayse Nalbantsoy, Maria Eugenia Pachon Ibanez, Alexios Panagiotopoulos, Eitan Reuveny, Javier Sanchez Cespedes, Andy Sombke, Joachim M. Surm, Eivind A. B. Undheim, Aida Verdes, Giulia Zancolli
Summary: Venoms have evolved multiple times in different animal groups, with their components known as toxins being highly effective biochemical weapons. However, there are still many unanswered questions regarding the evolution of venom arsenals, and these questions have received little attention outside of certain animal groups. The study of venomous animals and their toxins has provided inspiration for translational research, and recent technological advancements have greatly improved venom research. Understanding the genomics and modifications of toxins is important in understanding their evolution and functions during different stages of development. Advanced imaging techniques and computer tomography also provide insights into the distribution and function of toxins in the venom system. The knowledge gained from studying venomous animals contributes to the identification and synthesis of venom compounds, which have potential benefits in various fields such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, therapeutics, and diagnostics.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Esperanza Rivera-de-Torre, Charlotte Rimbault, Timothy P. Jenkins, Christoffer V. Sorensen, Anna Damsbo, Natalie J. Saez, Yoan Duhoo, Celeste Menuet Hackney, Lars Ellgaard, Andreas H. Laustsen
Summary: Animal venoms contain toxins that play a crucial role in understanding toxicity mechanisms and developing biotechnological applications. Heterologous expression of toxins is an important approach to produce a sufficient amount of bioactive proteins. It ensures high purity, avoids contamination, and enables the design of toxins with specific properties.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Ivan Koludarov, Mariana Velasque, Tobias Senoner, Thomas Timm, Carola Greve, Alexander Ben Hamadou, Deepak Kumar Gupta, Guenter Lochnit, Michael Heinzinger, Andreas Vilcinskas, Rosalyn Gloag, Brock A. Harpur, Lars Podsiadlowski, Burkhard Rost, Timothy N. W. Jackson, Sebastien Dutertre, Eckart Stolle, Bjoern M. von Reumont
Summary: Most venom genes in Hymenoptera are shared by all members of the clade, with single gene co-option being the primary source and gene duplication contributing to diversification. Only a few venom proteins, such as melittin and anthophilin1, appear to be unique to the bee lineage, suggesting that most venom proteins predate the evolution of the aculeate stinger and the mega-radiation of hymenopterans.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
S. Amreen Nisa, D. Vinu, P. Krupakar, K. Govindaraju, D. Sharma, Rahul Vivek
Summary: Recent research on marine invertebrates has shown that jellyfish venoms are rich in toxins used for hunting and defense, but can also have harmful effects on humans. The nematocyst, a complex intracellular system found in cnidarians, injects a venomous mixture into prey or predators. These venoms can induce cytotoxicity, ion channel blockade, membrane pore formation, cardiovascular failure, and lethal effects in laboratory animals.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Samuel D. Robinson, Lucas Kambanis, Daniel Clayton, Hannes Hinneburg, Leo Corcilius, Alexander Mueller, Andrew A. Walker, Angelo Keramidas, Sameer S. Kulkarni, Alun Jones, Irina Vetter, Morten Thaysen-Andersen, Richard J. Payne, Glenn F. King, Eivind A. B. Undheim
Summary: Ants are common inhabitants in terrestrial environments, and their venom chemistry, particularly the glycopeptide Mg7a, has been discovered and characterized. Mg7a exhibits paralytic and lethal effects on insects, as well as inducing pain and inflammation in mammals through a membrane-targeting mechanism. The presence of O-glycans plays a crucial role in the solubility of Mg7a in aqueous solutions.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Zaineb Abdelkafi-Koubaa, Ines ELBini-Dhouib, Soumaya Souid, Jed Jebali, Raoudha Doghri, Najet Srairi-Abid, Khadija Essafi-Benkhadir, Olivier Micheau, Naziha Marrakchi
Summary: Snake venom proteins have been developed as potential drugs for treating human diseases despite being responsible for severe injuries. The study evaluated CC-LAAO from Cerastes cerastes snake venom as a potential anti-glioblastoma drug, showing that low concentrations may be safe and have potential in developing anti-glioblastoma agents.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Austin B. Schwartz, Anshika Kapur, Zhenbo Huang, Raveendra Anangi, John M. Spear, Scott Stagg, Erminia Fardone, Zolan Dekan, Jens T. Rosenberg, Samuel C. Grant, Glenn F. King, Hedi Mattoussi, Debra Ann Fadool
Summary: The olfactory system is modulated by metabolic factors to drive changes in feeding behavior and energy homeostasis. Inhibiting Kv1.3 in the olfactory bulb can enhance excitability of output neurons and lead to metabolic responses, resulting in changes in body weight and energy metabolism.
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Anesthesiology
Fernanda C. Cardoso, Joel Castro, Luke Grundy, Gudrun Schober, Sonia Garcia-Caraballo, Tianjiao Zhao, Volker Herzig, Glenn F. King, Stuart M. Brierley, Richard J. Lewis
Summary: The discovery of two novel tarantula-venom peptides, Tap1a and Tap2a, provides potential treatment for chronic visceral pain by modulating the activity of Na-v and Ca(v)3 channels. Tap1a, in particular, shows significant analgesic effects in a mouse model, suggesting a new therapeutic approach for chronic pain.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
David A. Eagles, Chun Yuen Chow, Glenn F. King
Summary: This review examines the role of Na(V)1.7 channels in nociception, their history as a therapeutic target, and the challenges in developing potent inhibitors. Despite significant progress in drug development, effective analgesia remains elusive in clinical trials.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Junior Gonzales, Javier Hernandez-Gil, Thomas C. Wilson, Dauren Adilbay, Mike Cornejo, Paula Demetrio de Souza Franca, Navjot Guru, Christina Schroeder, Glenn F. King, Jason S. Lewis, Thomas Reiner
Summary: Due to the potential severity and persistence of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, there is an urgent need for a tool to quantitatively measure this nerve damage. This study demonstrates a novel approach to localize peripheral nerves using in-cell heat imaging and fluorescence imaging, laying the groundwork for future clinical diagnostics and treatments.
MOLECULAR PHARMACEUTICS
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Laura C. Wait, Andrew A. Walker, Glenn F. King
Summary: Assassin bugs possess venom that contains proteins with a solitary CUB domain and cystatins, which may contribute to the insecticidal activity of their venom. These components have unknown functions in assassin bug venoms but have been found to cause paralysis and death in certain prey species upon injection.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Markus Muttenthaler, Glenn E. King, David J. Adams, Paul E. Alewood
Summary: This Perspective summarizes key trends in peptide drug discovery and development, including human hormones, elegant medicinal chemistry and rational design strategies, peptide drugs derived from nature, and major breakthroughs in molecular biology and peptide chemistry. It also emphasizes lessons from earlier approaches that are still relevant today and discusses emerging strategies impact on peptide drug discovery.
NATURE REVIEWS DRUG DISCOVERY
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Lauren M. Ashwood, Michela L. Mitchell, Bruno Madio, David A. Hurwood, Glenn F. King, Eivind A. B. Undheim, Raymond S. Norton, Peter J. Prentis
Summary: This study found that morphological variations in tentacles are associated with distinct toxin gene expression levels. Sea anemones with spherical tentacular structures may use specific venom cocktails to protect branched structures hosting a large number of photosynthetic symbionts.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Dongchen An, Ernesto Lopes Pinheiro-Junior, Laszlo Beress, Irina Gladkikh, Elena Leychenko, Eivind A. B. Undheim, Steve Peigneur, Jan Tytgat
Summary: AsKC11, a Kunitz peptide found in the venom of A. sulcata, is the first peptide shown to directly activate neuronal GIRK1/2 channels independent from Gi/o protein activity, without affecting the inward-rectifier potassium channel (IRK1) and with only a minor effect on K(V)1.6 channels. Thus, AsKC11 is a novel activator of GIRK channels resulting in larger K+ currents because of an increased chord conductance.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Volker Herzig, Yong-Cyuan Chen, Yanni K-Y Chin, Zoltan Dekan, Yu-Wang Chang, Hui-Ming Yu, Paul F. Alewood, Chien-Chang Chen, Glenn F. King
Summary: This study identified a tarantula venom from Avicularia spec. that can inhibit specific subtypes of T-type calcium channels, with the active toxin being omega-Avsp1a. The research suggests that omega-Avsp1a can inhibit specific subtypes of T-type calcium channels, and the domain-1 of Ca(V)3.3 is crucial for this inhibitory effect.
Article
Biology
Taline D. Kazandjian, Brett R. Hamilton, Samuel D. Robinson, Steven R. Hall, Keirah E. Bartlett, Paul Rowley, Mark C. Wilkinson, Nicholas R. Casewell, Eivind A. B. Undheim
Summary: This study investigates whether the distinct spatial distributions of toxins in snake venom glands are an adaptation that enables the secretion of venoms with distinct ecological functions. The results show that the main defensive and predatory peptide toxins are produced in distinct regions of the venom glands of the black-necked spitting cobra, but these distributions likely reflect developmental effects. There were no significant differences in venom collected from defensive 'spitting' or predatory 'biting' events from the same specimens representing multiple lineages of spitting cobra, indicating that the heterogeneous toxin distribution is not an adaptation to controlling venom composition in snakes.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fernanda C. Cardoso, Sandy S. Pineda, Volker Herzig, Kartik Sunagar, Naeem Yusuf Shaikh, Ai-Hua Jin, Glenn F. King, Paul F. Alewood, Richard J. Lewis, Sebastien Dutertre
Summary: Australian tree-dwelling funnel-web spiders have venom that induces deadly symptoms and exhibits different venom composition compared to ground-dwelling species. The venom of tree-dwellers strongly modulates human voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels, while also showing potent insecticidal effects. This study contributes to understanding the molecular and pharmacological basis for severe envenomation by Australian tree-dwelling funnel-web spiders.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Junyu Liu, Michael Maxwell, Thom Cuddihy, Theo Crawford, Madeline Bassetti, Cameron Hyde, Steve Peigneur, Jan Tytgat, Eivind A. B. Undheim, Mehdi Mobli
Summary: Receptor avidity through multivalency is difficult to engineer in synthetic molecules, but can be found in natural bivalent antibodies. The discovery of bivalent venom peptides with tandem repeat domains has provided insight into multivalency in biomolecules. ScrepYard, an online resource, assists in identifying SCREP sequences and characterizing this emerging class of biomolecules.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Daniel Dashevsky, Kate Baumann, Eivind A. B. Undheim, Amanda Nouwens, Maria P. Ikonomopoulou, Justin O. Schmidt, Lilin Ge, Hang Fai Kwok, Juanita Rodriguez, Bryan G. Fry
Summary: Aculeate hymenopterans use venom for different purposes based on social behavior, with solitary species using it to paralyze prey and social species using it for colony defense. This study found that venom compositions and activities vary among species, with social species having higher presence of peptides causing damage and pain.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Andrew A. Walker, Lynda E. Perkins, Andrea Battisti, Myron P. Zalucki, Glenn F. King
Summary: Ochrogaster lunifer is an Australian caterpillar that has detachable urticating setae with defensive function. These setae can cause inflammation on human skin and equine foetal loss syndrome in gravid horses if accidentally ingested. Transcriptomics and proteomics analysis identified 37 putative toxins, including multiple homologues of honeybee venom peptide secapin and proteins with similarity to odorant binding proteins, arylphorins, and the insect immune modulator Diedel. This study reveals candidate molecules that may contribute to the adverse effects of processionary caterpillar setae on human and animal health.
