Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA.
Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA.
Toxicon. 2023 Sep;233:107231. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107231. Epub 2023 Jul 28.
Research on centipede venoms has led to the discovery of a diverse array of novel proteins and peptides, including those with homology to previously discovered toxin families (e.g., phospholipase A2s and pM12a metalloproteases) and novel toxin families not previously detected in venoms (e.g., β-pore forming toxins and scoloptoxins). Most of this research has focused on centipedes in the order Scolopendromorpha, particularly those in the families Scolopendridae, Cryptopidae, and Scolopocryptopidae. To generate the first high-throughput venom characterization for a centipede in the scolopendromorph family Plutoniumidae, we performed venom-gland transcriptomics and venom proteomics on two Theatops posticus. We identified a total of 64 venom toxins, 60 of which were detected in both the venom-gland transcriptome and venom proteome and four of which were only detected transcriptomically. We detected a single highly abundant arylsulfatase B (ARSB) toxin, the first ARSB toxin identified from centipede venoms. As ARSBs have been detected in other venomous species (e.g., scorpions), ARSBs in T. posticus highlights a new case of convergent evolution across venoms. Theatops posticus venom also contained a much higher abundance and diversity of phospholipase A2 toxins compared to other characterized centipede venoms. Conversely, we detected other common centipedes toxins, such as CAPs and scoloptoxins, at relatively low abundances and diversities. Our observation of a diverse set of toxins from T. posticus venom, including those from novel toxin families, emphasizes the importance of studying unexplored centipede taxonomic groups and the continued potential of centipede venoms for novel toxin discovery and unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying trait evolution.
蜈蚣毒液的研究导致了一系列新型蛋白和肽的发现，其中包括与先前发现的毒素家族（如磷脂酶 A2 和 pM12a 金属蛋白酶）具有同源性的毒素，以及以前在毒液中未检测到的新型毒素家族（如β-孔形成毒素和 scoloptoxins）。这项研究主要集中在 Scolopendromorpha 目蜈蚣，特别是蜈蚣科、Cryptopidae 和 Scolopocryptopidae 科的蜈蚣。为了对 Plutoniumidae 目蜈蚣进行首次高通量毒液特征分析，我们对两种 Theatops posticus 进行了毒液腺转录组学和毒液蛋白质组学研究。我们总共鉴定了 64 种毒液毒素，其中 60 种在毒液腺转录组和毒液蛋白质组中均有检测到，4 种仅在转录组中检测到。我们检测到一种单一的高度丰富的芳基硫酸酯酶 B（ARSB）毒素，这是首次从蜈蚣毒液中鉴定出的 ARSB 毒素。由于 ARSBs 已在其他毒液物种（如蝎子）中检测到，因此 T. posticus 中的 ARSBs 突出了毒液中趋同进化的一个新案例。Theatops posticus 毒液还含有比其他已鉴定的蜈蚣毒液更高丰度和多样性的磷脂酶 A2 毒素。相反，我们检测到其他常见的蜈蚣毒素，如 CAPs 和 scoloptoxins，其丰度和多样性相对较低。我们从 T. posticus 毒液中观察到包括新型毒素家族在内的多种毒素，这强调了研究未探索的蜈蚣分类群的重要性，以及蜈蚣毒液在发现新型毒素和揭示特征进化的分子机制方面的持续潜力。
