Comparative proteomics reveals recruitment patterns of some protein families in the venoms of Cnidaria

Author(s)

Jaimes-Becerra, Adrian ; Chung, Ray ; Morandini, Andre C. ; Weston, Andrew J. ; Padilla, Gabriel ; Gacesa, Ranko ; Ward, Malcolm ; Long, Paul F. ; Marques, Antonio C.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Toxicon; v. 137, p. 19-26, OCT 2017.
• Web of Science Citations: 5

Abstract

Cnidarians are probably the oldest group of animals to be venomous, yet our current picture of cnidarian venom evolution is highly imbalanced due to limited taxon sampling. High-throughput tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine venom composition of the scyphozoan Chrysaora lactea and two cubozoans Tamoya haplonema and Chiropsalmus quadrumanus. Protein recruitment patterns were then compared against 5 other cnidarian venom proteomes taken from the literature. A total of 28 putative toxin protein families were identified, many for the first time in Cnidaria. Character mapping analysis revealed that 17 toxin protein families with predominantly cytolytic biological activities were likely recruited into the cnidarian venom proteome before the lineage split between Anthozoa and Medusozoa. Thereafter, venoms of Medusozoa and Anthozoa differed during subsequent divergence of cnidarian classes. Recruitment and loss of toxin protein families did not correlate with accepted phylogenetic patterns of Cnidaria. Selective pressures that drive toxin diversification independent of taxonomic positioning have yet to be identified in Cnidaria and now warrant experimental consideration. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/50174-7 - Systematics, life cycle and reproductive patterns of jellyfishes (Cnidaria: Medusozoa: Cubozoa and Scyphozoa) in the Baixada Santista (São Paulo, Brazil)
• Grantee: André Carrara Morandini
• Support type: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 11/50242-5 - Dimensions of marine life: patterns and process of diversifications in planktonic and benthic cnidarians
• Grantee: Antonio Carlos Marques
• Support type: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 10/06927-0 - Biodiversity and areas of endemism of benthic hydroids (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from southern South America and Antarctica
• Grantee: Thaís Pires Miranda
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 13/50484-4 - Biodiversity and distribution patterns of the Medusozoa form the South-Western Atlantic
• Grantee: Antonio Carlos Marques
• Support type: Regular Research Grants