Discovery of an MIT-like atracotoxin family: spider venom peptides that share sequence homology but not pharmacological properties with AVIT family proteins.
This project identified a novel family of six 66-68 residue peptides from the venom of two Australian funnel-web spiders, Hadronyche sp. 20 and H. infensa: Orchid Beach (Hexathelidae: Atracinae), that appear to undergo N- and/or C-terminal post-translational modifications and conform to an ancestral protein fold. These peptides all show significant amino acid sequence homology to atracotoxin-Hvf17 (ACTX-Hvf17), a non-toxic peptide isolated from the venom of H. versuta, and a variety of AVIT family proteins including mamba intestinal toxin 1 (MIT1) and its mammalian and piscine orthologs prokineticin 1 (PK1) and prokineticin 2 (PK2). These AVIT family proteins target prokineticin receptors involved in the sensitization of nociceptors and gastrointestinal smooth muscle activation. Given their sequence homology to MIT1, we have named these spider venom peptides the MIT-like atracotoxin (ACTX) family. Using isolated rat stomach fundus or guinea-pig ileum organ bath preparations we have shown that the prototypical ACTX-Hvf17, at concentrations up to 1muM, did not stimulate smooth muscle contractility, nor did it inhibit contractions induced by human PK1 (hPK1). The peptide also lacked activity on other isolated smooth muscle preparations including rat aorta. Furthermore, a FLIPR Ca2+ flux assay using HEK293 cells expressing prokineticin receptors showed that ACTX-Hvf17 fails to activate or block hPK1 or hPK2 receptors. Therefore, while the MIT-like ACTX family appears to adopt the ancestral disulfide-directed beta-hairpin protein fold of MIT1, a motif believed to be shared by other AVIT family peptides, variations in the amino acid sequence and surface charge result in a loss of activity on prokineticin receptors.
Neurotoxin Research Group, Department of Health Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.
Suping
S
Wen
David T R
DT
Wilson
Sanjaya
S
Kuruppu
Michael L J
ML
Korsinczky
Joseph
J
Hedrick
Ling
L
Pang
Tim
T
Szeto
Wayne C
WC
Hodgson
Paul F
PF
Alewood
Graham M
GM
Nicholson
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013112:Spiders / Q000235:genetics*; D042662:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Endocrine-Gland-Derived / Q000494:pharmacology
D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C467610:PROK1 protein, human; D010455:Peptides; D013111:Spider Venoms; D042662:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Endocrine-Gland-Derived; C402142:mamba intestinal toxin 1