title: Molecular diversity of Chaerilidae venom peptides reveals the dynamic evolution of scorpion venom components from Buthidae to non-Buthidae.
abstract: The scorpion family Chaerilidae is phylogenetically differentiated from Buthidae. Their venom components are not known, and the evolution of the venom components is not well understood. Here, we performed a transcriptome analysis of the venom glands from two scorpion species, Chaerilus tricostatus and Chaerilus tryznai. Fourteen types of venom peptides were discovered from two species, 10 of which were shared by both C. tricostatus and C. tryznai. Notably, the venom components of Chaerilidae were also found to contain four toxin types (NaTx, β-KTx, Scamp and bpp-like peptides), previously considered to be specific to Buthidae. Moreover, cytolytic peptides were the most abundant toxin type in C. tricostatus, C. tryznai and the family Euscorpiidae. Furthermore, 39 and 35 novel atypical venom molecules were identified from C. tricostatus and C. tryznai, respectively. Finally, the evolutionary analysis showed that the NaTx, β-KTx, and bpp-like toxin types were recruited into the venom before the lineage split between Buthidae and non-Buthidae families. This study provides an integrated understanding of the venom components of the scorpion family Chaerilidae. The family Chaerilidae has a specific venom arsenal that is intermediate between Buthidae and non-Buthidae, which suggests the dynamic evolution of scorpion venom components from Buthidae to non-Buthidae species.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This work gave a first overview of the venom components of Chaerilidae scorpions, and discovered large numbers of new toxin molecules, which significantly enriches the molecular diversity of scorpion venom peptides/proteins components. Based on phylogenetic analysis we speculated that the NaTx, β-KTx and bpp-like toxin type genes were recruited into venom before the lineage split between Buthidae and non-Buthidae. By Comparing the toxin types and abundance of the Buthidae, Chaerilidae and non-Buthidae families, we found that the family Chaerilidae has a specific venom arsenal that is intermediate Buthidae and non-Buthidae, which suggests the dynamic evolution of scorpion venom components from Buthidae to non-Buthidae species.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, PR China.
authors.forename: Yawen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Ruiming
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhiyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Di
authors.forename: Zhongjie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaobo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Yingliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Huabin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Wenxin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhijian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D012605:Scorpions / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D012604:Scorpion Venoms
keywords: Molecular diversity; Molecular recruitment; Peptidome evolution; Scorpion venom arsenal; Transcriptome analysis