title: Androcin, a novel type of cysteine-rich venom peptide from Androctonus bicolor, induces akinesia and anxiety-like symptoms in mice.
abstract: A novel type of venom peptide with six disulfide bridges, referred to as Androcin, was identified from the scorpion Androctonus bicolor using a cDNA library strategy. The amino acid sequence of Androncin displays little identity to other known peptides from scorpions. We found that the genomic sequence of Androcin consists of three exons interrupted by two introns that are localized in the signal sequence and mature peptide encoding regions, inserted in phase 2 and phase 0, respectively. This genomic organization is unique among those of the cysteine-rich peptides from scorpions described so far. The primary and secondary structures of Androcin are homologous to those of the N-terminal domains of insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins; this suggests that Androcin may block the normal function of IGFs. Toxicological analysis using the recombinant Androcin peptide revealed that Androcin is able to induce severe akinesia and anxiety-like symptoms in mice. Androcin is a novel mammalian toxin with six disulfide bridges that provides the scorpion with another tool to subdue animals.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & Department of Biological Science and Technology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xian-Chun
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Wanxia
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yichen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000139:chemically induced*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D019295:Computational Biology; D003545:Cysteine / Q000378:metabolism*; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015723:Gene Library; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D012605:Scorpions / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012604:Scorpion Venoms; C000594355:androcin, Androctonus bicolor; D003545:Cysteine
keywords: Androctonus bicolor; akinesia; anxiety; cysteine-rich peptide; elevated plus maze; scorpion toxin; venom peptide