title: The Biochemical Toxin Arsenal from Ant Venoms.
abstract: Ants (Formicidae) represent a taxonomically diverse group of hymenopterans with over 13,000 extant species, the majority of which inject or spray secretions from a venom gland. The evolutionary success of ants is mostly due to their unique eusociality that has permitted them to develop complex collaborative strategies, partly involving their venom secretions, to defend their nest against predators, microbial pathogens, ant competitors, and to hunt prey. Activities of ant venom include paralytic, cytolytic, haemolytic, allergenic, pro-inflammatory, insecticidal, antimicrobial, and pain-producing pharmacologic activities, while non-toxic functions include roles in chemical communication involving trail and sex pheromones, deterrents, and aggregators. While these diverse activities in ant venoms have until now been largely understudied due to the small venom yield from ants, modern analytical and venomic techniques are beginning to reveal the diversity of toxin structure and function. As such, ant venoms are distinct from other venomous animals, not only rich in linear, dimeric and disulfide-bonded peptides and bioactive proteins, but also other volatile and non-volatile compounds such as alkaloids and hydrocarbons. The present review details the unique structures and pharmacologies of known ant venom proteinaceous and alkaloidal toxins and their potential as a source of novel bioinsecticides and therapeutic agents.
authors.affiliation: CNRS, UMR Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (AgroParisTech, CIRAD, CNRS, INRA, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, Kourou Cedex 97379, France. t.axel@hotmail.fr.|BTSB (Biochimie et Toxicologie des Substances Bioactives) Université de Champollion, Place de Verdun, Albi 81012, France. t.axel@hotmail.fr.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Touchard
authors.affiliation: Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia. samira.aili@uts.edu.au.
authors.forename: Samira R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Aili
authors.affiliation: Red Imported Fire Ant Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China. ofoxofox@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Eduardo Gonçalves Paterson
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.affiliation: VenomeTech, 473 Route des Dolines-Villa 3, Valbonne 06560, France. escoubas@venometech.com.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Escoubas
authors.affiliation: CNRS, UMR Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (AgroParisTech, CIRAD, CNRS, INRA, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, Kourou Cedex 97379, France. Jerome.Orivel@ecofog.gf.
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Orivel
authors.affiliation: Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia. graham.nicholson@uts.edu.au.
authors.forename: Graham M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.affiliation: CNRS, UMR Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (AgroParisTech, CIRAD, CNRS, INRA, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, Kourou Cedex 97379, France. alain.dejean@wanadoo.fr.|Laboratoire Écologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement, 118 Route de Narbonne, Toulouse 31062, France. alain.dejean@wanadoo.fr.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dejean
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D000862:Ant Venoms / Q000737:chemistry*; D001000:Ants; D006801:Humans; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000862:Ant Venoms; D019476:Insect Proteins; D010455:Peptides
keywords: alkaloids; ant venom; enzymes; formic acid; peptides; toxins; venom biochemistry