title: The Transcriptome of the Zoanthid Protopalythoa variabilis (Cnidaria, Anthozoa) Predicts a Basal Repertoire of Toxin-like and Venom-Auxiliary Polypeptides.
abstract: Protopalythoa is a zoanthid that, together with thousands of predominantly marine species, such as hydra, jellyfish, and sea anemones, composes the oldest eumetazoan phylum, i.e., the Cnidaria. Some of these species, such as sea wasps and sea anemones, are highly venomous organisms that can produce deadly toxins for preying, for defense or for territorial disputes. Despite the fact that hundreds of organic and polypeptide toxins have been characterized from sea anemones and jellyfish, practically nothing is known about the toxin repertoire in zoanthids. Here, based on a transcriptome analysis of the zoanthid Protopalythoa variabilis, numerous predicted polypeptides with canonical venom protein features are identified. These polypeptides comprise putative proteins from different toxin families: neurotoxic peptides, hemostatic and hemorrhagic toxins, membrane-active (pore-forming) proteins, protease inhibitors, mixed-function venom enzymes, and venom auxiliary proteins. The synthesis and functional analysis of two of these predicted toxin products, one related to the ShK/Aurelin family and the other to a recently discovered anthozoan toxin, displayed potent in vivo neurotoxicity that impaired swimming in larval zebrafish. Altogether, the complex array of venom-related transcripts that are identified in P. variabilis, some of which are first reported in Cnidaria, provides novel insight into the toxin distribution among species and might contribute to the understanding of composition and evolution of venom polypeptides in toxiferous animals.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China.
authors: Chen
authors: C
authors: Huang
authors: Northeast Biotechnology Network (RENORBIO), Post-graduation program in Biotechnology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Institute for Marine Sciences, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors: Jean-Étienne Rl
authors: JR
authors: Morlighem
authors: State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China.
authors: Hefeng
authors: H
authors: Zhou
authors: Centro Acadêmico de Vitoria, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Vitória de Santo Antão, Brazil.
authors: Érica P
authors: ÉP
authors: Lima
authors: Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
authors: Paula B
authors: PB
authors: Gomes
authors: Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Macau, Macau, China.
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Cai
authors: Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Macau, Macau, China.
authors: Inchio
authors: I
authors: Lou
authors: Centro Acadêmico de Vitoria, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Vitória de Santo Antão, Brazil gandhi.radis@ufc.br simonlee@umac.mo cdperez@ufpe.br.
authors: Carlos D
authors: CD
authors: Pérez
authors: State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China gandhi.radis@ufc.br simonlee@umac.mo cdperez@ufpe.br.
authors: Simon Ming
authors: SM
authors: Lee
authors: Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Institute for Marine Sciences, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil gandhi.radis@ufc.br simonlee@umac.mo cdperez@ufpe.br.
authors: Gandhi
authors: G
authors: Rádis-Baptista
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D003064:Cnidarian Venoms; D010455:Peptides
keywords: Hexacorallia; RNA-seq; Zoanthidea; molecular toxinology; peptide toxin; transcriptome; venomics