title: Viper Venom Botox: The Molecular Origin and Evolution of the Waglerin Peptides Used in Anti-Wrinkle Skin Cream.
abstract: The molecular origin of waglerin peptides has remained enigmatic despite their industrial application in skin cream products to paralyse facial muscles and thus reduce the incidence of wrinkles. Here we show that these neurotoxic peptides are the result of de novo evolution within the prepro region of the C-type natriuretic peptide gene in Tropidolaemus venoms, at a site distinct from the domain encoding for the natriuretic peptide. It is the same region that yielded the azemiopsin peptides from Azemiops feae, indicative of a close relationship of this toxin gene between these two genera. The precursor region for the molecular evolution is a biodiversity hotspot that has yielded other novel bioactive peptides with novel activities. We detail the diversity of components in this and other species in order to explore what characteristics enable it to be such a biodiscovery treasure trove. The unusual function of Tropidolaemus venoms may have been selected for due to evolutionary pressures brought about by a high likelihood of prey escape.
authors.affiliation: Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Jordan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Debono
authors.affiliation: BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Alphabiotoxine Laboratory sprl, Barberie 15, 7911, Montroeul-au-bois, Belgium.
authors.forename: Aude
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Violette
authors.affiliation: Alphabiotoxine Laboratory sprl, Barberie 15, 7911, Montroeul-au-bois, Belgium.
authors.forename: Rudy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fourmy
authors.affiliation: Planet Exotica, 5, Avenue des Fleurs de la Paix, 17204, Royan Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jaeger
authors.affiliation: Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia. bgfry@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Bryan G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Fry
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003435:Crotalid Venoms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D010802:Phylogeny; D063465:Skin Cream; D014757:Viper Venoms / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D003435:Crotalid Venoms; D010455:Peptides; D014757:Viper Venoms; C077895:waglerin