title: Venom Gland Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses of the Enigmatic Scorpion Superstitionia donensis (Scorpiones: Superstitioniidae), with Insights on the Evolution of Its Venom Components.
abstract: Venom gland transcriptomic and proteomic analyses have improved our knowledge on the diversity of the heterogeneous components present in scorpion venoms. However, most of these studies have focused on species from the family Buthidae. To gain insights into the molecular diversity of the venom components of scorpions belonging to the family Superstitioniidae, one of the neglected scorpion families, we performed a transcriptomic and proteomic analyses for the speciesSuperstitionia donensis. The total mRNA extracted from the venom glands of two specimens was subjected to massive sequencing by the Illumina protocol, and a total of 219,073 transcripts were generated. We annotated 135 transcripts putatively coding for peptides with identity to known venom components available from different protein databases. Fresh venom collected by electrostimulation was analyzed by LC-MS/MS allowing the identification of 26 distinct components with sequences matching counterparts from the transcriptomic analysis. In addition, the phylogenetic affinities of the found putative calcins, scorpines, La1-like peptides and potassium channel κ toxins were analyzed. The first three components are often reported as ubiquitous in the venom of different families of scorpions. Our results suggest that, at least calcins and scorpines, could be used as molecular markers in phylogenetic studies of scorpion venoms.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, Mexico. santibanezlo@wisc.edu.
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Santibáñez-López
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, Mexico. jcidu@ibt.unam.mx.
authors.forename: Jimena I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Cid-Uribe
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Universitario de Proteómica, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, Mexico. fbatista@ibt.unam.mx.
authors.forename: Cesar V F
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, Mexico. erne@ibt.unam.mx.
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 2001, Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, Mexico. possani@ibt.unam.mx.
authors.forename: Lourival D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Possani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005088:Exocrine Glands / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D010802:Phylogeny; D040901:Proteomics; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012605:Scorpions
chemical_list: D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D012604:Scorpion Venoms
keywords: enzymes; motifs; phylogenetic analysis; toxins; transcriptome