First chance to see: New jumping-spider species from Batanta, Indonesia (Araneae, Salticidae, Euophryini)

Posted by
  First chance to see: New jumping-spider species from Batanta, Indonesia (Araneae, Salticidae, Euophryini) Abstract The first spider records of Batanta, Birie, and Arefi islands, Raja Ampat, Indonesia are presented in this study. Three new species in the genus Canama Simon, 1903, Canama horobi sp. nov . (male), Canama limagigi sp. nov . (male) and Canama wanita sp. nov . (female) are described. Two Indonesian salticids, originally placed in Bathippus Thorell, 1892 and known from their original descriptions only, Bathippus dentiferellus Strand, 1911 and Bathippus seltuttensis Strand, 1911, are redescribed and illustrated. Due to their morphological similarity to the type species, three new combinations have been proposed: Canama dentiferellus (Strand, 1911), comb. nov ., Canama seltuttensis (Strand, 1911), comb. nov . and Canama dilanians (Thorell, 1881), comb. nov . To confirm the phylogenetic placement of the new species, we carried out a small phylogenetic anal...

LmNaTx15, a novel scorpion toxin, enhances the activity of Nav channels and induces pain in mice

Posted by

 


LmNaTx15, a novel scorpion toxin, enhances the activity of Nav channels and induces pain in mice

Abstract

Polypeptide toxins are major bioactive components found in venomous animals. Many polypeptide toxins can specifically act on targets, such as ion channels and voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels, in the nervous, muscle, and cardiovascular systems of the recipient to increase defense and predation efficiency. In this study, a novel polypeptide toxin, LmNaTx15, was isolated from the venom of the scorpion Lychas mucronatus, and its activity was analyzed. LmNaTx15 slowed the fast inactivation of Nav1.2, Nav1.3, Nav1.4, Nav1.5, and Nav1.7 and inhibited the peak current of Nav1.5, but it did not affect Nav1.8. In addition, LmNaTx15 altered the voltage-dependent activation and inactivation of these Nav channel subtypes. Furthermore, like site 3 neurotoxins, LmNaTx15 induced pain in mice. These results show a novel scorpion toxin with a modulatory effect on specific Nav channel subtypes and pain induction in mice. Therefore, LmNaTx15 may be a key bioactive component for scorpion defense and predation. Besides, this study provides a basis for analyzing structure-function relationships of the scorpion toxins affecting Nav channel activity.

Minzhi Chen, Minjuan Lu, Xujun Feng, Meijing Wu, Xiaoqing Luo, Ruiqi Xiang, Ren Luo, Hang Wu, Zhonghua Liu, Meichi Wang, Xi Zhou, LmNaTx15, a novel scorpion toxin, enhances the activity of Nav channels and induces pain in mice, Toxicon, 2023, 107331, ISSN 0041-0101, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107331.

(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0041010123003173)