Molecular Recognition and Immunopharmacological Implications of Serratiopeptidase Targeting Snake Venom Bradykinin-Potentiating Peptides

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  Molecular Recognition and Immunopharmacological Implications of Serratiopeptidase Targeting Snake Venom Bradykinin-Potentiating Peptides Abstract Purpose Bradykinin-potentiating peptides (BPPs), found in snake venom, are known to modulate cardiovascular functions, but their susceptibility to enzymatic degradation remains poorly understood. Methods Models were generated using AlphaFold-Colab for five small BPPs (< 9 amino acids) that did not have experimentally solved structures, and those BPPs which had reliable predictions of structure (pLDDT > 80) were used for docking studies. Protein-peptide docking experiments were done using HADDOCK for studying the interaction between wild-type (WT) and mutant serratiopeptidase with BPPs. After selecting the best complex, simulation of the complex was done using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for 100 ns and binding energy determination using MM/PBSA analysis. For checking the mechanical stability of the protein-peptide complexes...

Enigmatic and extravagant genitalia in the spider genus Mastigusa (Araneae, Cybaeidae) – a taxonomic revision

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Enigmatic and extravagant genitalia in the spider genus Mastigusa (Araneae, Cybaeidae) – a taxonomic revision

Abstract

Mastigusa is a genus of small palearctic spiders that has recently been moved to the family Cybaeidae after the first inclusion of the genus in a phylogenetic matrix. Three species are currently recognised: M. arietina, M. lucifuga and M. macrophthalma. The status and delimitation, though, has always been problematic due to inconsistency in the characters used to discriminate between these, leading to great confusion in identity and distribution. We present a detailed morphological redescription of the genus and a taxonomic revision of the included species by the combined use of morphological data and molecular species-delimitation techniques based on the mitochondrial COI gene. The status of the three currently described species has been reevaluated and Mastigusa diversa was revalidated based on material from the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa and the United Kingdom. The distribution of Mastigusa species is updated based on novel taxonomic considerations, and comments on the natural history and ecological differences observed in the species are provided.

Castellucci Filippo, Luchetti Andrea, Scharff Nikolaj (2024) Enigmatic and extravagant genitalia in the spider genus Mastigusa (Araneae, Cybaeidae) – a taxonomic revision. Invertebrate Systematics 38, IS23047.

https://doi.org/10.1071/IS23047