Structural determinants of the scorpion venom peptide Uy234 govern bactericidal activity and membrane-disruptive properties

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  Image Credit: Urodacus yaschenkoi Structural determinants of the scorpion venom peptide Uy234 govern bactericidal activity and membrane-disruptive properties Abstract Introduction: The growth-inhibiting effect of the peptide Uy234, present in the venom of the scorpion Urodacus yaschenkoi , has been investigated in two bacterial pathogens: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Acinetobacter baumannii AE12, the latter being a multidrug-resistant clinical isolate. With the aim of determining the possible role of specific residues in the bioactivity of this peptide, we studied a proline residue at position 9 and the C-terminal amidation of this peptide. Methods: Two inactivated variants were analyzed: Uy234-C, a non-amidated peptide, and Uy234-A, a P9A mutant. In addition to quantifying in detail the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations for each microorganism, membrane-damaging effects were assessed through bacterial cell viability assays with SYTO9/PI fluorophores. In...

Country roads, take me home: Cyclocosmia johndenveri, a new species of trapdoor spider from the mountains of West Virginia (Araneae: Halonoproctidae)

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Country roads, take me home: Cyclocosmia johndenveri, a new species of trapdoor spider from the mountains of West Virginia (Araneae: Halonoproctidae)

Abstract
A new species of the enigmatic trapdoor spider genus Cyclocosmia Ausserer, 1871 is described from West Virginia, United States of America. Cyclocosmia johndenveri sp. nov. represents a significant northeasterly range extension for the genus and is described based on the male. 

Sherwood, Danniella. (2025). Country roads, take me home: Cyclocosmia johndenveri, a new species of trapdoor spider from the mountains of West Virginia (Araneae: Halonoproctidae). Natura Somogyiensis. 45. 27-40. 10.24394/NatSom.2025.45.27. 

Special thanks to Danni Sherwood for providing this paper via ResearchGate