In vitro evaluation of venom extracts of Sphecid wasps against phytopathogens of horticultural crops and mass spectrometric profiling of venom peptide components

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  In vitro evaluation of venom extracts of Sphecid wasps against phytopathogens of horticultural crops and mass spectrometric profiling of venom peptide components Abstract As the shortcomings of synthetic chemicals become gradually evident, the dynamics of pest and disease management in modern agriculture are progressively shifting towards environmentally safer alternatives. Biopesticides, such as peptide-based approaches offer attractive alternatives, although their potential remains yet to be fully explored. In this exploratory study, crude venom extracts from previously unexplored Hymenopteran sphecid wasps ( Chalybion bengalense , Sceliphron madraspatanum , Ammophila atriceps and Sphex argentatus ) were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against selected plant pathogens. The venom extracts demonstrated prominent antibacterial activity lacking antifungal activity. Among the wasps, C . bengalense exhibited the most significant antibacterial activity against Gram-negati...

The complete mitochondrial genome of Androctonus mauritanicus (Arachnida: Scorpiones)

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The complete mitochondrial genome of Androctonus mauritanicus (Arachnida: Scorpiones)

Abstract

Androctonus mauritanicus is a significant species in the realm of venomous arthropods. Its native habitat in North Africa has led to its recognition as a large scorpion with highly potent venom, resulting in a critical number of fatalities among humans annually. The specimen used in this study was collected in Marrakech, Morocco, in 2019. To understand its genetic diversity, we sequenced, assembled, and annotated the mitochondrial genome of A. mauritanicus and compared it with those of other scorpions. The assembled mitochondrial genome resulted in 14886 base pairs of circular DNA with 32.37% GC content. Genome annotation predicted 13 protein-coding genes, 21 transfer RNAs (with a notable absence of tRNA-Asp), and 2 ribosomal RNA genes. The nucleotide composition exhibits an AT bias of 67.7%, with heterogeneity across codon positions. Phylogenetic analysis consistently shows A. mauritanicus is closely related to Buthus occitanus and Androctonus australis, with an evolutionary distance of 0.178 to A. australis. Selection pressure analysis using codon-based Z-tests indicates significant purifying selection across most mitochondrial protein-coding genes, with diminishing significance in more distantly related species, while positive selection was not statistically significant. This study improves our knowledge of scorpion biology, ecology and evolution and would further our ability to explore practical applications for medicine and species conservation.
EL GHOUBALI, D., PIRRO, S., IDRISSI AZAMI, A., NEJJARI, C., AL IDRISSI, N., RFAKI, A., ELJAOUDI, R., BELYAMANI, L., AMZAZI, S., HAMDI, S., & GHAZAL, H. (2025). The complete mitochondrial genome of Androctonus mauritanicus (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Ecological Genetics and Genomics, 100429. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egg.2025.100429