A Deeper Examination of Thorellius atrox Scorpion Venom Components with Omic Techonologies.

ABSTRACT: This communication reports a further examination of venom gland transcripts and venom composition of the Mexican scorpion Thorellius atrox using RNA-seq and tandem mass spectrometry. The RNA-seq, which was performed with the Illumina protocol, yielded more than 20,000 assembled transcripts. Following a database search and annotation strategy, 160 transcripts were identified, potentially coding for venom components. A novel sequence was identified that potentially codes for a peptide with similarity to spider ω-agatoxins, which act on voltage-gated calcium channels, not known before to exist in scorpion venoms. Analogous transcripts were found in other scorpion species. They could represent members of a new scorpion toxin family, here named omegascorpins. The mass fingerprint by LC-M

SUBMITTER: Romero-Gutierrez T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5744119 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature