Venom profile of the European carpenter bee Xylocopa violacea: Evolutionary and applied considerations on its toxin components.

ABSTRACT: Modern venomics is increasing its focus on hymenopterans such as honeybees, bumblebees, parasitoid wasps, ants and true wasps. However solitary bees remain understudied in comparison and the few available venom studies focus on short melittin-like sequences and antimicrobial peptides. Herein we describe the first comprehensive venom profile of a solitary bee, the violet carpenter bee Xylocopa violacea, by using proteo-transcriptomics. We reveal a diverse and complex venom profile with 43 different protein families identified from dissected venom gland extracts of which 32 are also detected in the defensively injected venom. Melittin and apamin are the most highly secreted components, followed by Phospholipase A2, Icarapin, Secapin and three novel components. Other components, includ

SUBMITTER: von Reumont BM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8927852 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature