Buzz Kill: Function and Proteomic Composition of Venom from the Giant Assassin Fly <i>Dolopus genitalis</i> (Diptera: Asilidae)
Assassin flies (Diptera: Asilidae) inject paralysing venom into insect prey during hunting, but their venoms are poorly characterised in comparison to those produced by spiders, scorpions, or hymenopteran insects. Here we investigated the composition of the venom of the giant Australian assassin fly...
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doaj-7ede63c09dd44caa865609b7a8e8a6832020-11-24T20:56:59ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512018-11-01101145610.3390/toxins10110456toxins10110456Buzz Kill: Function and Proteomic Composition of Venom from the Giant Assassin Fly <i>Dolopus genitalis</i> (Diptera: Asilidae)Andrew A. Walker0James Dobson1Jiayi Jin2Samuel D. Robinson3Volker Herzig4Irina Vetter5Glenn F. King6Bryan G. Fry7Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaVenom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaVenom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaAssassin flies (Diptera: Asilidae) inject paralysing venom into insect prey during hunting, but their venoms are poorly characterised in comparison to those produced by spiders, scorpions, or hymenopteran insects. Here we investigated the composition of the venom of the giant Australian assassin fly <i>Dolopus genitalis</i> using a combination of insect microinjection assays, calcium imaging assays of mammalian sensory neurons, proteomics and transcriptomics. Injection of venom into blowflies (<i>Lucilia cuprina</i>) produced rapid contractile paralysis (PD<sub>50</sub> at 1 min = 3.1 μg per fly) followed by death, and also caused immediate activation of mouse dorsal root ganglion neurons (at 50 ng/μL). These results are consistent with venom use for both prey capture and predator deterrence. Paragon searches of tandem mass spectra of venom against a translated thoracic gland RNA-Seq database identified 122 polypeptides present in the venom, including six linear and 21 disulfide-rich peptides. Some of these disulfide-rich peptides display sequence homology to peptide families independently recruited into other animal venoms, including inhibitor cystine knots, cystine-stabilised α/β defensins, Kazal peptides, and von Willebrand factors. Numerous enzymes are present in the venom, including 35 proteases of the S1 family, proteases of the S10, C1A, M12A, M14, and M17 families, and phosphatase, amylase, hydrolase, nuclease, and dehydrogenase-like proteins. These results highlight convergent molecular evolution between the assassin flies and other venomous animals, as well as the unique and rich molecular composition of assassin fly venom.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/10/11/456venompeptidedefensinAsilidaeDipterainsect venomAsilidininhibitor cystine knotextra-oral digestion |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Andrew A. Walker James Dobson Jiayi Jin Samuel D. Robinson Volker Herzig Irina Vetter Glenn F. King Bryan G. Fry |
spellingShingle |
Andrew A. Walker James Dobson Jiayi Jin Samuel D. Robinson Volker Herzig Irina Vetter Glenn F. King Bryan G. Fry Buzz Kill: Function and Proteomic Composition of Venom from the Giant Assassin Fly <i>Dolopus genitalis</i> (Diptera: Asilidae) Toxins venom peptide defensin Asilidae Diptera insect venom Asilidin inhibitor cystine knot extra-oral digestion |
author_facet |
Andrew A. Walker James Dobson Jiayi Jin Samuel D. Robinson Volker Herzig Irina Vetter Glenn F. King Bryan G. Fry |
author_sort |
Andrew A. Walker |
title |
Buzz Kill: Function and Proteomic Composition of Venom from the Giant Assassin Fly <i>Dolopus genitalis</i> (Diptera: Asilidae) |
title_short |
Buzz Kill: Function and Proteomic Composition of Venom from the Giant Assassin Fly <i>Dolopus genitalis</i> (Diptera: Asilidae) |
title_full |
Buzz Kill: Function and Proteomic Composition of Venom from the Giant Assassin Fly <i>Dolopus genitalis</i> (Diptera: Asilidae) |
title_fullStr |
Buzz Kill: Function and Proteomic Composition of Venom from the Giant Assassin Fly <i>Dolopus genitalis</i> (Diptera: Asilidae) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Buzz Kill: Function and Proteomic Composition of Venom from the Giant Assassin Fly <i>Dolopus genitalis</i> (Diptera: Asilidae) |
title_sort |
buzz kill: function and proteomic composition of venom from the giant assassin fly <i>dolopus genitalis</i> (diptera: asilidae) |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Toxins |
issn |
2072-6651 |
publishDate |
2018-11-01 |
description |
Assassin flies (Diptera: Asilidae) inject paralysing venom into insect prey during hunting, but their venoms are poorly characterised in comparison to those produced by spiders, scorpions, or hymenopteran insects. Here we investigated the composition of the venom of the giant Australian assassin fly <i>Dolopus genitalis</i> using a combination of insect microinjection assays, calcium imaging assays of mammalian sensory neurons, proteomics and transcriptomics. Injection of venom into blowflies (<i>Lucilia cuprina</i>) produced rapid contractile paralysis (PD<sub>50</sub> at 1 min = 3.1 μg per fly) followed by death, and also caused immediate activation of mouse dorsal root ganglion neurons (at 50 ng/μL). These results are consistent with venom use for both prey capture and predator deterrence. Paragon searches of tandem mass spectra of venom against a translated thoracic gland RNA-Seq database identified 122 polypeptides present in the venom, including six linear and 21 disulfide-rich peptides. Some of these disulfide-rich peptides display sequence homology to peptide families independently recruited into other animal venoms, including inhibitor cystine knots, cystine-stabilised α/β defensins, Kazal peptides, and von Willebrand factors. Numerous enzymes are present in the venom, including 35 proteases of the S1 family, proteases of the S10, C1A, M12A, M14, and M17 families, and phosphatase, amylase, hydrolase, nuclease, and dehydrogenase-like proteins. These results highlight convergent molecular evolution between the assassin flies and other venomous animals, as well as the unique and rich molecular composition of assassin fly venom. |
topic |
venom peptide defensin Asilidae Diptera insect venom Asilidin inhibitor cystine knot extra-oral digestion |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/10/11/456 |
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