Recruitment of toxin-like proteins with ancestral venom function supports endoparasitic lifestyles of Myxozoa [PeerJ]

Cnidarians are the oldest lineage of venomous animals and use nematocysts to discharge toxins. Whether venom toxins have been recruited to support parasitic lifestyles in the Endocnidozoa (Myxozoa + Polypodium) is, however, unknown. To examine this issue we variously employed transcriptomic, proteomic, associated molecular phylogenies, and localisation studies on representative primitive and derived myxozoans (Malacosporea and Myxosporea, respectively), Polypodium hydriforme, and the free-living staurozoan Calvadosia cruxmelitensis. Our transcriptomics and proteomics analyses provide evidence for expression and translation of venom toxin homologs in myxozoans. Phylogenetic placement of Kunitz type serine protease inhibitors and phospholipase A2 enzymes reveals modification of toxins inherited from ancestral free-living cnidarian toxins, and that venom diversity is reduced in myxozoans concordant with their reduced genome sizes. Various phylogenetic analyses of the Kunitz-type toxin family in Endocnidozoa suggested lineage-specific gene duplications, which offers a possible mechanism for enhancing toxin diversification. Toxin localisation in the malacosporean Buddenbrockia plumatellae substantiates toxin translation and thus illustrates a repurposing of toxin function for endoparasite development and interactions with hosts, rather than for prey capture or defence. Whether myxozoan venom candidates are expressed in transmission stages (e.g. in nematocysts or secretory vesicles) requires further investigation.

Recruitment of toxin-like proteins with ancestral venom function supports endoparasitic lifestyles of Myxozoa [PeerJ]

PDF) The cnidarian parasite Ceratonova shasta utilizes inherited and recruited venom-like compounds during infection

Apoptotic gene loss in Cnidaria is associated with transition to parasitism

PDF) Genomic insights into the evolutionary origin of Myxozoa within Cnidaria

Species-specific Venomix outputs following different search strategies

Adrian Jaimes-Becerra, PhD - Postdoctoral Researcher - Bioinformatician - The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Recruitment of toxin-like proteins with ancestral venom function supports endoparasitic lifestyles of Myxozoa [PeerJ]

Comparison of Conotoxin Transcripts for C. sponsalis. Number of

PDF) Reciprocal transplantation of the heterotrophic coral Tubastraea coccinea (Scleractinia: Dendrophylliidae) between distinct habitats did not alter its venom toxin composition

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