Proteotranscriptomic Profiling of the Toxic Mucus of <i>Kulikovia alborostrata</i> (Pilidiophora, Nemertea)

Nemertea is a phylum of bilaterally symmetrical, coelomate, unsegmented worms, also known as ribbon worms. Most species of the phylum Nemertea are marine predators that contain toxins in the single-celled glands of the proboscis and/or integument. Recent transcriptomic studies have shown that nemert...

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Main Authors: Vasiliy G. Kuznetsov, Daria I. Melnikova, Sergey V. Shabelnikov, Timur Yu. Magarlamov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Toxins
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/17/1/5
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author Vasiliy G. Kuznetsov
Daria I. Melnikova
Sergey V. Shabelnikov
Timur Yu. Magarlamov
author_facet Vasiliy G. Kuznetsov
Daria I. Melnikova
Sergey V. Shabelnikov
Timur Yu. Magarlamov
author_sort Vasiliy G. Kuznetsov
collection DOAJ
description Nemertea is a phylum of bilaterally symmetrical, coelomate, unsegmented worms, also known as ribbon worms. Most species of the phylum Nemertea are marine predators that contain toxins in the single-celled glands of the proboscis and/or integument. Recent transcriptomic studies have shown that nemerteans from all taxonomic groups possess a wide range of putative protein and peptide toxins, while the proteomic data for these animals are highly limited. In this study, proteotranscriptomic analysis was used to investigate the major protein components of the poison of the nemertean <i>Kulikovia alborostrata</i>. We identified 146 transcripts of putative toxins in the transcriptome of <i>K</i>. <i>alborostrata</i> and five putative toxins among the secreted proteins and peptides of the mucus of the animal. The expression levels of cysteine-rich peptides found in the mucus with similarity to known toxins were evaluated in different parts of the body of the worm by quantitative real-time PCR. The high level of expression of investigated peptides in the integument indicate the protective function of these toxins. Overall, this supports the idea that the mucus of nemerteans is a valuable source of peptide and protein toxins.
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spelling doaj-art-1ee7ff28e58e499c945e965d496a86d62025-01-24T13:51:09ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512024-12-01171510.3390/toxins17010005Proteotranscriptomic Profiling of the Toxic Mucus of <i>Kulikovia alborostrata</i> (Pilidiophora, Nemertea)Vasiliy G. Kuznetsov0Daria I. Melnikova1Sergey V. Shabelnikov2Timur Yu. Magarlamov3A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 690041 Vladivostok, RussiaA.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 690041 Vladivostok, RussiaInstitute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 194064 St. Petersburg, RussiaA.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 690041 Vladivostok, RussiaNemertea is a phylum of bilaterally symmetrical, coelomate, unsegmented worms, also known as ribbon worms. Most species of the phylum Nemertea are marine predators that contain toxins in the single-celled glands of the proboscis and/or integument. Recent transcriptomic studies have shown that nemerteans from all taxonomic groups possess a wide range of putative protein and peptide toxins, while the proteomic data for these animals are highly limited. In this study, proteotranscriptomic analysis was used to investigate the major protein components of the poison of the nemertean <i>Kulikovia alborostrata</i>. We identified 146 transcripts of putative toxins in the transcriptome of <i>K</i>. <i>alborostrata</i> and five putative toxins among the secreted proteins and peptides of the mucus of the animal. The expression levels of cysteine-rich peptides found in the mucus with similarity to known toxins were evaluated in different parts of the body of the worm by quantitative real-time PCR. The high level of expression of investigated peptides in the integument indicate the protective function of these toxins. Overall, this supports the idea that the mucus of nemerteans is a valuable source of peptide and protein toxins.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/17/1/5<i>Kulikovia alborostrata</i>mucussecretionstoxinscysteine-rich peptidesproteomics
spellingShingle Vasiliy G. Kuznetsov
Daria I. Melnikova
Sergey V. Shabelnikov
Timur Yu. Magarlamov
Proteotranscriptomic Profiling of the Toxic Mucus of <i>Kulikovia alborostrata</i> (Pilidiophora, Nemertea)
Toxins
<i>Kulikovia alborostrata</i>
mucus
secretions
toxins
cysteine-rich peptides
proteomics
title Proteotranscriptomic Profiling of the Toxic Mucus of <i>Kulikovia alborostrata</i> (Pilidiophora, Nemertea)
title_full Proteotranscriptomic Profiling of the Toxic Mucus of <i>Kulikovia alborostrata</i> (Pilidiophora, Nemertea)
title_fullStr Proteotranscriptomic Profiling of the Toxic Mucus of <i>Kulikovia alborostrata</i> (Pilidiophora, Nemertea)
title_full_unstemmed Proteotranscriptomic Profiling of the Toxic Mucus of <i>Kulikovia alborostrata</i> (Pilidiophora, Nemertea)
title_short Proteotranscriptomic Profiling of the Toxic Mucus of <i>Kulikovia alborostrata</i> (Pilidiophora, Nemertea)
title_sort proteotranscriptomic profiling of the toxic mucus of i kulikovia alborostrata i pilidiophora nemertea
topic <i>Kulikovia alborostrata</i>
mucus
secretions
toxins
cysteine-rich peptides
proteomics
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/17/1/5
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AT dariaimelnikova proteotranscriptomicprofilingofthetoxicmucusofikulikoviaalborostrataipilidiophoranemertea
AT sergeyvshabelnikov proteotranscriptomicprofilingofthetoxicmucusofikulikoviaalborostrataipilidiophoranemertea
AT timuryumagarlamov proteotranscriptomicprofilingofthetoxicmucusofikulikoviaalborostrataipilidiophoranemertea