Venoms of Heteropteran Insects: A Treasure Trove of Diverse Pharmacological Toolkits
The piercing-sucking mouthparts of the true bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera) have allowed diversification from a plant-feeding ancestor into a wide range of trophic strategies that include predation and blood-feeding. Crucial to the success of each of these strategies is the injection of venom...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2016-02-01
|
| Series: | Toxins |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/8/2/43 |
| _version_ | 1828115844647878656 |
|---|---|
| author | Andrew A. Walker Christiane Weirauch Bryan G. Fry Glenn F. King |
| author_facet | Andrew A. Walker Christiane Weirauch Bryan G. Fry Glenn F. King |
| author_sort | Andrew A. Walker |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The piercing-sucking mouthparts of the true bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera) have allowed diversification from a plant-feeding ancestor into a wide range of trophic strategies that include predation and blood-feeding. Crucial to the success of each of these strategies is the injection of venom. Here we review the current state of knowledge with regard to heteropteran venoms. Predaceous species produce venoms that induce rapid paralysis and liquefaction. These venoms are powerfully insecticidal, and may cause paralysis or death when injected into vertebrates. Disulfide-rich peptides, bioactive phospholipids, small molecules such as N,N-dimethylaniline and 1,2,5-trithiepane, and toxic enzymes such as phospholipase A2, have been reported in predatory venoms. However, the detailed composition and molecular targets of predatory venoms are largely unknown. In contrast, recent research into blood-feeding heteropterans has revealed the structure and function of many protein and non-protein components that facilitate acquisition of blood meals. Blood-feeding venoms lack paralytic or liquefying activity but instead are cocktails of pharmacological modulators that disable the host haemostatic systems simultaneously at multiple points. The multiple ways venom is used by heteropterans suggests that further study will reveal heteropteran venom components with a wide range of bioactivities that may be recruited for use as bioinsecticides, human therapeutics, and pharmacological tools. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:46:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-debb50c57b6c4764aab1e00178a4a07c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6651 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:46:54Z |
| publishDate | 2016-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxins |
| spelling | doaj.art-debb50c57b6c4764aab1e00178a4a07c2022-12-22T04:23:20ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512016-02-01824310.3390/toxins8020043toxins8020043Venoms of Heteropteran Insects: A Treasure Trove of Diverse Pharmacological ToolkitsAndrew A. Walker0Christiane Weirauch1Bryan G. Fry2Glenn F. King3Institute for Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaDepartment of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USASchool of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaInstitute for Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaThe piercing-sucking mouthparts of the true bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera) have allowed diversification from a plant-feeding ancestor into a wide range of trophic strategies that include predation and blood-feeding. Crucial to the success of each of these strategies is the injection of venom. Here we review the current state of knowledge with regard to heteropteran venoms. Predaceous species produce venoms that induce rapid paralysis and liquefaction. These venoms are powerfully insecticidal, and may cause paralysis or death when injected into vertebrates. Disulfide-rich peptides, bioactive phospholipids, small molecules such as N,N-dimethylaniline and 1,2,5-trithiepane, and toxic enzymes such as phospholipase A2, have been reported in predatory venoms. However, the detailed composition and molecular targets of predatory venoms are largely unknown. In contrast, recent research into blood-feeding heteropterans has revealed the structure and function of many protein and non-protein components that facilitate acquisition of blood meals. Blood-feeding venoms lack paralytic or liquefying activity but instead are cocktails of pharmacological modulators that disable the host haemostatic systems simultaneously at multiple points. The multiple ways venom is used by heteropterans suggests that further study will reveal heteropteran venom components with a wide range of bioactivities that may be recruited for use as bioinsecticides, human therapeutics, and pharmacological tools.http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/8/2/43venomtoxinpredationhaematophagyparalysisliquefactionvenomicsvenom discoveryHeteropteratrue bugs |
| spellingShingle | Andrew A. Walker Christiane Weirauch Bryan G. Fry Glenn F. King Venoms of Heteropteran Insects: A Treasure Trove of Diverse Pharmacological Toolkits Toxins venom toxin predation haematophagy paralysis liquefaction venomics venom discovery Heteroptera true bugs |
| title | Venoms of Heteropteran Insects: A Treasure Trove of Diverse Pharmacological Toolkits |
| title_full | Venoms of Heteropteran Insects: A Treasure Trove of Diverse Pharmacological Toolkits |
| title_fullStr | Venoms of Heteropteran Insects: A Treasure Trove of Diverse Pharmacological Toolkits |
| title_full_unstemmed | Venoms of Heteropteran Insects: A Treasure Trove of Diverse Pharmacological Toolkits |
| title_short | Venoms of Heteropteran Insects: A Treasure Trove of Diverse Pharmacological Toolkits |
| title_sort | venoms of heteropteran insects a treasure trove of diverse pharmacological toolkits |
| topic | venom toxin predation haematophagy paralysis liquefaction venomics venom discovery Heteroptera true bugs |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/8/2/43 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT andrewawalker venomsofheteropteraninsectsatreasuretroveofdiversepharmacologicaltoolkits AT christianeweirauch venomsofheteropteraninsectsatreasuretroveofdiversepharmacologicaltoolkits AT bryangfry venomsofheteropteraninsectsatreasuretroveofdiversepharmacologicaltoolkits AT glennfking venomsofheteropteraninsectsatreasuretroveofdiversepharmacologicaltoolkits |