Ancient Venom Systems: A Review on Cnidaria Toxins
Cnidarians are the oldest extant lineage of venomous animals. Despite their simple anatomy, they are capable of subduing or repelling prey and predator species that are far more complex and recently evolved. Utilizing specialized penetrating nematocysts, cnidarians inject the nematocyst content or “...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2015-06-01
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| Series: | Toxins |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/7/6/2251 |
| _version_ | 1797999928354537472 |
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| author | Mahdokht Jouiaei Angel A. Yanagihara Bruno Madio Timo J. Nevalainen Paul F. Alewood Bryan G. Fry |
| author_facet | Mahdokht Jouiaei Angel A. Yanagihara Bruno Madio Timo J. Nevalainen Paul F. Alewood Bryan G. Fry |
| author_sort | Mahdokht Jouiaei |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cnidarians are the oldest extant lineage of venomous animals. Despite their simple anatomy, they are capable of subduing or repelling prey and predator species that are far more complex and recently evolved. Utilizing specialized penetrating nematocysts, cnidarians inject the nematocyst content or “venom” that initiates toxic and immunological reactions in the envenomated organism. These venoms contain enzymes, potent pore forming toxins, and neurotoxins. Enzymes include lipolytic and proteolytic proteins that catabolize prey tissues. Cnidarian pore forming toxins self-assemble to form robust membrane pores that can cause cell death via osmotic lysis. Neurotoxins exhibit rapid ion channel specific activities. In addition, certain cnidarian venoms contain or induce the release of host vasodilatory biogenic amines such as serotonin, histamine, bunodosine and caissarone accelerating the pathogenic effects of other venom enzymes and porins. The cnidarian attacking/defending mechanism is fast and efficient, and massive envenomation of humans may result in death, in some cases within a few minutes to an hour after sting. The complexity of venom components represents a unique therapeutic challenge and probably reflects the ancient evolutionary history of the cnidarian venom system. Thus, they are invaluable as a therapeutic target for sting treatment or as lead compounds for drug design. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:12:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f4439a8ef5194d84adcc171e9ddb47fe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6651 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:12:23Z |
| publishDate | 2015-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxins |
| spelling | doaj.art-f4439a8ef5194d84adcc171e9ddb47fe2022-12-22T04:27:26ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512015-06-01762251227110.3390/toxins7062251toxins7062251Ancient Venom Systems: A Review on Cnidaria ToxinsMahdokht Jouiaei0Angel A. Yanagihara1Bruno Madio2Timo J. Nevalainen3Paul F. Alewood4Bryan G. Fry5Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, the University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, QLD, AustraliaPacific Cnidaria Research Lab, Department of Tropical Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USAInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, the University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, QLD, AustraliaDepartment of Pathology, University of Turku, Turku FIN-20520, FinlandInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, the University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, QLD, AustraliaVenom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, the University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, QLD, AustraliaCnidarians are the oldest extant lineage of venomous animals. Despite their simple anatomy, they are capable of subduing or repelling prey and predator species that are far more complex and recently evolved. Utilizing specialized penetrating nematocysts, cnidarians inject the nematocyst content or “venom” that initiates toxic and immunological reactions in the envenomated organism. These venoms contain enzymes, potent pore forming toxins, and neurotoxins. Enzymes include lipolytic and proteolytic proteins that catabolize prey tissues. Cnidarian pore forming toxins self-assemble to form robust membrane pores that can cause cell death via osmotic lysis. Neurotoxins exhibit rapid ion channel specific activities. In addition, certain cnidarian venoms contain or induce the release of host vasodilatory biogenic amines such as serotonin, histamine, bunodosine and caissarone accelerating the pathogenic effects of other venom enzymes and porins. The cnidarian attacking/defending mechanism is fast and efficient, and massive envenomation of humans may result in death, in some cases within a few minutes to an hour after sting. The complexity of venom components represents a unique therapeutic challenge and probably reflects the ancient evolutionary history of the cnidarian venom system. Thus, they are invaluable as a therapeutic target for sting treatment or as lead compounds for drug design.http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/7/6/2251cnidariansvenomenzymespore forming toxinsneurotoxinsvasodilatory biogenic amineshuman envenomation |
| spellingShingle | Mahdokht Jouiaei Angel A. Yanagihara Bruno Madio Timo J. Nevalainen Paul F. Alewood Bryan G. Fry Ancient Venom Systems: A Review on Cnidaria Toxins Toxins cnidarians venom enzymes pore forming toxins neurotoxins vasodilatory biogenic amines human envenomation |
| title | Ancient Venom Systems: A Review on Cnidaria Toxins |
| title_full | Ancient Venom Systems: A Review on Cnidaria Toxins |
| title_fullStr | Ancient Venom Systems: A Review on Cnidaria Toxins |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ancient Venom Systems: A Review on Cnidaria Toxins |
| title_short | Ancient Venom Systems: A Review on Cnidaria Toxins |
| title_sort | ancient venom systems a review on cnidaria toxins |
| topic | cnidarians venom enzymes pore forming toxins neurotoxins vasodilatory biogenic amines human envenomation |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/7/6/2251 |
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