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Review
. 2016 Apr 18;8(4):114.
doi: 10.3390/toxins8040114.

Peptide Toxins in Solitary Wasp Venoms

Katsuhiro Konno  1 , Kohei Kazuma  2 , Ken-ichi Nihei  3
Affiliations
Review

Peptide Toxins in Solitary Wasp Venoms

Katsuhiro Konno et al. Toxins (Basel). .

Abstract

Solitary wasps paralyze insects or spiders with stinging venom and feed the paralyzed preys to their larva. Accordingly, the venoms should contain a variety of constituents acting on nervous systems. However, only a few solitary wasp venoms have been chemically studied despite thousands of species inhabiting the planet. We have surveyed bioactive substances in solitary wasp venoms found in Japan and discovered a variety of novel bioactive peptides. Pompilidotoxins (PMTXs), in the venoms of the pompilid wasps Anoplius samariensis and Batozonellus maculifrons, are small peptides consisting of 13 amino acids without a disulfide bond. PMTXs slowed Na⁺ channel inactivation, in particular against neuronal type Na⁺ channels, and were rather selective to the Nav1.6 channel. Mastoparan-like cytolytic and antimicrobial peptides are the major components of eumenine wasp venoms. They are rich in hydrophobic and basic amino acids, adopting a α-helical secondary structure, and showing mast cell degranulating, antimicrobial and hemolytic activities. The venom of the spider wasp Cyphononyx fulvognathus contained four bradykinin-related peptides. They are hyperalgesic and, dependent on the structure, differently associated with B₁ or B₂ receptors. Further survey led to the isolation of leucomyosuppressin-like FMRFamide peptides from the venoms of the digger wasps Sphex argentatus and Isodontia harmandi. These results of peptide toxins in solitary wasp venoms from our studies are summarized.

Keywords: FMRFamide neuropeptide; bradykinin-related peptide; cytolytic peptide; neurotoxin; peptide toxin; solitary wasp.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The spider wasp Anoplius samariensis, taking the paralyzed prey to her nest.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The spider paralyzed by the stinging venom of Cyphononyx fulvognathus.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The digger wasp Sphex argentatus argentatus is stinging the grasshopper prey.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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