Putative augertoxins and other novel sequences obtained from constructed venom duct cDNA library of the toxoglossate gastropod Terebra babylonia (Lamarck 1822)

• Main Authors: Ignacio, Cherry Mae G., Heralde, Francisco M., III, Diaz, Ma. Aiko Angela A., Olivera, Baldomero M., Santos, Ameurfina D.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2007
• Subjects: Terebridae—Venom; Terebra—Venom; Biology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/6860
• Institution: De La Salle University

Terebridae is one of the major venomous gastropod families in suborder Toxoglossa. To date, only one member of the group, Terebra subulata, has been characterized for its venom (i.e., the augertoxins). This was compared to its well-studied relatives in the family Conidae whose bioactive peptides (i.e., conotoxins) are now being used for applications in neuroscience and therapy. This study aims to characterize the venom components of another member of the family Terebridae. Terebra babylonia (Lamarck 1822). Our approach involves a molecular cloning strategy—through the creation of cDNA library from total RNA of three dissected venom ducts using modified version of the USERTM friendly cloning kit (New England Biolabs Massachusetts, USA) protocol. Following e. coli transformation and verification by PCR colony hybridization, colonies with inserts larger than 500 bp were sequences and compared to nucleotide sequences in the National center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI, USA) database using basic local alignment search tool (BLAST). The mature toxin peptides were predicted using DNAsis software (Hitachi Software Engineering Co. Ltd. Japan) and analyzed for similarities with known toxoglossate toxins. Of the 6 clones sequenced and analyzed, four produced predicted peptides that din not exhibit the canonical organization and structure conotoxins, these sequences showed no significant sequence similarity with other nucleotide sequences present in the NCBI database. On the other hand, the two other clones had predicted mature peptides that showed similarities with known toxoglasses snail family, family Turridae. One clone, Tbb120 exhibited a predicted mature peptide with repeating methionine and leucine residues, like those reported of the turrid Polystire albida. Another clone, Tbb134, yielded a predicted mature peptide with a cysteine framework earlier reported for clone OL172 of Lophiotoma olangoensis. Tbb134’s predicted mature peptide has a C-CC-C cysteine framework which differs from standard conotoxin cysteine patterns, but is found in OL172. Other clones from the created cDNA library of T. babylonia will be screened and analyzed to capture the profile of expresses genes in the venom duct tissues. This approach comprises one of the initial steps in elucidating the dynamics of toxin gene expression in Terebids.