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Saponins are plant and marine animal specific metabolites that are commonly considered as molecular vectors for chemical defenses against unicellular and pluricellular organisms. Their toxicity is attributed to their membranolytic properties. Modifying the molecular structures of saponins by quantitative and selective chemical reactions is increasingly considered to tune the biological properties of these molecules (i) to prepare congeners with specific activities for biomedical applications and (ii) to afford experimental data related to their structure-activity relationship. In the present study, we focused on the sulfated saponins contained in the viscera of Holothuria scabra , a sea cucumber present in the Indian Ocean and abundantly consumed on the Asian food market. Using mass spectrometry, we first qualitatively and quantitatively assessed the saponin content within the viscera of H. scabra . We detected 26 sulfated saponins presenting 5 different elemental compositions. Microwave activation under alkaline conditions in aqueous solutions was developed and optimized to quantitatively and specifically induce the desulfation of the natural saponins, by a specific loss of H 2 SO 4 . By comparing the hemolytic activities of the natural and desulfated extracts, we clearly identified the sulfate function as highly responsible for the saponin toxicity.

The snake genus Daboia (Viperidae: Viperinae; Oppel, 1811) contains five species: D. deserti , D. mauritanica , and D. palaestinae , found in Afro-Arabia, and the Russell's vipers D. russelii and D. siamensis , found in Asia. Russell's vipers are responsible for a major proportion of the medically important snakebites that occur in the regions they inhabit, and their venoms are notorious for their coagulopathic effects. While widely documented, the extent of venom variation within the Russell's vipers is poorly characterised, as is the venom activity of other species within the genus. In this study we investigated variation in the haemotoxic activity of Daboia using twelve venoms from all five species, including multiple variants of D. russelii, D. siamensis , and D. palaestinae . We tested the venoms on human plasma using thromboelastography, dose-response coagulometry analyses, and calibrated automated thrombography, and on human fibrinogen by thromboelastography and fibrinogen gels. We assessed activation of blood factors X and prothrombin by the venoms using fluorometry. Variation in venom activity was evident in all experiments. The Asian species D. russelii and D. siamensis and the African species D. mauritanica possessed procoagulant venom, while D. deserti and D. palaestinae were net-anticoagulant. Of the Russell's vipers, the venom of D. siamensis from Myanmar was most toxic and D. russelli of Sri Lanka the least. Activation of both factor X and prothrombin was evident by all venoms, though at differential levels. Fibrinogenolytic activity varied extensively throughout the genus and followed no phylogenetic trends. This venom variability underpins one of the many challenges facing treatment of Daboia snakebite envenoming. Comprehensive analyses of available antivenoms in neutralising these variable venom activities are therefore of utmost importance.

Unlabelled: The venom of Malayan pit viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma) is highly toxic but also valuable in drug discovery. However, a comprehensive proteome of the venom that details its toxin composition and abundance is lacking. This study aimed to unravel the venom complexity through a multi-step venomic approach. At least 96 distinct proteins (29 basic, 67 acidic) in 11 families were identified from the venom. The venom consists of mainly snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMP, 41.17% of total venom proteins), within which the P-I (kistomin, 20.4%) and P-II (rhodostoxin, 19.8%) classes predominate. This is followed by C-type lectins (snaclec, 26.3%), snake venom serine protease (SVSP, 14.9%), L-amino acid oxidase (7.0%), phospholipase A2 (4.4%), cysteine-rich secretory protein (2.5%), and five minor toxins (nerve growth factor, neurotrophin, phospholipase B, 5' nucleotidase and phosphodiesterase, totaling 2.6%) not reported in the proteome hitherto. Importantly, all principal hemotoxins unveiled correlate with the syndrome: SVSP ancrod causes venom-induced consumptive coagulopathy, aggravated by thrombocytopenia caused by snaclec rhodocytin, a platelet aggregation inducer, while P-II rhodostoxin mediates hemorrhage, exacerbated by P-I kistomin and snaclec rhodocetin that inhibit platelet plug formation. These toxins exist in multiple isoforms and/or complex subunits, deserving further characterization for the development of an effective, polyspecific regional antivenom., Biological Significance: Advents in proteomics and bioinformatics have vigorously propelled the scientific discoveries of toxins from various lineages of venomous snakes. The Malayan pit viper, Calloselasma rhodostoma, is a medically important species in Southeast Asia as its bite can cause envenomation, while the venom is also a source of bioactive compounds for drug discovery. Detailed profiling of the venom, however, is inadequate possibly due to the complex nature of the venom and technical limitation in separating the constituents into details. Integrating a multi-step fractionation method, this study successfully revealed a comprehensive and quantitative profile of the composition of the venom of this medically important venomous snake. The relative abundance of the various venom proteins is determined in a global profile, providing useful information for understanding the pathogenic roles of the different toxins in C. rhodostoma envenomation. Notably, the principal hemotoxins were identified in great details, including the variety of toxin subunits and isoforms. The findings indicate that these toxins are the principal targets for effective antivenom neutralization, and should be addressed in the production of a pan-regional polyspecific antivenom. In addition, minor toxin components not reported previously in the venom were also detected in this study, enriching the current toxin database for the venomous snakes., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Four new triterpene glycosides, violaceusosides C (1), D (2), E (3) and G (4) have been isolated from the sea cucumber Pseudocolochirus violaceus (Cucumariidae, Dendrochirotida). Eight known glycosides, DS-holothurin A and holothurinoside A, isolated earlier from Holothuria forskalii (order Aspidochirotida); and violaceuside A, lefevreoside C, philinopside E, intercedenside B, violaceuside II and liovilloside A isolated earlier from representatives of the family Cucumariidae, order Dendrochirotida have also been found in P. violaceus. The chemical structures of the glycosides were elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Violaceusosides C (1), D (2), E (3) and G (4) have holostane-type aglycones and tetrasaccharide linear carbohydrate chains differing in the sugar composition and the number and position of sulfate groups. Violaceusosides E (3) and G (4) are characterized by the presence of a sulfate group at C-3 of the quinovose residue that is very rare among sea cucumber glycosides. Cytotoxic activities of the glycosides 1-4 against cells of the ascite form of mouse Ehrlich carcinoma and hemolytic activities against mouse erythrocytes have been studied. Violaceusosides C (1) and D (2) demonstrated moderate cytotoxic and hemolytic effects, while violaceusosides E (3) and G (4) have more powerful activities.

The Urodacidae scorpions are the most widely distributed of the four families in Australia and represent half of the species in the continent, yet their venoms remain largely unstudied. This communication reports the first results of a proteome analysis of the venom of the scorpion Urodacus yaschenkoi performed by mass fingerprinting, after high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation. A total of 74 fractions were obtained by HPLC separation allowing the identification of approximately 274 different molecular masses with molecular weights varying from 287 to 43,437 Da. The most abundant peptides were those from 1 K Da and 4-5 K Da representing antimicrobial peptides and putative potassium channel toxins, respectively. Three such peptides were chemically synthesized and tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria showing minimum inhibitory concentration in the low micromolar range, but with moderate hemolytic activity. It also reports a transcriptome analysis of the venom glands of the same scorpion species, undertaken by constructing a cDNA library and conducting random sequencing screening of the transcripts. From the resultant cDNA library 172 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were analyzed. These transcripts were further clustered into 120 unique sequences (23 contigs and 97 singlets). The identified putative proteins can be assorted in several groups, such as those implicated in common cellular processes, putative neurotoxins and antimicrobial peptides. The scorpion U. yaschenkoi is not known to be dangerous to humans and its venom contains peptides similar to those of Opisthacanthus cayaporum (antibacterial), Scorpio maurus palmatus (maurocalcin), Opistophthalmus carinatus (opistoporines) and Hadrurus gerstchi (scorpine-like molecules), amongst others., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Seven cDNA sequences encoding antimicrobial peptide (AMP) precursors were cloned by screening the skin-derived cDNA library of the broad-folded frog, Hylarana latouchii. Seven of the deduced peptides are highly similar to AMPs in five families of brevinin-2 (brevinin-2LTa, brevinin-2LTb, and brevinin-2LTc), esculentin-1 (esculentin-1LTa), esculentin-2 (esculentin-2LTa), palustrin-2 (palustrin-2LTa), and temporin (temporin-LTe). The actual sequences and characteristics of mature AMPs were analyzed by RP-HPLC and LC-MS/MS-based proteomics approaches in combination of four different protein digestion processes and by LTQ XL in combination of gas-phase fractionation (GPF) analysis. Moreover, most of the peptides found in this study hardly display hemolytic activity in vitro, suggesting they are promising antimicrobial drug candidates., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Vaginolysin (VLY) is a protein toxin released by Gardnerella vaginalis. VLY belongs to the group of cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDCs). We have generated a panel of novel monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against VLY. For the generation of MAbs, we have used recombinant VLY expressed in Escherichia coli. The functional activity of recombinant VLY was confirmed by an in vitro hemolytic assay using human erythrocytes. The MAbs raised against recombinant VLY were reactive with VLY from G. vaginalis both by Western blot and ELISA. The cross-reactivity of MAbs with other CDCs was investigated. For this purpose, recombinant cytolysins perfringolysin, listeriolysin, intermedilysin, pneumolysin and streptolysin were expressed in E. coli. The MAbs were specific exclusively to VLY and did not react with other CDCs. All MAbs were studied for the ability to neutralize hemolytic activity of VLY in vitro and several neutralizing MAbs were identified. The MAb produced by clone 9B4 showed the most potent neutralizing activity. The epitope for this MAb was localized near the N-terminus of VLY, between amino acid (aa) residues 112 and 268. The region recognized by the neutralizing MAb 9B4 includes the conserved motif (VAARMQYD, aa 189-196) supposed to be involved in VLY oligomerization. Selected MAbs were employed to develop a sandwich ELISA for VLY quantification. The MAb-based immunoassay was suitable for the detection of VLY in the cultures of G. vaginalis. In conclusion, the MAbs described in the current study may be useful for structural and functional studies of VLY as well as immunodetection of VLY in biological specimens., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To avoid predation, holothuroids produce feeding-deterrent molecules in their body wall and viscera, the so-called saponins. Five tropical sea cucumber species of the family Holothuriidae were investigated in order to study their saponin content in two different organs, the body wall and the Cuvierian tubules. Mass spectrometry techniques (MALDI- and ESI-MS) were used to detect and analyze saponins. The smallest number of saponins was observed in Holothuria atra, which contained a total of four congeners, followed by Holothuria leucospilota, Pearsonothuria graeffei and Actinopyga echinites with six, eight and ten congeners, respectively. Bohadschia subrubra revealed the highest saponin diversity (19 congeners). Saponin mixtures also varied between the two body compartments within a given animal. A semi-quantitative approach completed these results and showed that a high diversity of saponins is not particularly correlated to a high saponin concentration. Although the complexity of the saponin mixtures described makes the elucidation of their respective biological roles difficult, the comparisons between species and between body compartments give some clues about how these molecules may act as predator repellents.

Livistona chinensis is used as an anticancer agent in traditional Chinese medicine. In vitro, the extracts of fruits and seeds of L. chinensis are known to possess antiangiogenic and antiproliferative activities. Here we report the presence of phenolic compounds in L. chinensis fruits which show hemolytic activity. The hemolytic activity of phenolics is limited to an acid-precipitable fraction. Further, presence of proteins and lipids abrogated the hemolytic activity indicating astringent and membrane damaging activities as mechanisms of hemolysis. In conclusion, the hemolytic activity of phenolics in L. chinensis fruits is due to astringent and membrane damaging activities.

A new antimicrobial peptide, cryptonin, was isolated and characterized from the adult Korean blackish cicada, Cryptotympana dubia. It consists of 24 amino acid residues and has a molecular weight of 2,704 Da on mass spectroscopy. The predicted alpha-helical structure analysis and increased helix percent in 40% trifloroethanol of cryptonin suggests that it belongs to the typical linear alpha-helix forming peptide. Binding of the biotin-labeled cryptonin at the surface of E. coli cells and increased influx of propidium iodide in E. coli after cryptonin treatment indicates that it kills microbial cells by binding bacterial cell surfaces and disrupting the cell permeability. Cryptonin showed strong antibacterial (MIC 1.56-25 microg/ml) and antifungal (MIC 3.12-50 microg/ml) activities against tested bacteria and fungi including two antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains; methicilin-resistant S. aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (MIC 25 microg/ml, each).