ARTHROPOD VENOMS: OLD MOLECULES, SOME TREASURES FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY.

MARIA ELENA DE LIMA, ADRIANO M.C. PIMENTA

Lab. de Venenos e Toxinas Animais, Depto. de Bioquímica e Imunologia, ICB, UFMG.

Animal venoms have evolved in both predatory and defensive senses, which generate a massive repertory of specific-targeted molecules that act in synergy on the organism of the inflicted victim. Highly toxic compounds, most of them being well represented venom constituents, have been purified and characterized so far as neurotoxins, myotoxins, cardiotoxins, hemorrhagic factors, among others. Nevertheless, with the advent of proteomic approaches and increasing facilities to peptide synthesis, small molecules poorly represented in venoms and with micro-effects that are not easily visualized are being emerged. This “new generation” of molecules has been studied and their activities such as vasoactive, hormone-like, anti-microbial and others have been enlarging the known venom repertoire. We present some of the current works in our laboratory, in which we envisage the prospection, structural and functional characterization of peptides and/or proteins found in venoms from arthropods, as scorpions (Tityus serrulatus), spiders (Lycosa erythrognatha and Phoneutria spp), among others. We have focused our study on molecules that represent potential tools to be used in biotechnological processes. Anti-hypertensive peptides were identified in the venom of yellow scorpion and named T. serrulatus Hypotensins (TsHpt). The pharmacological activity of TsHpts was scrutinized, together with its synthetic analogs, in order to draw a map of its structure-function connections. Another example came from linear peptides from L. erythrognatha venom that elicits antimicrobial effects. Some peptides obtained from spiders (i.e. Phoneutria sp.) are very active on insects, being potential insecticides. In addition, a toxin of P. nigriventer causes sustained penile erection in rats including those with decreased function erectile (DOCA-Sal model). Structural and functional studies with these molecules, as well as their synthesis providing adequate material, are crucial to envisage biotechnological use.

KEY WORDS: Arthropod venom, Tityus Serrulatus, Lycosa Erythrognatha, Phoneutria sp

FINANCIAL SUPPORT: FAPEMIG/PRONEX, CNPq/FINEP.

CORRESPONDENCE TO: Maria Elena de Lima. Email. delima@icb.ufmg.br.