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J. Venom. Anim. Toxins incl. Trop. Dis.

V.20, 2014.

Original paper - ISSN 1678-9199.

 

Characterization of Leiurus abdullahbayrami(Scorpiones: Buthidae) venom: peptide profile, cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity

 
Efe Erdeş 1 2 , Tuğba Somay Doğan 2 3 , İlhan Coşar4, Tarık Danışman4, Kadir Boğaç Kunt5, Tamay Şeker2, Meral Yücel2 6, Can Özen1 2 7

1Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, METU, Ankara 06800, Turkey

2Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research and Development Center, Central Laboratory, METU, Ankara, Turkey

3Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Hecettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

4Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Turkey

5Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Anadolu University, Eskisehir, Turkey

6Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, METU, Ankara, Turkey

7Center of Excellence in Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, METU, Ankara, Turkey

ABSTRACT

Background

Scorpion venoms are rich bioactive peptide libraries that offer promising molecules that may lead to the discovery and development of new drugs. Leiurus abdullahbayrami produces one of the most potent venoms among Turkish scorpions that provokes severe symptoms in envenomated victims.

 

Methods

In the present study, the peptide profile of the venom was investigated by electrophoretic methods, size-exclusion and reversed-phase chromatography and mass spectroscopy. Cytotoxic and antimicrobial effects were evaluated on a breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) and various bacterial and fungal species.

 

Results

Proteins make up approximately half of the dry weight of L. abdullahbayrami crude venom. Microfluidic capillary electrophoresis indicated the presence of 6 to 7 kDa peptides and proved to be a highly practical peptidomics tool with better resolution when compared to conventional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Mass spectroscopy analysis helped us to identify 45 unique peptide masses between 1 to 7 kDa with a bimodal mass distribution peaking between molecular weights of 1 to 2 kDa (29%) and 3 to 4 kDa (31%). L. abdullahbayrami crude venom had a proliferative effect on MCF-7 cells, which may be explained by the high concentration of polyamines as well as potassium and calcium ions in the arachnid venoms. Antimicrobial effect was stronger on gram-negative bacteria.

 

Conclusions

This work represents the first peptidomic characterization of L. abdullahbayrami venom. Considering the molecular weight-function relationship of previously identified venom peptides, future bioactivity studies may lead to the discovery of novel potassium and chloride ion channel inhibitors as well as new antimicrobial peptides from L. abdullahbayrami venom.

 

Key words: Scorpion venom; Toxin; Peptide; Leiurus abdullahbayrami; Microfluidic capillary; Electrophoresis; Peptidomics; Venomics; Cytotoxicity; Antimicrobial activity; Turkey

 

Received: June 23, 2014; Accepted: October 13, 2014

 

Corresponding author: Can Özen canozen@metu.edu.tr

 

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

 

Authors’ contributions

EE drafted the manuscript and performed the electrophoretic analyses, cytotoxicity assays and data analysis. TSD conducted HPLC separation of the venom. KBK, TD and IC provided the specimens, identified species and extracted the venom. TD and IC also performed antimicrobial activity assays. TS supervised HPLC and mass spectrometry experiments and data analyses. MY contributed to experimental designs and data analyses. CO provided the idea, finalized the manuscript, gave supervision for experimental designs and data analyses. All authors read and approved the manuscript.