Abstract
The primary functions of venoms from solitary and social wasps are different. Whereas most solitary wasps sting their prey to paralyze and preserve it, without killing, as the provisions for their progeny, social wasps usually sting to defend their colonies from vertebrate predators. Such distinctive venom properties of solitary and social wasps suggest that the main venom components are likely to be different depending on the wasps’ sociality. The present paper reviews venom components and properties of the Aculeata hunting wasps, with a particular emphasis on the comparative aspects of venom compositions and properties between solitary and social wasps. Common components in both solitary and social wasp venoms include hyaluronidase, phospholipase A2, metalloendopeptidase, etc. Although it has been expected that more diverse bioactive components with the functions of prey inactivation and physiology manipulation are present in solitary wasps, available studies on venom compositions of solitary wasps are simply too scarce to generalize this notion. Nevertheless, some neurotoxic peptides (e.g., pompilidotoxin and dendrotoxin-like peptide) and proteins (e.g., insulin-like peptide binding protein) appear to be specific to solitary wasp venom. In contrast, several proteins, such as venom allergen 5 protein, venom acid phosphatase, and various phospholipases, appear to be relatively more specific to social wasp venom. Finally, putative functions of main venom components and their application are also discussed.
Highlights
Wasps present an extremely diverse group in the suborder Apocrita (Hymenoptera), which is conventionally divided into two groups: Parasitica and Aculeata [1,2]
Since the venomic properties of parasitoid wasps (Pasasitica) have been well reviewed elsewhere [5], in the present review, we have focused on the venom of the Aculeata hunting wasps, those in the superfamily Vespoidea (Figure 1), with a particular emphasis on the comparative aspects of venom proteins and peptides and their properties between solitary and social wasps
Social wasp venoms, in general, induce local edema and erythema caused by an increased permeability of the blood vessels in the skin, which is a net effect of active peptides, such as bradykinin-like peptides, mastoparans, and chemotactic peptides
Summary
Wasps present an extremely diverse group in the suborder Apocrita (Hymenoptera), which is conventionally divided into two groups: Parasitica and Aculeata [1,2]. The clade Parasitica comprises the majority of parasitoid wasps, whereas the clade Aculeata contains most parasitic and predatory wasps with their ovipositor completely modified into a stinger for injecting venom [1]. The ectoparasitoid wasp venom isvenom known to contain a solitary hunting wasp. Social wasps do not need to paralyze and preserve hunted prey with their to feed larvae [8]. Social wasps do not need to paralyze and preserve hunted prey with venom. Since social wasp venom contains molecules that cause such as anaphylaxis, it has such beenas ofanaphylaxis, a great medical and clinical importance.
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