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Abstract
BackgroundThe scorpion Tityus stigmurus is widely distributed in Northeastern Brazil and known to cause severe human envenoming, inducing pain, hyposthesia, edema, erythema, paresthesia, headaches and vomiting. The present study uses a transcriptomic approach to characterize the gene expression profile from the non-stimulated venom gland of Tityus stigmurus scorpion.ResultsA cDNA library was constructed and 540 clones were sequenced and grouped into 153 clusters, with one or more ESTs (expressed sequence tags). Forty-one percent of ESTs belong to recognized toxin-coding sequences, with transcripts encoding antimicrobial toxins (AMP-like) being the most abundant, followed by alfa KTx- like, beta KTx-like, beta NaTx-like and alfa NaTx-like. Our analysis indicated that 34% of the transcripts encode “other possible venom molecules”, which correspond to anionic peptides, hypothetical secreted peptides, metalloproteinases, cystein-rich peptides and lectins. Fifteen percent of ESTs are similar to cellular transcripts. Sequences without good matches corresponded to 11%.ConclusionsThis investigation provides the first global view of gene expression of the venom gland from Tityus stigmurus under resting conditions. This approach enables characterization of a large number of venom gland component molecules, which belong either to known or non yet described types of venom peptides and proteins from the Buthidae family.
Highlights
The scorpion Tityus stigmurus is widely distributed in Northeastern Brazil and known to cause severe human envenoming, inducing pain, hyposthesia, edema, erythema, paresthesia, headaches and vomiting
In Brazil, scorpions from the genus Tityus are responsible for most reported envenomation accidents, primarily Tityus serrulatus, Tityus stigmurus and Tityus bahiensis [2]
The present study describes the transcriptomic expression of T. stigmurus scorpion from non-stimulated venom glands, using specimens collected in the urban area of Natal, Brazil
Summary
The scorpion Tityus stigmurus is widely distributed in Northeastern Brazil and known to cause severe human envenoming, inducing pain, hyposthesia, edema, erythema, paresthesia, headaches and vomiting. The present study uses a transcriptomic approach to characterize the gene expression profile from the non-stimulated venom gland of Tityus stigmurus scorpion. Tityus stigmurus belongs to the Buthidae family, widely distributed around the world and comprising all the species considered of medical interest [1]. In Brazil, scorpions from the genus Tityus are responsible for most reported envenomation accidents, primarily Tityus serrulatus, Tityus stigmurus and Tityus bahiensis [2]. T. stigmurus is the main causal agent of scorpionism in the Northeast; its envenomation is often characterized by local symptoms, such as: pain (94.4%), hyposthesia (30%), edema (17.8%), erythema (17.8%) and paresthesia (15.6%) [3].
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