Neurotoxic peptides from the venom of the giant Australian stinging tree
Edward K. Gilding, Sina Jami, Jennifer R. Deuis, Mathilde R. Israel, Peta J. Harvey, Aaron G. Poth, Fabian B. H. Rehm, Jennifer L. Stow, Samuel D. Robinson, Kuok Yap, Darren L. Brown, Brett R. Hamilton, David A. Andersson, David J. Craik, Irina Vetter, Thomas Durek
Abstract
species contain heretofore unknown pain-inducing peptides that potently activate mouse sensory neurons and delay inactivation of voltage-gated sodium channels. These neurotoxins localize specifically to the stinging hairs and are miniproteins of 4 kDa, whose 3D structure is stabilized in an inhibitory cystine knot motif, a characteristic shared with neurotoxins found in spider and cone snail venoms. Our results provide an intriguing example of inter-kingdom convergent evolution of animal and plant venoms with shared modes of delivery, molecular structure, and pharmacology.