Molecular game theory for a toxin-dominant food chain model

Abstract

Animal toxins that are used to subdue prey and deter predators act as the key drivers in natural food chains and ecosystems. However, the predators of venomous animals may exploit feeding adaptation strategies to overcome toxins their prey produce. Much remains unknown about the genetic and molecular game process in the toxin-dominant food chain model. Here, we show an evolutionary strategy in different trophic levels of scorpion-eating amphibians, scorpions and insects, representing each predation relationship in habitats dominated by the paralytic toxins of scorpions. For scorpions preying on insects, we found that the scorpion α-toxins irreversibly activate the skeletal muscle sodium channel of their prey (insect, BgNaV1) through a membrane delivery mechanism and an efficient binding with the Asp/Lys-Tyr motif of BgNaV1. However, in the predatory game between frogs and scorpions, with a single point mutation (Lys to Glu) in this motif of the frog's skeletal muscle sodium channel (fNaV1.4), fNaV1.4 breaks this interaction and diminishes muscular toxicity to the frog; thus, frogs can regularly prey on scorpions without showing paralysis. Interestingly, this molecular strategy also has been employed by some other scorpion-eating amphibians, especially anurans. In contrast to these amphibians, the Asp/Lys-Tyr motifs are structurally and functionally conserved in other animals that do not prey on scorpions. Together, our findings elucidate the protein-protein interacting mechanism of a toxin-dominant predator-prey system, implying the evolutionary game theory at a molecular level.

Prostaglandin E1 Is an Efficient Molecular Tool for Forest Leech Blood Sucking

“…Animal venom facilitates survival by antagonizing prey and predators ( 1 ). As exclusively blood-sucking ectoparasites, leeches must penetrate the body surface of their host and suppress host reactions to injury, swelling, pain, and inflammation in order to remain undetected and successfully obtain a blood meal.…”

Molecular sensors for temperature detection during behavioral thermoregulation in turtle embryos

“…SF9 cells incubated at 27 C were cultured and transiently transfected using Lipofectamine 2,000 (Invitrogen), as described in a previous report. 47,48 Before electrophysiological recording, these cells were incubated at 25-27 C to prevent any inappropriate channel activation, especially the heat-induced channel opening. Conventional 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide reduction assay was used to evaluate the cell viability.…”

Venom-dominated animal survival adaptation

“…毒液的存 在大大增加了有毒动物的生存竞争和环境适应能力 [8] . 、海星 [10] 、芋螺 [11] 、蜈蚣 [12] 、胡蜂 [13] 、蝎 子 [14] 、蝮蛇 [15] 、青蛙 [14] 和鸭嘴兽 [16] 均来自相关文献报道 Figure 1 Common poisonous animals in the animal kingdom. As a unique biological characteristic of the animal kingdom, the venom system plays an important role for the survival and adaptation of animals.…”

“…As a unique biological characteristic of the animal kingdom, the venom system plays an important role for the survival and adaptation of animals. The hydra picture is quoted from COLDWATER.SCIENCE; the sea anemone picture is quoted from Dive Training; the sea urchin picture is quoted from Ezdivers; the scorpion fish picture is quoted from Fish4tomorrow; the black-headed Pitohui dichrous picture is quoted from Wikipedia; other pictures such as jellyfish [9] , starfish [10] , conus [11] , centipede [12] , wasp [13] , scorpion [14] , viper [15] , frog [14] and platypus [16] are all cited from related literature [17] . 其中, 离子通道是有毒动物毒液的主要 靶点.…”

“…两栖动物皮肤中包含缓 激肽、铃蟾肽、速激肽、色氨肽、雨蛙素和胆囊收缩 素 [112] . 本 研究组 [14] 近期的研究发现, 两栖动物也存在类似的毒 [113] . 猫鼬为了更好地捕食眼镜蛇, 其nAChR受体发 生了适应性进化, 使得α-神经毒素不能结合猫鼬的 nAChR受体, 从而可以不惧怕眼镜蛇的神经毒性 [114] ;…”