Phylogenetic analysis of metalloprotease from transcriptome of venom gland of Hemiscorpius lepturus

Abstract

Hemiscorpius lepturus is a dangerous scorpion and referred to health concern issue in Khuzestan, Iran. The venom of H.lepturus is cytotoxic and its effect is similar to spider Loxosceles reclusa. Metalloproteinases are the important class of enzymes in the venom that has hemorrhagic activity. The early fi nding suggests the existence of metalloproteases in the transcriptome of venom gland of H.lepturus. Phylogenetic analysis was accomplished to reveal the evolutionary relationship of identifi ed metalloproteases. The phylogenetic tree was constructed by Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis software and neighbor-joining method. Results showed among three sequences, two metalloproteinases named HLMP1 and HLMP3 of H.lepturus were most close to spider P. tepidariorum. The third sequence named HLMP2 was different and formed an independent clade in the phylogenetic tree. The results suggest that the sequence of metalloproteases in the venom component of H.lepturus is similar to the spider than the scorpion.

The Effect of Various Fractions of Hemiscorpius lepturus Scorpion (Scorpionida: Hemiscorpiidae) Venom on Hemostatic System in Peripheral Blood of Rats in Comparison to Whole Venom

“…Although the molecular mass of proteolytic compounds in the above-mentioned scorpion venoms was higher than the F2 fraction of the present study, there is still some evidence of the presence of enzymes of the same molecular weight range with metalloprotease properties in H. lepturus venom (18). Therefore, according to the present findings and previous studies, it is likely that the fibrin (ogen) olytic effects of whole venom and fraction 2 are due to the metalloproteases present in the scorpion venom.…”

“…Hyperfibrinogenemia, observed in this experiment, might be attributed to the thrombin-like enzyme activity of whole venom and its higher molecular weight components (F1 and F2). In support of this theory, several enzymatic proteins and peptides, including metalloproteinases, phospholipases A2 (PLA2s), and serine proteases, were identified in scorpion venoms, comprising H. lepturus, that can affect the coagulation system (18,19).…”

“…Fibrin(ogen)olytic enzymes have been categorized into two classes, serine proteases and metalloproteases (28) both of which were previously identified in H. lepturus venom gland (18,24,29). Similar enzymes with fibrin(ogen)olytic and plasminogen activator-like potential were also purified from the venom of Tityus discrepans (28) and Androctonus crassicauda (30).…”