A Novel Phospholipase A2 Isolated from Palythoa caribaeorum Possesses Neurotoxic Activity

Toxins (Basel). 2019 Feb 1;11(2):89. doi: 10.3390/toxins11020089.

Abstract

Zoanthids of the genus Palythoa are distributed worldwide in shallow waters around coral reefs. Like all cnidarians, they possess nematocysts that contain a large diversity of toxins that paralyze their prey. This work was aimed at isolating and functionally characterizing a cnidarian neurotoxic phospholipase named A2-PLTX-Pcb1a for the first time. This phospholipase was isolated from the venomous extract of the zoanthid Palythoa caribaeorum. This enzyme, which is Ca2+-dependent, is a 149 amino acid residue protein. The analysis of the A2-PLTX-Pcb1a sequence showed neurotoxic domain similitude with other neurotoxic sPLA₂´s, but a different catalytic histidine domain. This is remarkable, since A2-PLTX-Pcb1a displays properties like those of other known PLA₂ enzymes.

Keywords: Palythoa caribaeorum; cnidaria; neurotoxin; phospholipase A2; venom.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anthozoa*
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Injections, Intraventricular
  • Male
  • Motor Activity / drug effects
  • Motor Cortex / drug effects*
  • Motor Cortex / pathology
  • Neurotoxicity Syndromes*
  • Neurotoxins / chemistry
  • Neurotoxins / isolation & purification
  • Neurotoxins / toxicity*
  • Phospholipases A2 / chemistry
  • Phospholipases A2 / isolation & purification
  • Phospholipases A2 / toxicity*
  • Rats, Wistar

Substances

  • Neurotoxins
  • Phospholipases A2