Global Transcriptome Analysis of the Scorpion Centruroides noxius: New Toxin Families and Evolutionary Insights from an Ancestral Scorpion Species

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043331
• Publication Date: 2012-08-17T17:38:55Z
• Authors: Martha Rendón-Anaya; Luis Delaye; Lourival D. Possani; Alfredo Herrera-E...
• Keywords: Scorpion Venoms; Telson; Buthidae; Scorpion toxin

Scorpion venoms have been studied for decades, leading to the identification of hundreds different toxins with medical and pharmacological implications. However, little emphasis has given description these arthropods from cellular evolutionary perspectives. In this report, we describe a transcriptomic analysis Mexican scorpion Centruroides noxius Hoffmann, performed pyrosequencing platform. Three independent sequencing experiments were carried out, each including three cDNA libraries constructed RNA extracted whole body after telson removal, venom gland before extraction. Over million reads obtained assembled in almost 19000 isogroups. Within telson-specific sequences, 72 isogroups (0.4% total unique transcripts) found be similar previously reported other species, spiders sea anemones. The annotation pipeline also revealed presence important elements small non-coding processing machinery, as well microRNA candidates. A phylogenomic concatenated essential genes evidenced differential evolution rates particularly ribosomal proteins proteasome components. Additionally, statistical comparison transcript abundance extraction showed that 3% 2% had higher expression levels active replenishing gland, respectively. Thus, our strategies provide general view molecular processes take place arthropods, allowed discovery new biotechnological targets uncovered several regulatory metabolic responses behind assembly venom. results report represent first high-throughput study thoroughly describes universe are expressed highly relevant organism