Published in

MDPI, Toxins, 1(14), p. 37, 2022

DOI: 10.3390/toxins14010037

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Shedding Lights on Crude Venom from Solitary Foraging Predatory Ant Ectatomma opaciventre: Initial Toxinological Investigation

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Published version: archiving allowed
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Some species of primitive predatory ants, despite living in a colony, exercise their hunting collection strategy individually; their venom is painful, paralyzing, digestive, and lethal for their prey, yet the toxins responsible for these effects are poorly known. Ectatomma opaciventre is a previously unrecorded solitary hunting ant from the Brazilian Cerrado. To overcome this hindrance, the present study performed the in vitro enzymatic, biochemical, and biological activities of E. opaciventre to better understand the properties of this venom. Its venom showed several proteins with masses ranging from 1–116 kDa, highlighting the complexity of this venom. Compounds with high enzymatic activity were described, elucidating different enzyme classes present in the venom, with the presence of the first L-amino acid oxidase in Hymenoptera venoms being reported. Its crude venom contributes to a state of blood incoagulability, acting on primary hemostasis, inhibiting collagen-induced platelet aggregation, and operating on the fibrinolysis of loose red clots. Furthermore, the E. opaciventre venom preferentially induced cytotoxic effects on lung cancer cell lines and three different species of Leishmania. These data shed a comprehensive portrait of enzymatic components, biochemical and biological effects in vitro, opening perspectives for bio-pharmacological application of E. opaciventre venom molecules.