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Gene structure, regulatory control, and evolution of black widow venom latrotoxins
Author(s) -
Bhere Kanaka Varun,
Haney Robert A.,
Ayoub Nadia A.,
Garb Jessica E.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2014.08.034
Subject(s) - gene , biology , intron , venom , genetics , coding region , concerted evolution , gene duplication , ecology
Black widow venom contains α‐latrotoxin, infamous for causing intense pain. Combining 33 kb of Latrodectus hesperus genomic DNA with RNA‐Seq, we characterized the α‐latrotoxin gene and discovered a paralog, 4.5 kb downstream. Both paralogs exhibit venom gland specific transcription, and may be regulated post‐transcriptionally via musashi‐like proteins. A 4 kb intron interrupts the α‐latrotoxin coding sequence, while a 10 kb intron in the 3′ UTR of the paralog may cause non‐sense‐mediated decay. Phylogenetic analysis confirms these divergent latrotoxins diversified through recent tandem gene duplications. Thus, latrotoxin genes have more complex structures, regulatory controls, and sequence diversity than previously proposed.