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Pompilidotoxin
Pompilidotoxin is a toxin from the venom of spider wasps that slows the inactivation of Na+channels. Etymology Pompilidotoxin is named after the pompilidae wasp family (commonly called spider wasps). Sources α-Pompilidotoxin (α-PMTX) can be extracted from the venom of a solitary wasp, ''Anoplius samariensis''. β-Pompilidotoxin (β-PMTX) originates from the venom of another wasp, ''Batozonellus maculifrons''. Chemistry ''Structure'' α-PMTX consists of 13 amino acid residues with the sequence Arg-Ile-Lys-Ile-Gly-Leu-Phe-Gln-Asp-Leu-Ser-Lys-Leu-NH2. Replacement of the lysine residue at position 12 of α-PMTX with arginine results in β-PMTX. ''Homology'' α-PMTX has no structural homology with other toxins. It lacks disulfide bonds which are known to be present in other toxins acting on sodium channels, such as sea anemone toxins or scorpion toxins. Target Both α- and β-PMTX slow the inactivation of neuronal sodium channels (but not heart sodium channels), possibly by bindi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spider Wasp
Wasps in the family Pompilidae are commonly called spider wasps, spider-hunting wasps, or pompilid wasps. The family is cosmopolitan, with some 5,000 species in six subfamilies. Nearly all species are solitary (with the exception of some group-nesting Ageniellini), and most capture and paralyze prey, though members of the subfamily Ceropalinae are kleptoparasites of other pompilids, or ectoparasitoids of living spiders. In South America, species may be referred to colloquially as or , though these names can be generally applied to any very large stinging wasps. Furthermore, in some parts of Venezuela and Colombia, it is called , or "horse killers", while in Brazil some particular bigger and brighter species of the general kind might be called /, or "throat locker". Morphology Like other strong fliers, pompilids have a thorax modified for efficient flight. The metathorax is solidly fused to the pronotum and mesothorax; moreover, the prothorax is best developed in Pompilidae a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pompilidae
Wasps in the family Pompilidae are commonly called spider wasps, spider-hunting wasps, or pompilid wasps. The family is cosmopolitan, with some 5,000 species in six subfamilies. Nearly all species are solitary (with the exception of some group-nesting Ageniellini), and most capture and paralyze prey, though members of the subfamily Ceropalinae are kleptoparasites of other pompilids, or ectoparasitoids of living spiders. In South America, species may be referred to colloquially as or , though these names can be generally applied to any very large stinging wasps. Furthermore, in some parts of Venezuela and Colombia, it is called , or "horse killers", while in Brazil some particular bigger and brighter species of the general kind might be called /, or "throat locker". Morphology Like other strong fliers, pompilids have a thorax modified for efficient flight. The metathorax is solidly fused to the pronotum and mesothorax; moreover, the prothorax is best developed in Pompilidae a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anoplius
''Anoplius'' is a genus of spider wasps in the family Pompilidae, called the blue-black spider wasps. The genus includes the following species: *'' Anoplius aethiops'' (Cresson 1865) *'' Anoplius americanus'' (Beauvois) *'' Anoplius amethystinus'' (Dahlbom) *'' Anoplius apiculatus'' (Smith) *'' Anoplius atrox'' (Dahlbom 1843) *'' Anoplius carolinus'' (Banks 1921) *'' Anoplius caviventris'' (Aurivillius, 1907) *'' Anoplius cleora'' (Banks 1917) *'' Anoplius concinnus'' (Dahlbom, 1845) *''Anoplius depressipes ''Anoplius depressipes'' is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae. It is a known predator of fishing spiders from the genus ''Dolomedes ''Dolomedes'' is a genus of large spiders of the family Pisauridae. They are also known as f ...'' Banks 1919 *'' Anoplius illinoensis'' (Robertson 1901) *'' Anoplius infuscatus'' (Vander Linden, 1827) *'' Anoplius ithaca'' (Banks 1912) *'' Anoplius krombeini'' Evans 1950 *'' Anoplius marginalis'' (Banks 1910) *'' Anoplius ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Toxin
A toxin is a naturally occurring organic poison produced by metabolic activities of living cells or organisms. Toxins occur especially as a protein or conjugated protein. The term toxin was first used by organic chemist Ludwig Brieger (1849–1919) and is derived from the word toxic. Toxins can be small molecules, peptides, or proteins that are capable of causing disease on contact with or absorption by body tissues interacting with biological macromolecules such as enzymes or cellular receptors. Toxins vary greatly in their toxicity, ranging from usually minor (such as a bee sting) to potentially fatal even at extremely low doses (such as botulinum toxin). Toxins are largely secondary metabolites, which are organic compounds that are not directly involved in an organism's growth, development, or reproduction, instead often aiding it in matters of defense. Terminology Toxins are often distinguished from other chemical agents strictly based on their biological origin. Le ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Batozonellus
''Batozonellus'' is a genus of the spider hunting wasps (insects belonging to the family Pompilidae). Description The species of the genus ''Batozonellus'' range from large to very large. Body is black and yellow. The compound eyes are large. Clypeus (arthropod anatomy), Clypeus is short and broad. The wings are yellow. The tip of the forewing has a brownish band. The pterostigma is quite small. The tibiae have long spines. The females dig their nests in the ground and supply larvae with spiders of the family Araneidae. Species The species in the genus are: *''Batozonellus aliciae'' (Bingham, 1896) *''Batozonellus annulitarsis'' (Cameron, 1891) *''Batozonellus bipunctatus'' Banks, 1941 *''Batozonellus exiguus'' Banks, 1947 *''Batozonellus gundlachi'' (Cresson, 1865) *''Batozonellus ichneumonoides'' Banks, 1944 *''Batozonellus inornatus'' Banks, 1945 *''Batozonellus madecassus'' (Saussure, 1887) *''Batozonellus marcidus'' Banks, 1925 *''Batozonellus multipictus'' (Smith, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amino Acid
Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although hundreds of amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the alpha-amino acids, which comprise proteins. Only 22 alpha amino acids appear in the genetic code. Amino acids can be classified according to the locations of the core structural functional groups, as Alpha and beta carbon, alpha- , beta- , gamma- or delta- amino acids; other categories relate to Chemical polarity, polarity, ionization, and side chain group type (aliphatic, Open-chain compound, acyclic, aromatic, containing hydroxyl or sulfur, etc.). In the form of proteins, amino acid '' residues'' form the second-largest component (water being the largest) of human muscles and other tissues. Beyond their role as residues in proteins, amino acids participate in a number of processes such as neurotransmitter transport and biosynthesis. It is thought that they played a key role in enabling life ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Homology (chemistry)
In chemistry, homology is the appearance of homologues. A homologue (also spelled as homolog) is a compound belonging to a series of compounds differing from each other by a repeating unit, such as a methylene bridge −−, a peptide residue, etc. A homolog is a special case of an analog. Examples are alkanes and compounds with alkyl side chains of different length (the repeating unit being a methylene group -CH2-). Periodic table On the periodic table, homologous elements share many electrochemical properties and appear in the same group (column) of the table. For example, all noble gases are colorless, monatomic gases with very low reactivity. These similarities are due to similar structure in their outer shells of valence electrons. Mendeleev used the prefix eka- for an unknown element below a known one in the same group. See also * Homologous series * Analog Analog or analogue may refer to: Computing and electronics * Analog signal, in which information is enco ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Disulfide Bond
In biochemistry, a disulfide (or disulphide in British English) refers to a functional group with the structure . The linkage is also called an SS-bond or sometimes a disulfide bridge and is usually derived by the coupling of two thiol groups. In biology, disulfide bridges formed between thiol groups in two cysteine residues are an important component of the secondary and tertiary structure of proteins. ''Persulfide'' usually refers to compounds. In inorganic chemistry disulfide usually refers to the corresponding anion (−S−S−). Organic disulfides Symmetrical disulfides are compounds of the formula . Most disulfides encountered in organo sulfur chemistry are symmetrical disulfides. Unsymmetrical disulfides (also called heterodisulfides) are compounds of the formula . They are less common in organic chemistry, but most disulfides in nature are unsymmetrical. Properties The disulfide bonds are strong, with a typical bond dissociation energy of 60 kcal/mol (251& ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sea Anemone
Sea anemones are a group of predation, predatory marine invertebrates of the order (biology), order Actiniaria. Because of their colourful appearance, they are named after the ''Anemone'', a terrestrial flowering plant. Sea anemones are classified in the phylum Cnidaria, class Anthozoa, subclass Hexacorallia. As cnidarians, sea anemones are related to corals, jellyfish, tube-dwelling anemones, and ''hydra (genus), Hydra''. Unlike jellyfish, sea anemones do not have a Jellyfish#Life history and behavior, medusa stage in their life cycle. A typical sea anemone is a single polyp (zoology), polyp attached to a hard surface by its base, but some species live in soft sediment, and a few float near the surface of the water. The polyp has a columnar trunk topped by an oral disc with a ring of tentacles and a central mouth. The tentacles can be retracted inside the body cavity or expanded to catch passing prey. They are armed with cnidocytes (stinging cells). In many species, additional n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always ending with a stinger. The evolutionary history of scorpions goes back 435 million years. They mainly live in deserts but have adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions, and can be found on all continents except Antarctica. There are over 2,500 described species, with 22 extant (living) families recognized to date. Their taxonomy is being revised to account for 21st-century genomic studies. Scorpions primarily prey on insects and other invertebrates, but some species hunt vertebrates. They use their pincers to restrain and kill prey, or to prevent their own predation. The venomous sting is used for offense and defense. During courtship, the male and female grasp each other's pincers and dance while he tries to move her onto his s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Receptor (biochemistry)
In biochemistry and pharmacology, receptors are chemical structures, composed of protein, that receive and transduce signals that may be integrated into biological systems. These signals are typically chemical messengers which bind to a receptor and cause some form of cellular/tissue response, e.g. a change in the electrical activity of a cell. There are three main ways the action of the receptor can be classified: relay of signal, amplification, or integration. Relaying sends the signal onward, amplification increases the effect of a single ligand, and integration allows the signal to be incorporated into another biochemical pathway. Receptor proteins can be classified by their location. Transmembrane receptors include ligand-gated ion channels, G protein-coupled receptors, and enzyme-linked hormone receptors. Intracellular receptors are those found inside the cell, and include cytoplasmic receptors and nuclear receptors. A molecule that binds to a receptor is called a ligand ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Extracellular
This glossary of biology terms is a list of definitions of fundamental terms and concepts used in biology, the study of life and of living organisms. It is intended as introductory material for novices; for more specific and technical definitions from sub-disciplines and related fields, see Glossary of genetics, Glossary of evolutionary biology, Glossary of ecology, and Glossary of scientific naming, or any of the organism-specific glossaries in :Glossaries of biology. A B C D E ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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