PUBLICATION

The α1-adrenoceptor inhibitor ρ-TIA facilitates net hunting in piscivorous Conus tulipa

Authors
Dutt, M., Giacomotto, J., Ragnarsson, L., Andersson, Å., Brust, A., Dekan, Z., Alewood, P.F., Lewis, R.J.
ID
ZDB-PUB-191130-11
Date
2019
Source
Scientific Reports   9: 17841 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Giacomotto, Jean
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists/metabolism
  • Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists/toxicity*
  • Animals
  • Conus Snail/metabolism*
  • Conus Snail/physiology
  • Escape Reaction/drug effects*
  • Mollusk Venoms/metabolism
  • Mollusk Venoms/toxicity*
  • Predatory Behavior*
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1/metabolism
  • Zebrafish/metabolism
  • Zebrafish/physiology
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
PubMed
31780714 Full text @ Sci. Rep.
Abstract
Cone snails use separately evolved venoms for prey capture and defence. While most use a harpoon for prey capture, the Gastridium clade that includes the well-studied Conus geographus and Conus tulipa, have developed a net hunting strategy to catch fish. This unique feeding behaviour requires secretion of "nirvana cabal" peptides to dampen the escape response of targeted fish allowing for their capture directly by mouth. However, the active components of the nirvana cabal remain poorly defined. In this study, we evaluated the behavioural effects of likely nirvana cabal peptides on the teleost model, Danio rerio (zebrafish). Surprisingly, the conantokins (NMDA receptor antagonists) and/or conopressins (vasopressin receptor agonists and antagonists) found in C. geographus and C. tulipa venom failed to produce a nirvana cabal-like effect in zebrafish. In contrast, low concentrations of the non-competitive adrenoceptor antagonist ρ-TIA found in C. tulipa venom (EC50 = 190 nM) dramatically reduced the escape response of zebrafish larvae when added directly to aquarium water. ρ-TIA inhibited the zebrafish α1-adrenoceptor, confirming ρ-TIA has the potential to reverse the known stimulating effects of norepinephrine on fish behaviour. ρ-TIA may act alone and not as part of a cabal, since it did not synergise with conopressins and/or conantokins. This study highlights the importance of using ecologically relevant animal behaviour models to decipher the complex neurobiology underlying the prey capture and defensive strategies of cone snails.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping