Biology:Gympietides
Gympietides are a peptide family of neurotoxins that target pain receptors and permanently change and inactivate voltage-gated sodium channels in sensory neurons to produce long-lasting pain. The highly stable nature of these peptides means that they can repeatedly stimulate these sensory neurons, prolonging the pain.[1] Their 3D molecular structure makes Gympietides similar to spider or cone snail toxins.[2][3]
The species Dendrocnide moroides produces gympietides. These toxins give D. moroides its notoriously painful toxic stings, which can last for a few hours.[4] Dendrocnide excelsa also produces gympietides.[2]
Name
They get their name after the species of plant Dendrocnide moroides, commonly known as gympie-gympie.[4]
Structure
All known gympietides have a very similar primary structure. The tertiary structure of Excelsatoxin A was determined via NMR spectroscopy, showing a cystine-knot structure. The other members of the family are predicted to have very similar 3D structures.[2]
>sp|P0DQP4|NTXA_DENMD Moroidotoxin A
IPRCDSPLCSLFRIGLCGDKCFCVPLPIVGICVPSV
>sp|P0DQP3|NTXA_DENEC Excelsatoxin A
LPRCDSPFCSLFRIGLCGDKCTCVPLPIFGLCVPDV
>tr|A0A7G9XV74|A0A7G9XV74_DENEC Excelsatoxin B
LPRCDSPFCSLFRMGLCGDKCICVPLPIFGICVPNV
Medicine
They could have potential therapeutic use in pain relief by providing a scaffold.[3][clarification needed]
References
- ↑ "Gympietides: the unexpected toxin of Australia – theGIST". https://the-gist.org/2020/12/gympietides-the-unexpected-toxin-of-australia/.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Gilding, Edward K.; Jami, Sina; Deuis, Jennifer R.; Israel, Mathilde R.; Harvey, Peta J.; Poth, Aaron G.; Rehm, Fabian B. H.; Stow, Jennifer L. et al. (2020-09-16). "Neurotoxic peptides from the venom of the giant Australian stinging tree". Science Advances 6 (38). doi:10.1126/sciadv.abb8828. PMID 32938666. Bibcode: 2020SciA....6.8828G.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Queensland, The University of; Lucia, Australia Brisbane St; Gatton, QLD 4072 +61 7 3365 1111 Other Campuses: UQ; Maps, UQ Herston; Queensland, Directions © 2025 The University of. "Native stinging tree toxins match the pain of spiders and cone snails" (in en). https://www.uq.edu.au/news/article/2020/09/native-stinging-tree-toxins-match-pain-of-spiders-and-cone-snails.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "The stinging tree's ouch" (in en-AU). 2020-09-17. https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/the-stinging-trees-ouch/.
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