Gene structure, regulatory control, and evolution of black widow venom latrotoxins.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Bhere KV
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4253598 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Gene structure, regulatory control, and evolution of black widow venom latrotoxins.
Bhere Kanaka Varun KV Haney Robert A RA Ayoub Nadia A NA Garb Jessica E JE
FEBS letters 20140912 21
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. ...[more]
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