Venoms of the sicariid spiders contain phospholipase D enzyme toxins that can cause severe dermonecrosis and even death in humans. These enzymes convert sphingolipid and lysolipid substrates to cyclic phosphates by activating a hydroxyl nucleophile present in both classes of lipid. The most medically relevant substrates are thought to be sphingomyelin and/or lysophosphatidylcholine. Loxosceles spiders belong to the spider family Sicariidae, which also contains the genus Sicarius. Sicarius species are native to Southern Africa and South/Central America. Although most research attention focuses on Loxosceles, Sicarius individuals also carry PLD toxins in their venoms. The gene family comprising the sicariid PLD toxins has been named “SicTox” to reflect this distribution and to distinguish them from nonhomologous PLDs that typically serve more general housekeeping functions. Here you can see the crystal structure of phospholipase D Beta1B1i from Sicarius terrosus venom at 2.14 A resolution (PDB code: 4Q6X)
#molecularart ... #immolecular ... #toxin ... #venom ... #spider ... #phospholipase ... #lipid ... #degradation ... #Loxosceles ... #Sicarius ... #toxiceffect ... #Xray ...
Rendered with @proteinimaging and finished with @corelphotopaint
Inspiration from @dmlajoie
#molecularart ... #immolecular ... #toxin ... #venom ... #spider ... #phospholipase ... #lipid ... #degradation ... #Loxosceles ... #Sicarius ... #toxiceffect ... #Xray ...
Rendered with @proteinimaging and finished with @corelphotopaint
Inspiration from @dmlajoie
