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Updated: May 3, 2026

Extraction of Venom and Venom Gland Microdissections from Spiders for Proteomic and Transcriptomic Analyses
Published on: November 3, 2014
Genes and evolution of two-domain toxins from lynx spider venom
Maria Y Sachkova1, Anna A Slavokhotova2, Eugene V Grishin1
1M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya, 117997 Moscow, Russian Federation.
Abstract:
Spiderines are comparatively long polypeptide toxins (∼110 residues) from lynx spiders (genus Oxyopes). They are built of an N-terminal linear cationic domain (∼40 residues) and a C-terminal knottin domain (∼60 residues). The linear domain empowers spiderines with strong cytolytic activity. In the present work we report 16 novel spiderine sequences from Oxyopes takobius and Oxyopes lineatus classified into two subfamilies. Strikingly, negative selection acts on both linear and knottin domains. Genes encoding Oxyopes two-domain toxins were sequenced and found to be intronless. We further discuss a possible scenario of lynx spider modular toxin evolution.
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