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Published VersionCC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Venomous globiferous pedicellariae of eastern Australian Tripneustes sea urchins contain a rich diversity of cathepsin, lectin, and phospholipase A2 family proteins
Toxicon, Vol.276, pp.1-12
2026
Abstract
Sea urchins (Echinoidea) are a class of echinoderms that are known to harbour diverse defensive traits, including long spines and pincer-like appendages called pedicellariae. Pedicellariae of the venomous globiferous type are particularly well developed in the Family Toxopneustidae. However, there is a significant lack of data on the identity of pedicellarial toxins, which is needed to characterise their function, generate insights into venom evolution and explore bioprospecting potential. In this study, we performed a transcriptomic assessment of the pedicellariae from the two toxopneustid Tripneustes species that occur in eastern Australia, both of which are suspected to possess a pedicellarial venom gland system. The pedicellariae were found to express a rich diversity of gene transcripts encoding proteins that match to known putative venom-associated proteins, particularly those of cathepsin, lectin, and phospholipase A2 families. This study provides a foundational basis to advance discovery of sea urchin venom toxin candidates, filling a void in a field of research that has been neglected.
Details
- Title
- Venomous globiferous pedicellariae of eastern Australian Tripneustes sea urchins contain a rich diversity of cathepsin, lectin, and phospholipase A2 family proteins
- Authors
- Richard J. Harris (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine CoastSina Ehlert-Flaskämper - James Cook UniversityMaria Byrne - The University of SydneyCherie A. Motti - Australian Institute of Marine ScienceScott F. Cummins - University of the Sunshine Coast
- Publication details
- Toxicon, Vol.276, pp.1-12
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Date published
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.toxicon.2026.109062
- ISSN
- 1879-3150
- Copyright note
- © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
- Data Availability
- Raw transcriptome data was uploaded to and is available from National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) SRA database under the BioProject number PRJNA1356305. All other raw data is available in supplementary file 1-6 and Fig. S1.
- Grant note
- Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) appropriation funding (003746).
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering; Centre for Bioinnovation
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991216251002621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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