Carbohydrates of the trypsin soluble fraction of the orb web of Argiope trifasciata

AbstractStabilimenta are zigzag and spiral designs of seemingly conspicuous silk included at the centers of many spider webs. We examined the association of stabilimenta with the ability of spiders to defend themselves against predatory mud-dauber wasps. We found that Argiope trifasciata (Araneae, Araneidae) were significantly more likely to survive attacks by Chalybion caeruleum and Sceliphron caementarium (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae) when spiders included stabilimenta in webs. This association could not be explained by factors such as differences in sizes or conditions of spiders nor locations of webs. We suggest that stabilimenta may function to delay pursuit of spiders as they drop from webs by physically blocking wasps, camouflaging spiders or distracting attacking wasps. Stabilimenta may function in a role very similar to the retreats built by many other genera of spiders and appear to be an adaptation to reduce the predation pressure faced by spiders that have evolved foraging habits at highly exposed diurnal web sites.

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Towards Spider Glue: Long-read scaffolding for extreme length and repetitious silk family genes AgSp1 and AgSp2 with insights into functional adaptation

10.1101/492025 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sarah D Stellwagen ◽

Rebecca L Renberg

Keyword(s):

Prey Capture ◽

Functional Adaptation ◽

Predicted Amino Acid Sequence ◽

Spider Webs ◽

Silk Fibers ◽

Long Reads ◽

Long Read ◽

Orb Web ◽

Argiope Trifasciata ◽

First Time

The aggregate gland glycoprotein glue coating the prey-capture threads of orb weaving and cobweb weaving spider webs is comprised of silk protein spidroins (spider fibroins) encoded by two members of the silk gene family. It functions to retain prey that make contact with the web, but differs from solid silk fibers as it is a viscoelastic, amorphic, wet adhesive that is responsive to environmental conditions. Most spidroins are extremely large, highly repetitive genes that are impossible to sequence using only short-read technology. We sequenced for the first time the complete genomic Aggregate Spidroin 1 (AgSp1) and Aggregate Spidroin 2 (AgSp2) glue genes of Argiope trifasciata by using error-prone long reads to scaffold for high accuracy short reads. The massive coding sequences are 42,270 bp (AgSp1) and 20,526 bp (AgSp2) in length, the largest silk genes currently described. The majority of the predicted amino acid sequence of AgSp1 consists of two similar but distinct motifs that are repeated ~40 times each, while AgSp2 contains ~48 repetitions of an AgSp1-similar motif, interspersed by regions high in glutamine. Comparisons of AgSp repetitive motifs from orb web and cobweb spiders show regions of strict conservation followed by striking diversification. Glues from these two spider families have evolved contrasting material properties in adhesion, extensibility, and elasticity, which we link to mechanisms established for related silk genes in the same family. Full-length aggregate spidroin sequences from diverse species with differing material characteristics will provide insights for designing tunable bio-inspired adhesives for a variety of unique purposes.

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The Effect of Benzene on Bluegill Olfactory Lamellae

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s042482010011965x ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 43 ◽

pp. 574-575

Author(s):

D.R. Mattie ◽

J.W. Fisher

Keyword(s):

Surface Morphology ◽

Soluble Fraction ◽

Lepomis Macrochirus ◽

Sublethal Concentration ◽

Water Soluble ◽

Major Constituent ◽

Jet Fuels ◽

Aquatic Biota ◽

Normal Surface ◽

Cacodylate Buffer

Jet fuels such as JP-4 can be introduced into the environment and come in contact with aquatic biota in several ways. Studies in this laboratory have demonstrated JP-4 toxicity to fish. Benzene is the major constituent of the water soluble fraction of JP-4. The normal surface morphology of bluegill olfactory lamellae was examined in conjunction with electrophysiology experiments. There was no information regarding the ultrastructural and physiological responses of the olfactory epithelium of bluegills to acute benzene exposure.The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of benzene on the surface morphology of the nasal rosettes of the bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). Bluegills were exposed to a sublethal concentration of 7.7±0.2ppm (+S.E.M.) benzene for five, ten or fourteen days. Nasal rosettes were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde and 2.0% paraformaldehyde in 0.1M cacodylate buffer (pH 7.4) containing 1.25mM calcium chloride. Specimens were processed for scanning electron microscopy.

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Plasminogen Activator and Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor Associated with Granulomatous Inflammation: A Study with Murine Leprosy

Thrombosis and Haemostasis ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1661188 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 52 (03) ◽

pp. 243-249 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

S Izaki ◽

T Hibino ◽

Y Isozaki ◽

P S Hsu ◽

M Izaki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plasminogen Activator ◽

Soluble Fraction ◽

Proteinase Inhibitors ◽

Granulomatous Inflammation ◽

Serine Proteinase ◽

Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor ◽

Tissue Type ◽

Weakly Alkaline ◽

Heat Stable ◽

Type Plasminogen Activator

SummaryPlasminogen activator that is associated with the development of hypersensitivity granulomas (gPA) was partially purified from a saline soluble fraction of murine lepromas elicited in “resistant” mice, C57BL/6N. The gPA was shown to consist of two subspecies (23,000 and 48,000 in molecular weight) with essentially identical enzymologic properties. The gPA was found to be a relatively heat stable weakly alkaline serine proteinase with trypsin-like characteristics in the specificity for synthetic substrates and proteinase inhibitors. It showed a high affinity for H- D-Ile-Pro-Arg-pNA (Km = 1.4 × 10-4 M) H-D-Val-Leu-Lys- pNA (Km = 5.2 × 10-4 M), and L-pyroGlu-Gly-Arg-pNA (Km = 9.3 × 10-4 M). The gPA did not demonstrate antigenic cross reaction with urokinase-type or tissue-type plasminogen activator.Two distinct enzymatic regulators of the gPA were also demonstrated in the saline soluble fraction of the hypersensitivity granulomas. The gPA and its regulation are assumed to be correlated with macrophage activation in the hypersensitivity granulomas

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