No abstract available.
Classification* ; Ecology* ; Spiders* ; Tetranychidae*

No abstract available.
Citrus* ; Hypersensitivity* ; Mites* ; Spiders* ; Tetranychidae*

One of the distinct characters of Latrodectus tredecimguttatus is that its toxic components exist not only in the venomous glands, but also in the tissues outside the venomous glands and even in the eggs. Investigation on the toxins outside the venomous glands can deepen our understanding of spider toxins and discover new lead molecules with important application prospects. In order to explore the low-abundance proteinaceous toxins in the L. tredecimguttatus eggs, we used bioinformatic strategies to mine a gene sequence encoding a peptide toxin from the transcriptome of L. tredecimguttatus eggs, and then heterologously expressed the gene successfully with a 3'-RACE combined with nest PCR strategy. Biological activity analyses indicated that the expressed peptide toxin, named latroeggtoxin-Ⅵ (LETX-Ⅵ), could inhibit Na⁺ channel currents in ND7/23 cells and promote dopamine release from PC12 cells, without obvious toxicity against Periplaneta americana and bacteria as well as fungi including Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans, demonstrating that LETX-Ⅵ is a mammal-specific neurotoxin with a potential application prospect in development of the tool reagents for neurobiological study and the drugs for treating related diseases.
Animals ; Arthropod Proteins/genetics* ; Black Widow Spider/genetics* ; Cloning, Molecular ; Rats ; Spider Venoms/genetics* ; Transcriptome

BACKGROUND: Specified clinical observations regarding skin changes in viral hepatitis have not yet been accomplished in Korea, especially in view of serotypes. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to identify various cutaneous manifestations of viral hepatitis according to viral serotypes and the stages of the disease. METHODS: We performed a clinical observation of cutaneous manifestations in 450 patients who were diagnosed with viral hepatitis. RESULTS: 1. Cutaneous manifestations were found in 383(85.1%) patients. Patients with a longer duration seemed to have skin lesions more frequently. 2. The frequency of cutaneous manifestations was highest in HAV(94.4%) and HBV(84.9%) serotypes. The most common cutaneous manifestation was pruritus(32.4%) in all studied subjects. In HBV hepatitic patients, the most common cutaneous manifestation was pruritus(35.4%), in HCV hepatitic patients, vasculitic purpura(74.5%), in HAV hepatitic patients, urticaria(88.8%), in the hepatitic patients with the mixed form, spider angioma(30.2%) and vasculitic purpura(30.2%). 3. Urticarial lesions in non-HCV hepatitis were of the lymphocytic vasculitis type but HCV hepatitis was associated with neutrophilic vasculitis. The purpuric lesions with HCV hepatitis were of the neutrophilic vasculitis type while lymphocytic vasculitis was present in non-HCV hepatitis. 4. The most severe pruritus was present in HBV hepatitic patients. CONCLUSION: The cutaneous manifestations in viral hepatitis have different clinical features depending on the viral types.
Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Korea ; Neutrophils ; Pruritus ; Skin ; Spiders ; Vasculitis

To study the effect of physiological conditions on spidroins, we analyzed NTR1SR2CT module secondary structure, aggregation and silk-formation influenced by different salts (in different concentration intervals). According to the full-length Araneus ventricosus MiSp sequence, NTR1SR2CT module was constructed and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3), and the recombinant proteins were purified by denaturation method mediated by 8 mol/L urea. Random coil and helix are the main secondary structures of NTR1SR2CT and could be induced into beta-sheet by drying natively and lyophilization, where methanol can be used as a promoter. Furthermore, potassium and phosphate cations can cause significant NTR1SR2CT protein aggregation and silk-formation. The results could be a basis for the determination of silk-formation mechanism, and also useful for industrialized generation of high performance spider silk-like fibers.
Animals ; Fibroins ; chemistry ; Protein Structure, Secondary ; Salts ; chemistry ; Spiders

Latrodectus tredecimguttatus (commonly known as black widow spiders) have toxins not only in their venom glands, but also in other parts of their body, in their eggs and even in the newborn spiderlings. The study on the toxins in venom and materials outside the venom glands of the spiders to elucidate their differences and similarities, evolutional relationship and biological functions is of important theoretical and applicable significance. The development of modern protein chemistry and proteomics techniques has provided efficient means for the study of protein and peptide toxins of L. tredecimguttatus. By using such techniques, the molecular base and action mechanism of the toxins can be revealed at the levels of both single purified proteins and omics. Up to now, although protein chemistry and proteomics study on L. tredecimguttatus toxins have achieved a certain progress, the relevant work particularly that on the toxins in the materials outside the venom glands has to be further deepened.
Animals ; Arthropod Proteins ; chemistry ; Black Widow Spider ; chemistry ; Proteomics ; Venoms ; chemistry

Cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita, which was first described by Van Lehuizen in 1922, is characterized by the presence at birth of a persistent cut;is marmorata pattern, phlebectasia, spider nevus-like telangiectasia, and areas of ulceration and steady improvernent with time. We reported a case of cutis mar.morata telangiectatica. congenita occuring in a 70 days old female infant showing the reticulated mottling and atrophy of the skin on the both lower extremites, right upper extremity, abdomen and buttock muscle weakening of right upper extremity and left lower extremity compare with the opposite side. Skin lesions were much improved during the observation period of 10 months without any other specific treatment except hermiatrophy of right upper extremity.
Abdomen ; Atrophy ; Buttocks ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Lower Extremity ; Parturition ; Skin ; Spiders ; Telangiectasis ; Ulcer ; Upper Extremity

A total of 631 species of spiders have been reported in Korea. However, there are no spiders with noxious venom such as Latrodectus sp. Because of this, to date, no serious medical problems due to spider bites have been reported in Korea, and only two cases of spider bite were officially reported. However, as the number of earning spiders from other countries is increased, the number of cases of spider bite has also shown a recent increase. A 17-year-old man presented with numbness of both extremities after being bitten by a spider which he had as a pet. The spider is called an Indian ornamental tree spider (Poecilotheria regalis sp.), one kind of tarantula species. Herein, we report on a case of a spider bite by a tarantula.
Adolescent ; Extremities ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Korea ; Spider Bites* ; Spider Venoms ; Spiders ; Venoms

In Korea, a total of 44 families, 217 genus, and 631 species of spiders are reported. However there are no spiders having noxious venom such as Latrodectus sp. or Loxoscles sp. Because of this, there have been no reported serious medical problems due to spider bites in Korea up to now. Paracoelotes spinivulva is a spider belonging to Family Amaurobiidae and Genus Paracoelotes. It is characteristically distributed in Korea and some regions of Japan, China, and Russia. A 46-year-old man presented with two painful, erythematous papules on the left index finger tip. He was bitten by a spider three days prior to the visit. Punch biopsy was done from the bite site. Although spider bites may be relatively common, there is only one official report of a spider bite in Korea. Herein, we report a case of a spider bite by a indigenous spider, Paracoelotes spinivulva.
Arachnidism ; Biopsy ; Bites and Stings ; China ; Fingers ; Humans ; Japan ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Russia ; Spiders ; Venoms

Due to its special sequence structure, spider silk protein has unique physical and chemical properties, mechanical properties and excellent biological properties. With the expansion of the application value of spider silk in many fields as a functional material, progress has been made in the studies on the expression of recombinant spider silk proteins through many host systems by gene recombinant techniques. Recombinant spider silk proteins can be processed into high performance fibers, and a wide range of nonfibrous morphologies. Moreover, for their excellent biocompatibility and low immune response they are ideal for biomedical applications. Here we review the process and mechanism of preparation in vitro, chemistry and genetic engineering modification on recombinant spider silk protein.
Animals ; Arthropod Proteins ; chemistry ; Protein Engineering ; Recombinant Proteins ; chemistry ; Silk ; chemistry ; Spiders