@article {toxins12040230, title = {Centipede Venom Peptides Acting on Ion Channels}, journal = {Toxins}, volume = {12}, year = {2020}, month = {05/04/2020}, pages = {1-18}, abstract = {

Centipedes are among the oldest venomous arthropods that use their venom to subdue the prey. The major components of centipede venom are a variety of low-molecular-weight peptide toxins that have evolved to target voltage-gated ion channels to interfere with the central system of prey and produce pain or paralysis for efficient hunting. Peptide toxins usually contain several intramolecular disulfide bonds, which confer chemical, thermal and biological stability. In addition, centipede peptides generally have novel structures and high potency and specificity and therefore hold great promise both as diagnostic tools and in the treatment of human disease. Here, we review the centipede peptide toxins with reported effects on ion channels, including Nav, Kv, Cav and the nonselective cation channel polymodal transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1).

}, keywords = {animal toxin, centipede venom, drug discovery, ion channel, peptide drug}, issn = {2072-6651}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12040230}, url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/12/4/230}, author = {Chu, YanYan and Qiu, PeiJu and Yu, RiLei} } @article {1154, title = {Isolation and characterization of the major centipede allergen Sco m 5 from Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans}, journal = {Allergology International}, volume = {70}, year = {2020}, month = {14/07/2020}, pages = {121-128}, abstract = {

Background: Allergic reactions have been observed following both direct centipede bites and the clinical use of centipede-containing medicines, such as traditional Chinese medicines utilizing Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans; however, no natural centipede allergen has yet been characterized.

Methods: An allergen was purified from S. s. mutilans venom using Superdex 75 gel filtration and RESOURCE S ion chromatography, and its primary structure was determined via a combination of LC-MS-MS, MALDI-TOF/TOF and protein sequencing techniques. Its potential allergenicity was evaluated by immunoblotting, ELISAs, skin prick tests (SPTs) and mast cell activation assays.

Results: A novel allergen Sco m 5 (210 amino acids long) was successfully purified from crude S. s. mutilans venom. Sco m 5 could promote the degranulation of a human mast cell line, HMC-1. Among centipede-allergic patients, Sco m 5 showed an 83.3\% IgE-binding frequency and a 66.7\% positive reaction frequency, as detected by immunoblotting and SPTs, respectively. Sco m 5 IgE-binding frequencies of common Chinese population was found to be 9\%\–16\%. Sera positive for Sco m 5 IgE-binding was cross-reactive against venom from the wasp Vespa mandarinia.

Conclusions: The present study isolated and characterized a novel allergen termed as Sco m 5 from the centipede S. s. mutilans. The use of Sco m 5 to identify centipede-allergic individuals could be important, given the high potential allergenicity of Sco m 5 among the general Chinese population, along with the likely possibility of cross-reactivity against wasp venom among centipede-allergic patients.

}, keywords = {Allergen, Centipede, Cross-reactivity, IgE, Venom}, issn = {1323-8930}, doi = {10.1016/j.alit.2020.06.003}, url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1323893020300927}, author = {Lan, Xin-Qiang and Zhao, Feng and Wang, Qi-Quan and Li, Jiang-Hua and Zeng, Lin and Zhang, Yun and Lee, Wen-Hui} } @article {1088, title = {Centipede bio-extremity elastic model control}, journal = {Journal of Micro-Bio Robotics}, volume = {17}, year = {2021}, month = {09/03/2021}, pages = {1-23}, abstract = {

In this research, a specimen of arthropod, infraspecies Cormocephalus calcaratus (centipede) is the matter of study for modeling its trunk-limb biomechanics. The endoskeletal system was built to model and approach its passive dynamics motion. The limb\’s musculoskeletal system was digitally \’sculpted\’ in three-dimension using the planar taxonomic sagittal, ventral and transventral views as metrical references, constrained in scale and geometry. The endoskeleton was modeled by an equivalent network of spring-mass-damper muscles with five joints controlled by two input muscles to manipulate the limb\’s tip. The kinematic position equations with their higher-order derivatives and the inner muscles dynamics were deduced for a Newton-based dynamic controller to resemble scramble up motion. Simulations produced realistic controlled motions with expected limb\’s dexterity underactuation.

}, keywords = {3D modeling, Biorobot, Centipede, Limb, Musculoskeletal dexterity, Underactuation}, issn = {2194-6418}, doi = {10.1007/s12213-021-00141-y}, url = {http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12213-021-00141-y}, author = {Miranda Guaderrama, Joel and Mart{\'\i}nez-Garc{\'\i}a, Edgar Alonso} } @article {999, title = {Comparative analysis of diverse toxins from a new pharmaceutical centipede, Scolopendra mojiangica}, journal = {Zoological Research}, volume = {41}, year = {2020}, month = {01/03/2020}, pages = {138-147}, abstract = {

As the oldest venomous animals, centipedes use their venom as a weapon to attack prey and for protection. Centipede venom, which contains many bioactive and pharmacologically active compounds, has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine, as shown by ancient records. Based on comparative analysis, we revealed the diversity of and differences in centipede toxin-like molecules between Scolopendra mojiangica, a substitute pharmaceutical material used in China, and S. subspinipes mutilans. More than 6 000 peptides isolated from the venom were identified by electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) and inferred from the transcriptome. As a result, in the proteome of S. mojiangica, 246 unique proteins were identified: one in five were toxin-like proteins or putative toxins with unknown function, accounting for a lower percentage of total proteins than that in S. mutilans. Transcriptome mining identified approximately 10 times more toxin-like proteins, which can characterize the precursor structures of mature toxin-like peptides. However, the constitution and quantity of the toxin transcripts in these two centipedes were similar. In toxicity assays, the crude venom showed strong insecticidal and hemolytic activity. These findings highlight the extensive diversity of toxin-like proteins in S. mojiangica and provide a new foundation for the medical-pharmaceutical use of centipede toxin-like proteins.

}, keywords = {Centipede, Pharmaceutical use, Proteotranscriptomic analysis, Toxins}, issn = {2095-8137}, doi = {10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.019}, url = {http://www.zoores.ac.cn/EN/10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.019}, author = {Zi-Chao, Liu and Jin-Yang, Liang and Xin-Qiang, Lan and Tao, Li and Jia-Rui, Zhang and Fang, Zhao and Geng, Li and Pei-Yi, Chen and Yun, Zhang and Wen-Hui, Lee and Feng, Zhao} } @article {496, title = {Edible arachnids and myriapods worldwide {\textendash} updated list, nutritional profile and food hygiene implications}, journal = {Journal of Insects as Food and Feed}, volume = {7}, year = {2020}, month = {27/11/2020}, pages = {261-279}, abstract = {

Like insects, arachnids (spiders, scorpions, mites and ticks) and myriapods (millipedes and centipedes) also have a history of traditional consumption, either as foodstuff or medicine. In this review, an updated list of edible arachnids and myriapods is presented, showing that these animals are consumed worldwide. They are collected from the wild, and typical processing includes heating, defanging and, in certain cases, drying and grinding. The scarce data show a marked variation in nutrient composition that depends on the taxon and even sex, possibly also instar and feeding. Evaluating these traditions in terms of food safety, tick consumption must be discouraged, and heating steps are mandatory to eliminate pathogens, venoms, and urticating setae. For the future, more research will be necessary to assess chemical risks in wild-caught animals in terms of consumer safety and to get productive arachnid and myriapod farming for foodstuffs and industrial uses (pharmaceutical substances and silks) started.

}, keywords = {arachnophagy, arthropod farming, food anthropology, food safety, pharmacology, toxicology}, issn = {2352-4588}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3920/JIFF2020.0046}, url = {https://www.wageningenacademic.com/doi/10.3920/JIFF2020.0046}, author = {Costa-Neto, Eraldo Medeiros and Grabowski, Nils Thomas} } @article {376, title = {The Chinese red-headed centipede Scolopendra mutilans (Chilopoda: Scolopendridae) is a predator of the terrestrial macrophagous leech Orobdella whitmani (Hirudinida: Orobdellidae)}, journal = {Edaphologia}, year = {2018}, month = {30/11/2018}, pages = {33{\textendash}34}, issn = {0389-1445}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.20695/edaphologia.103.0_33}, url = {https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/edaphologia/103/0/103_33/_article/-char/en}, author = {Fukuyama, Ibuki and Nakano, Takafumi} } @article {274, title = {The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Scolopendra mutilans L. Koch, 1878 (Scolopendromorpha, Scolopendridae), with a comparative analysis of other centipede genomes}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {925}, year = {2020}, month = {08/04/2020}, pages = {73-88}, abstract = {

Scolopendra mutilans L. Koch, 1878 is an important Chinese animal with thousands of years of medicinal history. However, the genomic information of this species is limited, which hinders its further application. Here, the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of S. mutilans was sequenced and assembled by next-generation sequencing. The genome is 15,011 bp in length, consisting of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 14 tRNA genes, and two rRNA genes. Most PCGs start with the ATN initiation codon, and all PCGs have the conventional stop codons TAA and TAG. The S. mutilans mitogenome revealed nine simple sequence repeats (SSRs), and an obviously lower GC content compared with other seven centipede mitogenomes previously sequenced. After analysis of homologous regions between the eight centipede mitogenomes, the S. mutilans mitogenome further showed clear genomic rearrangements. The phylogenetic analysis of eight centipedes using 13 conserved PCG genes was finally performed. The phylogenetic reconstructions showed Scutigeromorpha as a separate group, and Scolopendromorpha in a sister-group relationship with Lithobiomorpha and Geophilomorpha. Collectively, the S. mutilans mitogenome provided new genomic resources, which will improve its medicinal research and applications in the future.

}, keywords = {Chilopoda, Chinese medicinal materials, mitogenome, Scolopendra mutilans}, issn = {1313-2989}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.925.47820}, url = {https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/47820/}, author = {Hu, Chaoyi and Wang, Shuaibin and Huang, Bisheng and Liu, Hegang and Xu, Lei and Hu, Zhigang and Liu, Yifei} } @article {241, title = {Japanesische Arachniden und Myriapoden}, journal = {Verhandlungen der kaiserlich-k{\"o}niglichen zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien}, volume = {27}, year = {1878}, pages = {735-798}, url = {https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42882269}, author = {Ludwig Carl Christian Koch} }