• Introduction of some antimicrobial peptides derived from transcriptome analysis of the venom gland of the scorpion Odontobuthus doriae as candidates for use in the food industry
  • Amirali Ansari,1,* Maryam Naderi Soorki,2
    1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
    2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran


  • Introduction: In recent decades, increasing demand for healthy foods and concerns regarding chemical preservatives have driven the food industry toward the use of natural and biological compounds. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent one of the most important alternatives to traditional preservatives. These peptides, naturally produced in the bodies of many living organisms, can inhibit a wide range of microorganisms. Scorpion venom is recognized as a rich source of AMPs that exhibit not only antibacterial but also antifungal and antiviral activities. The positive charge and amphipathic structure of these peptides enable them to penetrate microbial membranes, making them suitable candidates for applications in the food industry.
  • Methods: In this study, cDNAs corresponding to the antimicrobial peptides ODAMP1, ODAMP2, ODAMP3, and ODAMP4 from the scorpion Odontobuthus doriae (accession numbers: KU212812.1, KU212813.1, KU212814.1, and KU212815.1) were selected from the cDNA library of the venom gland of Odontobuthus doriae, previously constructed by Naderi et al. in 2016. These sequences were subjected to various structural and functional evaluations using bioinformatics software including NCBI/Blast, UniProt/alignment, Oligo7, DISULFIND, SignalP 4.1, ExPASy/ProtParam, ExPASy/SWISS-MODEL, and Nature/Phyre2.
  • Results: cDNA sequence of ODAMP1, ODAMP2, ODAMP3 and ODAMP4 after similarity searching by protein blast tools was similar to some antimicrobial peptides like androcin 18-1, meucin-18-1, mauriporin and caerin-2 from other scorpionsby sufficient identity. Open reading frames of these peptides were 78, 78, 73 and 74, respectively. Except for ODAMP1, which does not have any signal peptide, all others are secretory antimicrobial peptides. According to their pI values, all four peptides exhibit basic characteristics at the isoelectric point. Except for peptide ODAMP4, peptides ODAMP1, ODAMP2, and ODAMP3 show low stability, but their stable structural features make them promising candidates for biotechnological applications.
  • Conclusion: The application of antimicrobial peptides derived from scorpion venom in the food industry exemplifies the translation of advanced biotechnological technologies into practical solutions in public health and food safety. The main advantage of these peptides compared to traditional chemical preservatives is their natural origin and the lack of microbial resistance development, aligning with emerging market trends toward healthy foods free of chemical additives. The peptides studied in this research, due to their high similarity to certain antimicrobial peptides with potential efficacy against microorganisms involved in the food industry—including Gram-negative bacteria such as Salmonella (a cause of food poisoning in poultry, eggs, and dairy products), E. coli (responsible for foodborne illnesses in fruits and vegetables), Campylobacter (a cause of food poisoning in poultry meat), and Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus (which causes food poisoning by toxin production), Clostridium botulinum (producer of botulinum toxin in canned foods), and Clostridium perfringens (responsible for food poisoning in foods stored for prolonged periods at inappropriate temperatures) —along with their relatively high stability and small size, can be considered promising alternatives for microbial spoilage control and shelf-life extension in food products. However, their application remains at the laboratory research stage, with challenges such as cost, safety, and standardization yet to be addressed. Future research should focus on improving production processes, comprehensive toxicity evaluations, and further clinical trials to enable the practical use of these peptides in the food industry.
  • Keywords: Antimicrobial peptide, Odontobutus doriae scorpion, Transcriptome analysis, Food industry