Searching for novel compounds from the nematocysts.

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24510294
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Living organism molecular science
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: NAGAI Hiroshi 東京海洋大学, 海洋科学技術研究科, 教授 (50291026)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 刺胞動物 / 毒素 / 刺糸 / 毒性 / 構造決定

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A peptide toxin was isolated from the nematocysts of Chironex yamaguchii (
Japanese Name; Habu-kurage). The toxin showed lethality to the shrimp Palaemon paucidens. We compared lengths of the discharged nematocyst tubules of harmful and harmless jellyfish species. The results showed that the needle of harmful jellyfish was long enough to penetrate human epidermis and to mechanically stimulate pain receptor neuron and inject venom into corium tissue. On the other hand, less or none pain causing harmless jellyfish species has shorter needle which is not long enough to penetrate the epidermis. We concluded that difference in the length of the needle makes difference of degree of the pain in the jellyfish sting. The new compounds, cnidarins, were isolated from the Cnidarians and elucidated their structures.

Free Research Field

海洋天然物化学