Subj : Caterpillar venom study reveals toxins b To : All From : ScienceDaily Date : Mon Jul 10 2023 22:30:22 Caterpillar venom study reveals toxins borrowed from bacteria Date: July 10, 2023 Source: University of Queensland Summary: Researchers have found toxins in the venom of asp caterpillars are completely different to anything they have seen before in insects. Toxins in the caterpillar venom punch holes in cells the same way as toxins produced by disease-causing bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella. Venoms are rich sources of new molecules that could be developed into medicines of the future, pesticides, or used as scientific tools. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email ========================================================================== FULL STORY ========================================================================== Researchers at The University of Queensland have discovered the venom of a notorious caterpillar has a surprising ancestry and could be key to the delivery of lifesaving drugs. A team led by Dr Andrew Walker and Professor Glenn King from UQ's Institute for Molecular Bioscience found toxins in the venom of asp caterpillars punch holes in cells the same way as toxins produced by disease-causing bacteria such as E. coliand Salmonella. "We were surprised to find asp caterpillar venom was completely different to anything we had seen before in insects," Dr Walker said. "When we looked at it more closely, we saw proteins that were very similar to some of the bacterial toxins that make you sick." This type of bacterial toxins bind themselves to the surface of cells and assemble into donut-like structures that form holes. "It's similar to the mechanism of box jellyfish venom -- and as we've now found -- caterpillar venom too," Dr Walker said. "The venom in these caterpillars has evolved via the transfer of genes from bacteria more than 400 million years ago." The asp caterpillar (Megalopyge opercularis, larva of a moth) is native to North America, where it is often found in oak or elm trees. It might look innocuous, but its long hair-like bristles conceal venomous spines that can deliver an excruciating sting likened to touching burning coal or blunt force trauma -- often sending victims to hospital. "Many caterpillars have developed sophisticated defences against predators, including cyanide droplets and defensive glues that cause severe pain, and we're interested to understand how they are all related," Dr Walker said. "Venoms are rich sources of new molecules that could be developed into medicines of the future, pesticides, or used as scientific tools. "IMB's investigations into the venom of snakes and spiders have already demonstrated their amazing potential, but caterpillar venoms are particularly understudied. "Toxins that puncture holes in cells have particular potential in drug delivery because of their ability to enter cells. "There may be a way to engineer the molecule to target beneficial drugs to healthy cells, or to selectively kill cancer cells." This research was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). * RELATED_TOPICS o Plants_&_Animals # Bacteria # Insects_(including_Butterflies) # Frogs_and_Reptiles # Biology o Earth_&_Climate # Exotic_Species # Geochemistry # Geography * RELATED_TERMS o Newt o Coral_bleaching o Scorpion o Crotalus_atrox o Algal_bloom o Plant_defense_against_being_eaten o Escherichia_coli o Mushroom_poisoning ========================================================================== Print Email Share ========================================================================== ****** 1 ****** ***** 2 ***** **** 3 **** *** 4 *** ** 5 ** Breaking this hour ========================================================================== * Six_Foods_to_Boost_Cardiovascular_Health * Cystic_Fibrosis:_Lasting_Improvement * Artificial_Cells_Demonstrate_That_'Life_... * Advice_to_Limit_High-Fat_Dairy_Foods_Challenged * First_Snapshots_of_Fermion_Pairs * Why_No_Kangaroos_in_Bali;_No_Tigers_in_Australia * New_Route_for_Treating_Cancer:_Chromosomes * Giant_Stone_Artefacts_Found:_Prehistoric_Tools * Astonishing_Secrets_of_Tunicate_Origins * Most_Distant_Active_Supermassive_Black_Hole Trending Topics this week ========================================================================== PLANTS_&_ANIMALS Endangered_Plants Botany Food EARTH_&_CLIMATE Environmental_Policy Sustainability Hazardous_Waste FOSSILS_&_RUINS Fossils Early_Mammals Early_Climate ========================================================================== Strange & Offbeat ========================================================================== PLANTS_&_ANIMALS Bees_Make_Decisions_Better_and_Faster_Than_We_Do,_for_the_Things_That_Matter_to Them These_Lollipops_Could_'Sweeten'_Diagnostic_Testing_for_Kids_and_Adults_Alike Why_There_Are_No_Kangaroos_in_Bali_(and_No_Tigers_in_Australia) EARTH_&_CLIMATE Turning_Old_Maps_Into_3D_Digital_Models_of_Lost_Neighborhoods Squash_Bugs_Are_Attracted_to_and_Eat_Each_Other's_Poop_to_Stock_Their Microbiome How_Urea_May_Have_Been_the_Gateway_to_Life FOSSILS_&_RUINS Giant_Stone_Artefacts_Found_on_Rare_Ice_Age_Site_in_Kent,_UK Fossils_Reveal_How_Ancient_Birds_Molted_Their_Feathers_--_Which_Could_Help Explain_Why_Ancestors_of_Modern_Birds_Survived_When_All_the_Other_Dinosaurs Died Apex_Predator_of_the_Cambrian_Likely_Sought_Soft_Over_Crunchy_Prey Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Queensland. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. ========================================================================== Journal Reference: 1. Andrew A. Walker, Samuel D. Robinson, David J. Merritt, Fernanda C. Cardoso, Mohaddeseh Hedayati Goudarzi, Raine S. Mercedes, David A. Eagles, Paul Cooper, Christina N. Zdenek, Bryan G. Fry, Donald W. Hall, Irina Vetter, Glenn F. King. Horizontal gene transfer underlies the painful stings of asp caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Megalopygidae). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2023; 120 (29) DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305871120 ========================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230710180448.htm --- up 1 year, 19 weeks, 10 hours, 50 minutes * Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3) .