Title |
The assassin bug Pristhesancus plagipennis produces two distinct venoms in separate gland lumens
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Published in |
Nature Communications, February 2018
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DOI | 10.1038/s41467-018-03091-5 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Andrew A. Walker, Mark L. Mayhew, Jiayi Jin, Volker Herzig, Eivind A. B. Undheim, Andy Sombke, Bryan G. Fry, David J. Meritt, Glenn F. King |
Abstract |
The assassin bug venom system plays diverse roles in prey capture, defence and extra-oral digestion, but it is poorly characterised, partly due to its anatomical complexity. Here we demonstrate that this complexity results from numerous adaptations that enable assassin bugs to modulate the composition of their venom in a context-dependent manner. Gland reconstructions from multimodal imaging reveal three distinct venom gland lumens: the anterior main gland (AMG); posterior main gland (PMG); and accessory gland (AG). Transcriptomic and proteomic experiments demonstrate that the AMG and PMG produce and accumulate distinct sets of venom proteins and peptides. PMG venom, which can be elicited by electrostimulation, potently paralyses and kills prey insects. In contrast, AMG venom elicited by harassment does not paralyse prey insects, suggesting a defensive role. Our data suggest that assassin bugs produce offensive and defensive venoms in anatomically distinct glands, an evolutionary adaptation that, to our knowledge, has not been described for any other venomous animal. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Japan | 14 | 14% |
Australia | 7 | 7% |
United Kingdom | 6 | 6% |
United States | 6 | 6% |
Spain | 3 | 3% |
Switzerland | 1 | 1% |
Brazil | 1 | 1% |
Mexico | 1 | 1% |
Morocco | 1 | 1% |
Other | 2 | 2% |
Unknown | 58 | 58% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 78 | 78% |
Scientists | 20 | 20% |
Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 2 | 2% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Unknown | 72 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Ph. D. Student | 13 | 18% |
Student > Master | 11 | 15% |
Student > Bachelor | 9 | 13% |
Researcher | 6 | 8% |
Other | 5 | 7% |
Other | 15 | 21% |
Unknown | 13 | 18% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 21 | 29% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 19 | 26% |
Chemistry | 3 | 4% |
Environmental Science | 3 | 4% |
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science | 3 | 4% |
Other | 6 | 8% |
Unknown | 17 | 24% |