Venom evolution in robber flies: An integrative approach applying functional morphology in venomics

毒液在强盗苍蝇的进化：一个综合的方法应用功能形态学毒液在动物王国的大多数谱系中已经趋同进化。毒液的单一蛋白质成分，称为毒素，可能只是从几个蛋白质家族进化而来，这些蛋白质家族通常在每个谱系中显示正常的生理功能。毒液是物种进化适应性的重要资产，确保生态和进化成功，用于防御，捕食，竞争和交流。尽管对进化过程的影响，毒液的进化，以及有毒类群的生物学，知之甚少。此外，毒液输送系统的功能和进化仍然不清楚许多有毒tax.Among经济上重要的苍蝇，最突出的捕食性苍蝇组是Asilidae（强盗苍蝇）。据报道，自世纪以来，强盗苍蝇就以更大的、甚至有毒的节肢动物为食，这些节肢动物会立即瘫痪。这些观察结果导致了早期的假设，即强盗苍蝇利用强大的神经毒素在他们的毒液阿森纳。然而，直到今天，它仍然是未知的毒素表达，并在这两个胸部和唇腺。目前还不清楚，如何腺形态不同的果蝇内，如果都有唇腺。我们的项目的想法集成的第一次功能形态学的基础上同步加速器micro-CT和venomics提供了一个更好的理解的进化过程，导致这种不寻常的器官系统在果蝇和昆虫一般可能。它被整合在一个目前的博士项目比较毒液进化的强盗苍蝇，Doktorandenförderplatz莱比锡，使用转录组学和蛋白质组学来解决的问题，如果特征毒素是依赖于更多和更少的具体捕食。目前的补充形态学项目的第一个目标是评估一般变异腺形态之间的选择强盗苍蝇物种，这代表了一个新的方面，因为迄今为止还没有尝试过比较方法。此外，唇腺是在更强的重点，它很可能是唇腺的功能像附属腺所描述的蛇，这是一个完整的新想法。主要问题是：如何配对的胸部和唇腺不同物种之间的形状和空间安排？肌肉组织等特殊结构是否有助于毒液注射？毒液腺系统是如何工作的？是一个不同的生物学的强盗苍蝇，特别是专门狩猎hyperterans，与腺体形态？我们是否发现了果蝇物种之间唇腺的显着差异，如果是这样，它们是否与转录组学的结果有关？

Venom evolution in robber flies: An integrative approach applying functional morphology in venomicsVenoms have convergently evolved in most lineages of the animal kingdom. The single protein components of venoms, called toxins, likely evolved from only a few protein families that generally show normal physiological function in each lineage. Venoms are crucial assets for the evolutionary fitness of species securing ecological and evolutionary success being used for defense, predation, competition and communication. Despite the suggested impact on evolutionary processes, venom evolution, but also the biology of venomous taxa, are poorly understood. Further, the function and evolution of venom delivery systems remains unclear for many venomous taxa.Among the economically important flies, the most prominent predatory fly group is Asilidae (robber flies). Robber flies are reported since the 19th century to predate on much larger, even venomous arthropods that are paralyzed immediately. These observations led to early assumptions that robber flies utilize strong neurotoxins in their venom arsenal. However, until today it remains unknown which toxins are expressed and in which of the two thoracic and labial glands. It remains further unclear, how gland morphology varies within robber flies and if all have labial glands.Our project idea integrates for the first time functional morphology based on synchrotron micro-CT and venomics to provide a better understanding of the evolutionary processes leading to such an unusual organ system in robber flies and possibly insects in general. It is integrated in a current PhD project Comparative venom evolution of robber flies, Doktorandenförderplatz Leipzig, using transcriptomics and proteomics to address the question if characteristic toxins are depending on more and less specific predation.The first goal of the present complementary morphological project is to assess the general variation in gland morphology between selected robber fly species, which represents a new aspect since a comparative approach has not been attempted so far. Further the labial glands are in stronger focus, it could well be that labial glands function like accessory glands as described in snakes, which is a complete novel idea.Main questions are:How do the paired thoracic and labial glands vary between species regarding shape and spatial arrangement?Are specific structures like musculature facilitating the process of venom injection? How does the venom gland system work?Is a different biology of robber flies, in particular the specialization to hunt on hymenopterans, linked to gland morphology?Do we find significant differences of labial glands between the robber fly species and if so are they linked to results of the transcriptomics?