Evolution of defensive and predatory venom in cone snails

锥形蜗牛防御性和捕食性毒液的进化

• 批准号: DP170104792
• 负责人: Prof Richard Lewis
• 金额: $ 27.28万
• 依托单位: The University of Queensland
• 依托单位国家: 澳大利亚
• 项目类别: Discovery Projects
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 澳大利亚
• 起止时间: 2017-01-01 至 2020-12-18
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://dataportal.arc.gov.au/RGS/Web/Grants/DP170104792
• 关键词: Evolution; defensive; predatory; venom; cone

This project aims to determine the molecular and cellular origins and mechanisms regulating venom production and release to establish how defensive venoms evolved in cone snails. Cone snails possess a remarkable ability to rapidly and reversibly switch between separate venoms in response to predatory or defensive stimuli, implying that these are separately evolved and regulated mechanisms. The investigators hypothesise that defensive venoms, originally evolved in the proximal venom duct to protect against threats such as cephalopod and fish predation, have been repurposed in the proximal duct to allow predators to become prey, facilitating the switch from worm to mollusc and fish hunting. The project aims to show the broad implications for the evolution of venoms in animals and discover the regulatory mechanisms driving venom peptide expression.

该项目旨在确定调控毒液产生和释放的分子和细胞来源和机制，以确定防御性毒液是如何在锥形蜗牛中进化的。锥形蜗牛具有显著的能力，能够在不同的毒液之间快速和可逆地切换，以响应捕食性或防御性刺激，这意味着这些都是单独进化和调节的机制。研究人员推测，防御性毒液最初是在近端的毒液管道中进化的，目的是抵御头足类动物和鱼类捕食等威胁，但在近端的管道中已经改变了用途，允许捕食者成为猎物，促进了从蠕虫到软体动物和捕鱼的转变。该项目旨在展示毒液对动物进化的广泛影响，并发现驱动毒肽表达的调控机制。