Evolution of venom proteins in sea anemones (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Actiniaria)

在动物生命树中最早出现毒液的是Cnidaria，该类群包括珊瑚、海葵和水母。在蛇类中，毒液通过被称为线虫囊的微小细胞内结构传递，并涉及一系列广泛的生理功能。海葵的毒液比其他蛇类的毒液更稳定，对其生物化学和毒理学的广泛研究表明，毒液蛋白具有显著的多样性。由于海银莲体的功能特化在很大程度上取决于线虫囊的分布，线虫囊及其毒液的多样化可能有助于这些动物的多样化。毒液本身一直是进化变化的目标，在这些谱系中，以前的猎物或捕食者，如鱼、螃蟹或蜗牛，已经进化出一种共生关系。毒液调节海葵和其他群落之间的相互作用：它保护它们免受捕食者的攻击，帮助它们获得猎物，并经过改造以支持共生。了解毒液的进化将影响我们预测毒液在种群内的反应性和功能的能力，但也将有助于我们了解生物之间的相互作用如何在基因中编码，以及这些基因如何随着有机体相互作用的变化而变化。

The earliest occurrence of venom within the animal tree of life is in Cnidaria, the group that includes corals, sea anemones, and jellyfish. In cnidarians, venom is delivered via microscopic intracellular structures called nematocysts, and is implicated a broad array of physiological functions. The venom of sea anemones is more biochemically stable than that of other cnidarians, and broad-scale studies of its biochemistry and toxicology have shown remarkable diversity in venom proteins. Because the functional specialization of the sea anemone body depends largely on the distribution of nematocysts, the diversification of nematocysts and its venom have likely contributed to the diversification of these animals. Venom itself has been the target of evolutionary change in lineages in which former prey or predators like fish, crabs, or snail have evolved a symbiotic relationship. Venom mediates interactions between sea anemones and the rest of their communities: it defends them from predators, helps them gain prey, and is modified to support symbioses. Understanding the evolution of venom will impact our ability to predict the reactivity and function of venoms within the groups, but will also help us understand how interactions between organisms become codified in genes and how these genes change in response to changes in the organismal interactions.