Arie van der Meijden
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The Heterometric sp. scorpion species, also called the Asian forest scorpion was used in this study.
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Nationalgeographic.co.id—An international team of scientists has found an innovative way to study genes poison animal. This technique allows them to determine the production poison unique of a wide variety of venomous animals that have almost never been studied before.
A group of scientists from VU Amsterdam and the University of Porto, linked to the Naturalist Center for Biodiversity and Leiden University, have published the results of their research in the journal Plos One on November 18, 2021 which was titled A non-lethal method for studying scorpion venom gland transcriptomes, with a review of potentially suitable taxa to which it can be applied. In the study they have managed to find a protein blueprint in scorpion venom. This blueprint reflects exactly which genes are active in the production of toxins.
The technique used is called transcriptomics. It is a method by which the pattern of gene expression can be examined. This technique allows the researchers to observe which genes are active during the production of toxins. What makes this approach unique is that this technique has been successfully applied for the first time to actual poisons, not to poison gland tissue. This means that animals no longer need to be sacrificed to study venom gland gene expression. This method offers many new possibilities for poison research.
Venom poison is a poison that will work only if you are bitten, scratched, or injected by the carrier of the poison, for example, several types of animals that have venom poison, among which the most common types are scorpions, snakes, and spiders. In this study the scientists used the scorpion species Heterometris sp., commonly called the Asian forest scorpion. Heterometric spiniferous black scorpion stings, can cause intense local pain, although no lethal cardiovascular complications have been reported.
“Thanks to this technique, we were able to precisely see which genes were active at various moments during venom production. This snapshot offers the first possibility to study how various influences, such as nutrition, season and age, affect toxin production in a single individual.” said Freek Vonk, professor at VU and researcher at Naturalis, as reported Tech Explorist.
This means that it is now possible to investigate which variations exist in the venom and which factors may influence these variations.
“Each venom contains tens to more than hundreds of different venomous substances, also called toxins, that are produced by the poison glands. Once bitten or stung, this can have toxic effects on various systems, such as nerve endings or blood circulation,” explains Vonk.
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scorpionworlds.com
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Scorpion Venom of Deathstalker, has the most dangerous venom in the world. This drop of scorpion venom was even priced very dearly.
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Mátyás Bittenbinder, poison expert and Ph.D. student at Naturalis and VU, said, “Venomous animals produce toxins in different ways. Some animals, such as snakes and centipedes, have venom-producing cells that secrete their venom into storage spaces in venom glands in tiny vesicles, which produce relatively ‘clean’ venom.”
He added, “Other animals, such as scorpions, allow their venom gland cells to be dismembered or even completely disintegrated in the venom storage chamber and therefore produce venom that contains many remaining cells. Those cell remains contain substances through which we can do transcriptomics, that is, map out which genes are activated to produce which proteins are associated.”
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Wikimedia/Creative Commons
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The black widow spider has a venom 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake.
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“The mode of production of the venom may explain why this new technique didn’t work in snakes,” explains Arie van der Meijden. He is a researcher at the University of Porto and the inventor of the innovative approach.
“In contrast, the technique now makes it possible to study venom variation in a large number of venomous animals that have hardly, at all, been studied, such as scorpions, fish, and even platypuses.” he said.
In addition, this method is also much easier, purer, and more specific than the techniques used previously for poison research. “As a result of this, we can do better research on how animals produce toxins. And it’s very useful; The venom in its venom is an important source for finding potential new drugs, such as drugs to treat cardiovascular disease for example.” Van der Meijden emphasized.
Also Read: Get to know the Six Deadliest Poisons in the World
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