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Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Harvesting Venom Toxins from Assassin Bugs and Other Heteropteran Insects
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Receptor variability-driven evolution of snake toxins.

Xian-Hong Ji1,2, Shang-Fei Zhang1,2, Bin Gao1

  • 1Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China;

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|August 8, 2018
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Summary

Snake venom three-finger toxins (TFTs) evolve rapidly. This study suggests TFTs adapt to variations in prey receptors, a novel evolutionary mechanism for snake toxins.

Keywords:
DriverNicotinic acetylcholine receptorThree-finger toxins

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Area of Science:

  • * Evolutionary biology
  • * Molecular biology
  • * Biochemistry

Background:

  • * Three-finger toxins (TFTs) are non-enzymatic snake venom proteins known for rapid evolution.
  • * The evolutionary drivers behind TFTs' accelerated evolution are not well understood.
  • * Previous studies determined structural complexes of α-neurotoxins (a TFT subfamily) with their nicotinic acetylcholine receptor targets.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To investigate the evolutionary pressures driving the accelerated evolution of three-finger toxins (TFTs).
  • * To analyze molecular adaptations at the toxin-receptor interface and in the receptors themselves.

Main Methods:

  • * Examination of previously identified positively selected sites (PSSs) in TFTs.
  • * Analysis of the C-terminal loop variability in TFTs at the toxin/receptor interface.
  • * Investigating molecular adaptation in the toxin-recognition regions of prey nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

Main Results:

  • * Positively selected sites and a highly variable C-terminal loop were observed in TFTs at the toxin/receptor interface.
  • * No statistical evidence of positive selection was found in the corresponding receptor regions.
  • * Receptors from snake prey accumulated significant amino acid variations, suggesting adaptation pressure.

Conclusions:

  • * Accelerated evolution of snake TFTs may be driven by adaptation to variations in prey receptors.
  • * This represents a novel evolutionary mechanism for snake toxins, previously observed in scorpions.
  • * The findings may offer insights into the evolution of toxins in other venomous animals.