MSGID: 1:317/3 64acdb42   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Caterpillar venom study reveals toxins borrowed from bacteria    
      
     Date:   
         July 10, 2023   
     Source:   
         University of Queensland   
     Summary:   
         Researchers have found toxins in the venom of asp caterpillars   
         are completely different to anything they have seen before in   
         insects. Toxins in the caterpillar venom punch holes in cells the   
         same way as toxins produced by disease-causing bacteria such as   
         E. coli and Salmonella.   
      
         Venoms are rich sources of new molecules that could be developed   
         into medicines of the future, pesticides, or used as scientific   
         tools.   
      
      
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   FULL STORY   
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   Researchers at The University of Queensland have discovered the venom   
   of a notorious caterpillar has a surprising ancestry and could be key   
   to the delivery of lifesaving drugs.   
      
   A team led by Dr Andrew Walker and Professor Glenn King from UQ's   
   Institute for Molecular Bioscience found toxins in the venom of asp   
   caterpillars punch holes in cells the same way as toxins produced by   
   disease-causing bacteria such as E.   
      
   coliand Salmonella.   
      
   "We were surprised to find asp caterpillar venom was completely different   
   to anything we had seen before in insects," Dr Walker said.   
      
   "When we looked at it more closely, we saw proteins that were very   
   similar to some of the bacterial toxins that make you sick."  This type   
   of bacterial toxins bind themselves to the surface of cells and assemble   
   into donut-like structures that form holes.   
      
   "It's similar to the mechanism of box jellyfish venom -- and as we've   
   now found -- caterpillar venom too," Dr Walker said.   
      
   "The venom in these caterpillars has evolved via the transfer of genes   
   from bacteria more than 400 million years ago."  The asp caterpillar   
   (Megalopyge opercularis, larva of a moth) is native to North America,   
   where it is often found in oak or elm trees.   
      
   It might look innocuous, but its long hair-like bristles conceal venomous   
   spines that can deliver an excruciating sting likened to touching burning   
   coal or blunt force trauma -- often sending victims to hospital.   
      
   "Many caterpillars have developed sophisticated defences against   
   predators, including cyanide droplets and defensive glues that cause   
   severe pain, and we're interested to understand how they are all related,"   
   Dr Walker said.   
      
   "Venoms are rich sources of new molecules that could be developed into   
   medicines of the future, pesticides, or used as scientific tools.   
      
   "IMB's investigations into the venom of snakes and spiders have already   
   demonstrated their amazing potential, but caterpillar venoms are   
   particularly understudied.   
      
   "Toxins that puncture holes in cells have particular potential in drug   
   delivery because of their ability to enter cells.   
      
   "There may be a way to engineer the molecule to target beneficial drugs   
   to healthy cells, or to selectively kill cancer cells."  This research   
   was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).   
      
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   Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Queensland. Note:   
   Content may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. Andrew A. Walker, Samuel D. Robinson, David J. Merritt, Fernanda C.   
      
         Cardoso, Mohaddeseh Hedayati Goudarzi, Raine S. Mercedes, David A.   
      
         Eagles, Paul Cooper, Christina N. Zdenek, Bryan G. Fry, Donald   
         W. Hall, Irina Vetter, Glenn F. King. Horizontal gene transfer   
         underlies the painful stings of asp caterpillars (Lepidoptera:   
         Megalopygidae).   
      
         Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2023; 120 (29)   
         DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305871120   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230710180448.htm   
      
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