Some snakes have developed a specific genetic trick to prevent poisonous snakes from eating them, according to a University of Queensland study.
Professional Professor Bryan Fry from Toxin Evolution Lab at UQ said the approach worked in a similar way to the way two sides of a magnet replicate each other.
“The target of snake venom neurotoxins is a zero receptor with a strong charge,” Dr. Fry said.
“This has caused neurotoxins to come up with a well-charged surface, thus directing them to the neurological target to produce paralysis.
“But some snakes have come to replace negative amino acid on their receptor with a well-charged one, causing the neurotoxin to react.
“It’s an ingenious genetic mutation and so far it has been completely missed.
“We have shown that this attraction has evolved at least 10 times in different species of snakes.”
The researchers found that the Burmese python – a slow-growing terrestrial species prone to predation by cobras – is highly resistant to neurotoxin.
“Similarly, the South African sea snake snake, another slow-moving snake that is vulnerable to cobras, is also extremely protective,” Dr Fry said.
“But Asian pythons that live in trees like babies do not have this, and Australian pythons that do not live with a snake that eats a neurotoxic snake.
“We have long known that some species – such as the mongoose – resist snake venom through a mutation that physically blocks neurotoxins by having a finger-like structure sticking out of it. the receptor, but this is the first time the magnet-like effect has been observed. “
“It has also evolved into poisonous snakes to be at odds with their own neurotoxins at least twice.”
The discovery came after he set up a new $ 2 million UQ biomolecular interaction facility, the Australian Biomolecular Interaction Facility (ABIF).
The ABIF’s amazing technology allows us to screen thousands of samples every day.
That facility means we can do the kinds of experiments that would have just been science fiction before, they would have been completely impossible. “
Dr. Bryan Fry, Associate Professor, Toxin Evolution Lab at UQ
Source:
Magazine Reference:
Harris, RJ & Fry, BG (2021) Electrostatic protection against alpha-neurotoxins mediated by stem-turning mutations in nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.2703.