Spider genomes provide insight into composition and evolution of venom and silk

Kristian W. Sanggaard, Jesper S. Bechsgaard, Xiaodong Fang, Jinjie Duan, Thomas F. Dyrlund, Vikas Gupta, Xuanting Jiang, Ling Cheng, Dingding Fan, Yue Feng, Lijuan Han, Zhiyong Huang, Zongze Wu, Li Liao, Virginia Settepani, Ida B. Thøgersen, Bram Vanthournout, Tobias Wang, Yabing Zhu, Peter Funch, Jan J. Enghild, Leif Schauser, Stig U. Andersen, Palle Villesen, Mikkel H Schierup (), Trine Bilde () and Jun Wang ()
Additional contact information
Kristian W. Sanggaard: Aarhus University
Jesper S. Bechsgaard: Aarhus University
Xiaodong Fang: BGI-Tech, BGI-Shenzhen
Jinjie Duan: Bioinformatics Research Center (BiRC), Aarhus University
Thomas F. Dyrlund: Aarhus University
Vikas Gupta: Aarhus University
Xuanting Jiang: BGI-Tech, BGI-Shenzhen
Ling Cheng: BGI-Tech, BGI-Shenzhen
Dingding Fan: BGI-Tech, BGI-Shenzhen
Yue Feng: BGI-Tech, BGI-Shenzhen
Lijuan Han: BGI-Tech, BGI-Shenzhen
Zhiyong Huang: BGI-Tech, BGI-Shenzhen
Zongze Wu: BGI-Tech, BGI-Shenzhen
Li Liao: BGI-Tech, BGI-Shenzhen
Virginia Settepani: Aarhus University
Ida B. Thøgersen: Aarhus University
Bram Vanthournout: Aarhus University
Tobias Wang: Aarhus University
Yabing Zhu: BGI-Tech, BGI-Shenzhen
Peter Funch: Aarhus University
Jan J. Enghild: Aarhus University
Leif Schauser: CLC bio, Silkeborgvej 2
Stig U. Andersen: Aarhus University
Palle Villesen: Bioinformatics Research Center (BiRC), Aarhus University
Mikkel H Schierup: Aarhus University
Trine Bilde: Aarhus University
Jun Wang: BGI-Tech, BGI-Shenzhen

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Spiders are ecologically important predators with complex venom and extraordinarily tough silk that enables capture of large prey. Here we present the assembled genome of the social velvet spider and a draft assembly of the tarantula genome that represent two major taxonomic groups of spiders. The spider genomes are large with short exons and long introns, reminiscent of mammalian genomes. Phylogenetic analyses place spiders and ticks as sister groups supporting polyphyly of the Acari. Complex sets of venom and silk genes/proteins are identified. We find that venom genes evolved by sequential duplication, and that the toxic effect of venom is most likely activated by proteases present in the venom. The set of silk genes reveals a highly dynamic gene evolution, new types of silk genes and proteins, and a novel use of aciniform silk. These insights create new opportunities for pharmacological applications of venom and biomaterial applications of silk.

Date: 2014
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms4765 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:5:y:2014:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms4765

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4765

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().