The venom of the white seafan Eunicella singularis and the evolution of Octocorallia arsenal

This project utilizes RNAseq and transcriptomics to investigate the venom composition of the white seafan, Eunicella singularis, an octocoral species. By applying a proteo-transcriptomic approach, we characterized the unique venom components of E. singularis and compared them to other Anthozoa species. Our study revealed novel toxin structures and provided insights into the evolutionary diversification and adaptive roles of octocoral venom. Additionally, a comparative analysis of whole-body and nematocyst proteomes highlighted the complex regulatory pathways involved in toxin expression and maturation.