Evolution of venom production in marine predatory snails

Venom is a ubiquitous secretion in nature, extensively studied for its toxin components and application potential. Yet, the evolution of venom production remains poorly understood. To address this question, we conducted a comparative transcriptomics analysis of cone snail venom glands and homologous non-venom secreting glands found in related marine predatory gastropods. Our analysis provides new insights into the genetic basis of functional divergence and highlights the remarkable plasticity of the gastropod digestive system.

毒液是自然界中广泛存在的分泌物质，其毒素成分与应用潜力已得到广泛研究。然而，毒液产生的演化机制仍有待深入阐明。为解答这一科学问题，我们对芋螺（cone snail）的毒液腺以及亲缘关系较近的海洋掠食性腹足类（gastropod）中的同源非毒液分泌腺开展了比较转录组学分析。本研究为功能分化的遗传基础提供了新的见解，并凸显了腹足类消化系统显著的可塑性。