135 research outputs found
Expression pattern of three-finger toxin and phospholipase A2 genes in the venom glands of two sea snakes, Lapemis curtus and Acalyptophis peronii: Comparison of evolution of these toxins in land snakes, sea kraits and sea snakes
10.1186/1471-2148-7-175BMC Evolutionary Biology7
Convergent evolution of toxin resistance in animals
Convergence is the phenomenon whereby similar phenotypes evolve independently in different lineages. One example is resistance to toxins in animals. Toxins have evolved many times throughout the tree of life. They disrupt molecular and physiological pathways in target species, thereby incapacitating prey or deterring a predator. In response, molecular resistance has evolved in many species exposed to toxins to counteract their harmful effects. Here, we review current knowledge on the convergence of toxin resistance using examples from a wide range of toxin families. We explore the evolutionary processes and molecular adaptations driving toxin resistance. However, resistance adaptations may carry a fitness cost if they disrupt the normal physiology of the resistant animal. Therefore, there is a trade-off between maintaining a functional molecular target and reducing toxin susceptibility. There are relatively few solutions that satisfy this trade-off. As a result, we see a small set of molecular adaptations appearing repeatedly in diverse animal lineages, a phenomenon that is consistent with models of deterministic evolution. Convergence may also explain what has been called 'autoresistance'. This is often thought to have evolved for self-protection, but we argue instead that it may be a consequence of poisonous animals feeding on toxic prey. Toxin resistance provides a unique and compelling model system for studying the interplay between trophic interactions, selection pressures and the molecular mechanisms underlying evolutionary novelties.Naturali
Incoherent Interplane Conductivity of kappa-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu[N(CN)2]Br
The interplane optical spectrum of the organic superconductor
kappa-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu[N(CN)2]Br was investigated in the frequency range from 40
to 40,000 cm-1. The optical conductivity was obtained by Kramers-Kronig
analysis of the reflectance. The absence of a Drude peak at low frequency is
consistent with incoherent conductivity but in apparent contradiction to the
metallic temperature dependence of the DC resistivity. We set an upper limit to
the interplane transfer integral of tb = 0.1 meV. A model of defect-assisted
interplane transport can account for this discrepancy. We also assign the
phonon lines in the conductivity to the asymmetric modes of the ET molecule.Comment: 7 pages with embedded figures, submitted to PR
Electronic correlation in the infrared optical properties of the quasi two dimensional -type BEDT-TTF dimer system
The polarized optical reflectance spectra of the quasi two dimensional
organic correlated electron system -(BEDT-TTF)Cu[N(CN)],
Br and Cl are measured in the infrared region. The former shows the
superconductivity at 11.6 K and the latter does the
antiferromagnetic insulator transition at 28 K. Both the
specific molecular vibration mode of the BEDT-TTF molecule and
the optical conductivity hump in the mid-infrared region change correlatively
at 38 K of -(BEDT-TTF)Cu[N(CN)]Br, although
no indication of but the insulating behaviour below 50-60 K are found in -(BEDT-TTF)Cu[N(CN)]Cl. The
results suggest that the electron-molecular vibration coupling on the
mode becomes weak due to the enhancement of the itinerant
nature of the carriers on the dimer of the BEDT-TTF molecules below ,
while it does strong below because of the localized carriers on
the dimer. These changes are in agreement with the reduction and the
enhancement of the mid-infrared conductivity hump below and , respectively, which originates from the transitions between the upper
and lower Mott-Hubbard bands. The present observations demonstrate that two
different metallic states of -(BEDT-TTF)Cu[N(CN)]Br are
regarded as {\it a correlated good metal} below including the
superconducting state and {\it a half filling bad metal} above . In
contrast the insulating state of -(BEDT-TTF)Cu[N(CN)]Cl
below is the Mott insulator.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure
Teor e composição química do óleo essencial de Hyptis marrubioides Epling (Lamiaceae) em diferentes genótipos
Evolution of three-finger toxins - A versatile mini protein scaffold
Acta Chimica Slovenica584693-70
Serine proteases affecting blood coagulation and fibrinolysis from snake venoms
10.1159/000092424Pathophysiology of Haemostasis and Thrombosis344-5200-204PHTA
Are C-type lectin-related proteins derived by proteolysis of metalloproteinase/disintegrin precursor proteins?
10.1016/S0041-0101(96)00107-9Toxicon3411-121287-1294TOXI
Toxins in thrombosis and haemostasis: Potential beyond imagination
10.1111/j.1538-7836.2011.04279.xJournal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis91 S195-208JTHO
Do we know the complete sequence of metalloproteinase and nonenzymatic platelet aggregation inhibitor (disintegrin) precursor proteins?
Toxicon3391151-1160TOXI
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