Complex cocktails: The evolutionary novelty of venoms

N.R. Casewell; W. Wüster; F.J. Vonk; R.A. Harrison; B.G. Fry

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2012.10.020

Complex cocktails: The evolutionary novelty of venoms

N.R. Casewell, W. Wüster, F.J. Vonk, R.A. Harrison, B.G. Fry

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Venoms have evolved on numerous occasions throughout the animal kingdom. These 'biochemical weapon systems' typically function to facilitate, or protect the producing animal from, predation. Most venomous animals remain unstudied despite venoms providing model systems for investigating predator-prey interactions, molecular evolution, functional convergence, and novel targets for pharmaceutical discovery. Through advances in 'omic' technologies, venom composition data have recently become available for several venomous lineages, revealing considerable complexity in the processes responsible for generating the genetic and functional diversity observed in many venoms. Here, we review these recent advances and highlight the ecological and evolutionary novelty of venom systems. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	219-229
Journal	Trends In Ecology and Evolution
Volume	28
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2012.10.020
Publication status	Published - Apr 2013
Externally published	Yes

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title = "Complex cocktails: The evolutionary novelty of venoms",

abstract = "Venoms have evolved on numerous occasions throughout the animal kingdom. These 'biochemical weapon systems' typically function to facilitate, or protect the producing animal from, predation. Most venomous animals remain unstudied despite venoms providing model systems for investigating predator-prey interactions, molecular evolution, functional convergence, and novel targets for pharmaceutical discovery. Through advances in 'omic' technologies, venom composition data have recently become available for several venomous lineages, revealing considerable complexity in the processes responsible for generating the genetic and functional diversity observed in many venoms. Here, we review these recent advances and highlight the ecological and evolutionary novelty of venom systems. {\textcopyright} 2012 Elsevier Ltd.",

author = "N.R. Casewell and W. W{\"u}ster and F.J. Vonk and R.A. Harrison and B.G. Fry",

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language = "English",

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T2 - The evolutionary novelty of venoms

AU - Casewell, N.R.

AU - Wüster, W.

AU - Vonk, F.J.

AU - Harrison, R.A.

AU - Fry, B.G.

PY - 2013/4

Y1 - 2013/4

N2 - Venoms have evolved on numerous occasions throughout the animal kingdom. These 'biochemical weapon systems' typically function to facilitate, or protect the producing animal from, predation. Most venomous animals remain unstudied despite venoms providing model systems for investigating predator-prey interactions, molecular evolution, functional convergence, and novel targets for pharmaceutical discovery. Through advances in 'omic' technologies, venom composition data have recently become available for several venomous lineages, revealing considerable complexity in the processes responsible for generating the genetic and functional diversity observed in many venoms. Here, we review these recent advances and highlight the ecological and evolutionary novelty of venom systems. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

AB - Venoms have evolved on numerous occasions throughout the animal kingdom. These 'biochemical weapon systems' typically function to facilitate, or protect the producing animal from, predation. Most venomous animals remain unstudied despite venoms providing model systems for investigating predator-prey interactions, molecular evolution, functional convergence, and novel targets for pharmaceutical discovery. Through advances in 'omic' technologies, venom composition data have recently become available for several venomous lineages, revealing considerable complexity in the processes responsible for generating the genetic and functional diversity observed in many venoms. Here, we review these recent advances and highlight the ecological and evolutionary novelty of venom systems. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

U2 - 10.1016/j.tree.2012.10.020

DO - 10.1016/j.tree.2012.10.020

M3 - Review article

SN - 0169-5347

VL - 28

SP - 219

EP - 229

JO - Trends In Ecology and Evolution

JF - Trends In Ecology and Evolution

IS - 4

ER -

Complex cocktails: The evolutionary novelty of venoms

Abstract

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