Physiological constraints dictate toxin spatial heterogeneity in snake venom glands.

Taline D KazandjianBrett R HamiltonSamuel D RobinsonSteven R HallKeirah E BartlettPaul RowleyMark C WilkinsonNicholas R CasewellEivind A B Undheim

Published in: BMC biology (2022)

Our findings suggest that heterogeneous distributions of toxins are not an adaptation to controlling venom composition in snakes. Instead, it likely reflects physiological constraints on toxin production by the venom glands, opening avenues for future research on the mechanisms of functional differentiation of populations of protein-secreting cells within adaptive contexts.

Keyphrases

escherichia coli
induced apoptosis
cell cycle arrest
current status
endoplasmic reticulum stress
signaling pathway
cell death
amino acid
cell proliferation
small molecule