Characterisation, comparative genomics, and evolution of ant venom

Background

Animal venoms are complex cocktails of bioactive polypeptides, known as toxins, that potently and selectively target important physiological processes in their victims. They have therefore attracted significant attention as rich sources of novel compounds with potential use as human therapeutics, agrochemicals, and molecular tools. Venom has emerged on over 100 independent occasions throughout the animal kingdom, and each of these venomous lineages has evolved its own biochemical arsenal of toxins through the modification of existing ¡°housekeeping¡± proteins and peptides. As such, venoms are also great models for studying evolution of novelty and functional innovation.

However, the venoms of most venomous lineages remain largely or even completely unstudied. Surprisingly, one such group is Aculeata, or stinging hymenopterans, which includes bees, wasps, and ants. Among these, ants (Formicidae) are probably among the most familiar to most of us, yet their venoms have remained largely unexplored due in part to the widespread misconception that they have simple, primarily acid¨Cbased venoms. It is now clear that the majority of stinging ant venoms are composed primarily of a single, hyperdiverse family of peptide toxins called aculeatoxins (See figure for a recent example). Ant venoms thus represent large untapped resources of novel bioactive compounds which evolution histories remain virtually unexplored.

Masters Project

This project aims to characterise the toxin arsenal of a common species of stinging ant, Myrmica rubra, and examine the genomic and colony-level mechanisms that contribute to its evoution. The student will generate comprehensive venom profiles using a combination of genomics, venom gland transcriptomics, liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and insect toxicity assays. The evolution of toxin genes will be examined using comparative genomic and molecular evolutionary analyses. Together, these outcomes will provide new insights into the evolutionary processes that underlie the origin and functional diversification of one of the most convergent animal traits known, and potentially lead to the discovery of novel molecular tools.

Main supervisor: Eivind A. B. Undheim

Co-supervisor: Anders Isaksen