We've got snake venom and vampire bats why not fire ants? Ask your researcher if any of these compounds would be useful in stroke rehab, neuron protection?
http://www.genomeweb.com//node/1133266?hq_e=el&hq_m=1389394&hq_l=1&hq_v=0298141c7f
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To get a full characterization of fire ant venom components, Palma
and his colleagues combined both a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis
approach and a high-performance liquid chromatography MS/MS approach.
This allowed them to identify 46 proteins, some of which were not
previously known to be in fire ant venom. The proteins also play a
number of roles. "Some of these proteins are related to envenomating ...
but half of the material, 50 percent of the proteins, present other
functions," Palma says.
The 21 venom proteins identified include a number of allergens,
neurotoxins, and metalloproteinases. Neurotoxins, Palma says, are
primarily found in the venom of solitary hunters like scorpions or
spiders, rather than social insects like fire ants — indeed, he adds
that they had not been previously described in fire ant venom.
Neurotoxins, he says, could lead to hallucinations or other neurological
effects in affected people. And metalloproteinases break down the
connective tissues between cells, possibly leading to edema.
In addition, Palma says that they uncovered proteins that gave
researchers a better peek into the ants' biology. For example, the venom
contains a number of proteins used for chemical communication, like
pheromone transporters.
As some ants release venom, others pick it up as they walk. "That
means that when the insect involved in the attack just touches the
substrate where they are walking on, they can identify the presence of
the pheromone already activated by the transporters," he says, adding
that "this makes the stinger ants much more aggressive than they were
before. … This is a kind of public relations of fire ants. The proteins
make the fire ant colony much more aggressive, much more ready for a
mass attack."
Possibly faked study. Brazil has a history of data forgery (just look into Science-Fraud.org) and these authors never deposited raw sequence results, which suggests tinkering with obtained data. Moreover, some claims, male no sense, like "hallucinations form ant stings?"
ReplyDeleteDo not trust it until proven otherwise.