A novel broad spectrum venom metalloproteinase autoinhibitor in the rattlesnake evolved via a shift in paralog function.

The complexity of snake venom composition reflects adaptation to the diversity of prey and may be driven at times by a coevolutionary arms race between snakes and venom-resistant prey. However, many snakes are also resistant to their own venom due to serum-borne inhibitors of venom toxins, which raises the question of how snake autoinhibitors maintain their efficacy as venom proteins evolve. To investigate this potential three-way arms race among venom, prey, and autoinhibitors, we have identified and traced the evolutionary origin of serum inhibitors of snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs) in the Western Diamondback rattlesnake which possesses the largest known battery of SVMP genes among crotalids examined.

Towards Tumor Targeting via Invasive Assay Using .

(AMB-1) are a species of magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) that are capable of orienting along the earth's magnetic field lines through their organelles called magnetosomes. Many studies have shown that certain engineered bacteria can infect the tumor cells, resulting in a controlled death of a tumor. This work deals with a technique utilizing AMB-1 along a predefined path through magnetotaxis, which can pave a way for selective doping as well as isolation of the tumor cells from a group of healthy cells through a magnetic invasive assay.