Publications by authors named "P Escoubas"
Article Synopsis
- There is a significant challenge in studying ant venom due to a lack of databases that can accurately identify venom protein sequences and functions.
- To address this, researchers created a sequence database using venom gland transcriptomics, which helped match mass spectrometry data to specific venom transcripts.
- This approach led to identifying four times more proteins than previous methods and uncovered potential new peptides for pharmaceutical development, specifically those with inhibitor cysteine knot motifs.
Spiders are one of the most successful venomous animals, with more than 48,000 described species. Most spider venoms are dominated by cysteine-rich peptides with a diverse range of pharmacological activities. Some spider venoms contain thousands of unique peptides, but little is known about the mechanisms used to generate such complex chemical arsenals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Researchers studied the venom of the European red ant using transcriptomic and proteomic techniques, identifying 13 new "myrmicitoxins" related to known ant venom peptides, including a modified EGF-like toxin.
- They tested the insecticidal properties of these toxins on blowflies and found six with significant activity, some of which caused paralysis at certain doses.
- The most effective peptide, U-MYRTX-Mri1a, showed strong neurotoxic effects initially, but these effects were reversible after 24 hours, and no insecticidal activity was observed at higher doses.
, a new species of Cyclophoridae (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda), discovered and described on a field course to Kuala Belalong rainforest, Brunei.
Biodivers Data J
February 2020
Background: Terrestrial Caenogastropoda form an important but threatened component of the Borneo tropical rainforest malacofauna, where the group is nearly as rich in species as the Stylommatophora. They are, however, more sensitive to drought, temperature extremes and forest degradation.
New Information: On a field course at Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre in Brunei Darussalam (Borneo), a new caenogastropod species, belonging to the genus , was discovered by the course participants.
Background: is a genus of very small flea beetles living in the leaf litter layer of Asian forests, easily sampled with Winkler extraction. The genus is presumably very rich in species, but their taxonomy is hampered by their small size and morphological uniformity.
New Information: On a 'taxon expedition'-style field course at Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre in Brunei Darussalam (Borneo), a new species, n.