Spider genomes provide insight into composition and evolution of venom and silk

TY - JOUR

T1 - Spider genomes provide insight into composition and evolution of venom and silk

AU - Sanggaard, Kristian W

AU - Bechsgaard, Jesper S

AU - Fang, Xiaodong

AU - Duan, Jinjie

AU - Dyrlund, Thomas F

AU - Gupta, Vikas

AU - Jiang, Xuanting

AU - Cheng, Ling

AU - Fan, Dingding

AU - Feng, Yue

AU - Han, Lijuan

AU - Huang, Zhiyong

AU - Wu, Zongze

AU - Liao, Li

AU - Settepani, Virginia

AU - Thøgersen, Ida B

AU - Vanthournout, Bram

AU - Wang, Tobias

AU - Zhu, Yabing

AU - Funch, Peter

AU - Enghild, Jan Johannes

AU - Schauser, Leif

AU - Andersen, Stig U

AU - Villesen, Palle

AU - Schierup, Mikkel Heide

AU - Bilde, Trine

AU - Wang, Jun

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - Spiders are ecologically important predators with complex venom and extraordinarily tough silk that enables capture of large prey. Here we present the assembled genome of the social velvet spider and a draft assembly of the tarantula genome that represent two major taxonomic groups of spiders. The spider genomes are large with short exons and long introns, reminiscent of mammalian genomes. Phylogenetic analyses place spiders and ticks as sister groups supporting polyphyly of the Acari. Complex sets of venom and silk genes/proteins are identified. We find that venom genes evolved by sequential duplication, and that the toxic effect of venom is most likely activated by proteases present in the venom. The set of silk genes reveals a highly dynamic gene evolution, new types of silk genes and proteins, and a novel use of aciniform silk. These insights create new opportunities for pharmacological applications of venom and biomaterial applications of silk.

AB - Spiders are ecologically important predators with complex venom and extraordinarily tough silk that enables capture of large prey. Here we present the assembled genome of the social velvet spider and a draft assembly of the tarantula genome that represent two major taxonomic groups of spiders. The spider genomes are large with short exons and long introns, reminiscent of mammalian genomes. Phylogenetic analyses place spiders and ticks as sister groups supporting polyphyly of the Acari. Complex sets of venom and silk genes/proteins are identified. We find that venom genes evolved by sequential duplication, and that the toxic effect of venom is most likely activated by proteases present in the venom. The set of silk genes reveals a highly dynamic gene evolution, new types of silk genes and proteins, and a novel use of aciniform silk. These insights create new opportunities for pharmacological applications of venom and biomaterial applications of silk.

KW - Biological sciences

KW - Evolution

KW - Genetics

U2 - 10.1038/ncomms4765

DO - 10.1038/ncomms4765

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 24801114

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 5

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

M1 - 3765

ER -