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Characterizing molecular warfare between pitvipers and rodents


Holding, Matthew L.



Life Sciences Institute

University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, Michigan USA


A huge swathe of biodiversity interactions occur antagonistically via toxins. For example, some 15 percent of animal species use complex venoms for offense or defense. In turn, toxin resistance has evolved across the tree of life as well, making toxin-mediated interactions important subjects in the study of predator-prey coevolution. I will discuss ongoing work that unites comparative genome biology, population genomics, proteomics, and biochemical assays to determine the molecular targets of snake venoms and the broader evolutionary forces shaping venom variation among populations and species. I will next describe the observable phenotypic outcomes of coevolution between snakes and their venom resistant rodents across landscapes. What emerges is a picture of how these traits may be shaped by a combination of biotic and abiotic forces to maintain biological diversity.

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