Meet the assassin bug. Its venom paralyses and liquefies prey, allowing it to inhale its next meal through its nose.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The insect is common throughout Brisbane and University of Queensland researchers believe its venom could be used in the treatment of epilepsy, stroke and neurodegeneration.
A new study by UQ's Institute for Molecular Bioscience found the assassin bug's venom was different to the likes of spiders and scorpions.
Dr Andrew Walker said the research opened a new avenue for further studies into its potential uses in the development of medicine and biotechnology.
“We discovered that assassin bugs actually make two different venoms, each containing a unique cocktail of over 100 different toxins,” he said.
“This unique venom system is made up of three separate compartments connected by ducts to a series of pumps and valves, allowing assassin bugs to deploy either venom at will.
“We believe one venom is a 'hunting venom' that paralyses and kills bugs whereas the other venom, which can be collected when the bug is under threat, may be used for defence.”
Dr Walker said researchers were "very excited" by the assassin bug's ability to produce two different types of venom.
"(The assassin bug's) venom has evolved to control the nervous system of both predators and prey to make them go away or paralyse them," he said.
"Because of its ability to act on specific molecules in the nervous system, the venom can be useful in the treatment of epilepsy or neurodegeneration or stroke.
"We know the venom causes paralysis, death and pain and we now know the molecular structure of the toxins, but we don’t know which toxins are doing what."
The next stage of the research will be to isolate the individual toxins and work out what each one does and how it could be applied to the medical field.
“The hunting venom seems like a good place to look for leads for eco-friendly insecticides, as it contains many different toxins that have evolved for the specific purpose of killing insects," Dr Walker said.
“On the other hand, defensive venoms are designed to cause pain and consequently they are a good source of toxins that can be used to reveal new information about pain-sensing in humans.”
