Bacteria influence eukaryotic biology as parasitic, commensal or beneficial symbionts. Aside
from these organismal interactions, bacteria have also been important sources of new …

Venom (toxins) is an important trait evolved along the evolutionary tree of animals. Our
knowledges on venoms, such as their origins and loss, the biological relevance and the …

The large size and complexity of most fern genomes have hampered efforts to elucidate
fundamental aspects of fern biology and land plant evolution through genome-enabled …

Cnidarians are the oldest extant lineage of venomous animals. Despite their simple
anatomy, they are capable of subduing or repelling prey and predator species that are far …

Horizontal gene transfer is accepted as an important evolutionary force modulating the
evolution of prokaryote genomes. However, it is thought that horizontal gene transfer plays …

A central goal in biology is to determine the ways in which evolution repeats itself. One of the
most remarkable examples in nature of convergent evolutionary novelty is animal venom …

Toxin cargo genes are often horizontally transferred by phages between bacterial species
and are known to play an important role in the evolution of bacterial pathogenesis. Here, we …

Larvae of the genus Megalopyge (Lepidoptera: Zygaenoidea: Megalopygidae), known as
asp or puss caterpillars, produce defensive venoms that cause severe pain. Here, we …

Eukaryotic organisms are continuously exposed to bacteriophages, which are efficient gene
transfer agents in bacteria. However, bacteriophages are considered not to pass the …

The dazzling variation in plant chemistry is a primary mediator of trophic interactions,
including herbivory, predation, parasitism, and disease. At the same time, such interactions …