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Australia’s Major Skink (Bellatorias frerei) has evolved the same venom resistance mutation as the honey badger (Mellivora capensis) which is found across Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent.
A University of Queensland-led study has found Australian skinks have evolved molecular armour to stop snake venom from shutting down their muscles.
The muscle receptor mutations in the skinks included a mechanism to add sugar molecules to physically block toxins and the substitution of a protein building block (amino acid arginine at position 187).
The laboratory work validating the mutations was carried out at UQ’s Adaptive Biotoxicology Laboratory by Dr Uthpala Chandrasekara who said it was incredible to witness.
“We used synthetic peptides and receptor models to mimic what happens when venom enters an animal at the molecular level and the data was crystal clear, some of the modified receptors simply didn’t respond at all,” said Dr Chandrasekara.
The research has been published in International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
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