Andrew A Walker
@insect_venomics
Molecular entomologist & evolutionary biologist @IMBatUQ, insect venoms and silks. Lover and composer of music, nature, cycling, kayaking, proud father of two
ID: 981870996838731776
https://bit.ly/2GCwBpH 05-04-2018 12:27:42
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896 Followers
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An extremely rare gene transfer from bacteria to an ancestor of asp caterpillars ⁓400 million years ago could explain why this bristly caterpillar's sting is so excruciating. Great to chat to Dr Andrew Walker Andrew A Walker Institute for Molecular Bioscience for Live Science livescience.com/animals/moths/…
Check out my brother Graham Walker rocket-propelled barbie car 😍🏎️
1/n I'm delighted to tell you about our latest #preprint that I think represents the most exciting work ever (!!!) coming out of my lab. Led by Joachim Surm about #venom, #Evolution #Nematostella #tradeoff #adaptation and #Ecology biorxiv.org/content/10.110…
Urticating setae from the processionary caterpillar Ochrogaster lunifer cause allergies and equine foetal loss syndrome! We hope our new paper with the proteome of putative toxins on the setae helps manage these risks in future 🐛🐛🐛 #scicomm Glenn King doi.org/10.1002/pmic.2…
something fun from our lab for the holidays Institute for Molecular Bioscience Glenn King 🕷️🪼🐛🦂 youtu.be/z7rYm4Xz33I
We found a new kind of defensin-like peptide in assassin bug venom! This insecticidal peptide has the same topology and disulfide connectivity to human alpha-defensin but different from normal insect defensins Yanni Chin Glenn King authors.elsevier.com/a/1jH9G_M2OzQg…
What do you think about #venom? Most people think of danger but Andrew Walker (Andrew A Walker) and Glenn King (Glenn King) see it as an opportunity to heal. 🔗 Read more via The Guardian: bit.ly/3KTARnw
Assassin bug venom is anticoagulant! Not surprising since it liquefies tissue it also liquifies clots and things that make clots. We think this exaptation favoured the evolution of venom by kissing bugs Christina N. Zdenek, PhD Glenn King cell.com/iscience/fullt…
Did you know that Assassin Bugs (family Reduviidae) are venomous?! Well, many species have anticoagulant ('blood thinning') venom, & colleagues & I *just* published this paper 💃 in iScience journal, uncovering the evolution, mechanisms of action, & various activities of their venom!
