Project description:Assassin bugs are one of the diversified groups of venomous predatory insects. Their venom is secreted from three different lumens of salivary gland and can lead to paralysis, lethality and liquidation of the prey, respectively. Nevertheless, the venom components responsible for these effects are not clear. In this study, we use transcriptomics and proteomics to determine the effective salivary protein components in the separate lumen of salivary gland from the assassin bug Platymeris biguttatus, and to conduct toxicological analysis on the function of the salivary gland compartments. Our study sheds light on the functional cooperation between different salivary gland lumens of assassin bugs, and will further the understanding of physiological adaptations of venom-based predation and defense in venomous insects
