A timely literature review on the chemical diversity of ant venom toxins

Photo by Matthew T Rader on Unsplash

Photo by Matthew T Rader on Unsplash

What is it about?

The manuscript presents a general commented survey on the biochemistry of ant venoms, and pertaining literature. For the sake of organisation it is divided into the following sections presented in no particular order: (i) peptides; (ii) alkaloids; (iii) proteins; (iv) other small molecules. Some diagrams are shown in an attempt to summarise the structural diversity of these toxins, and tentative comments in their taxonomic relevance. As expected, a long list of references wraps up the commented compilation.

Why is it important?

The manuscript attempts to serve as a key updated reference on the topic. Emphasized by the fact it is completely open-access and written in accessible language. Hopefully it will help speed up developments in this field and encourage younger researchers to venture into related topics. The untapped diversity of these natural compounds far outnumbers the current efforts being made, still with only a fraction of the venomous species.

Perspectives

Dr Eduardo G P Fox IBCCF / UFRJ I was kindly invited to contribute to this project by the 1st author AT, based on my previous published studies and experience with fire ants. I was thrilled at the opportunity to take part, while also overwhelmed by the sheer complexity of the literature. Many references were hard to obtain, and the sections complex to organise. I directly prepared the "chapter" on the alkaloids, and most of the previous one on venom proteins with the 2nd author SA. The lengthy discussion among all authors enriched and polished the final version. Many interesting ideas were discussed, and I have learnt much. I am happy with the result and the experience.

The following have contributed to this page: Dr Eduardo G P Fox