Hexapod Assassins’ Potion: Venom Composition and Bioactivity from the Eurasian Assassin Bug Rhynocoris iracundus

Assassin bug venoms are potent and exert diverse biological functions, making them potential biomedical goldmines. Besides feeding functions on arthropods, assassin bugs also use their venom for defense purposes causing localized systemic reactions in vertebrates. However, remain poorly characterized. We collected the from Rhynocoris iracundus investigated its composition bioactivity vitro vivo. It caused lysis of murine neuroblastoma, hepatoma cells, healthy myoblasts. demonstrated, first time, that induces neurolysis suggest it counteracts paralysis locally via destruction neural networks, contributing to tissue digestion. Furthermore, melanization Galleria mellonella larvae pupae, whilst possessing specific antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, but not Listeria grayi Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A combinatorial proteo-transcriptomic approach was performed identify toxins responsible observed effects. identified neurotoxic Ptu1, an inhibitory cystin knot (ICK) toxin homologous ω-conotoxins cone snails, cytolytic redulysins trialysins hematophagous kissing bugs, pore-forming hemolysins. Additionally, chitinases kininogens were found may be insecticidal activities. demonstrate multifunctionality complexity venom, which renders molecular components interesting applications.