This introduction to the following collection of eight review articles on aspects of cnidarian biology looks at reasons why people study these animals, their economic importance, and their conceptual interest as highlighted in the

Hox and ParaHox genes play decisive roles in patterning the anterior-posterior body axis in Bilateria. Evolutionary origin of Hox genes and primary body axis predate the divergence of Bilateria and Cnidaria. However, function of Cnidarian Hox-like genes and their regulation in axis determination is obscure due to studies limited to a few representative model systems. Present investigation is co...

The venoms from central Asian snakes (Echis carinatus, Echis multisquamatus, Vipera ursini, Vipera lebetina, Agkistrodon halys halys and Naja naja oxiana) contain several enzymes with amidolytic- and procoagulant activity. We have characterized the activities and the mol. wts of the venom enzymes that are able to convert a number of commercially available chromogenic substrates for activated co...

This work succinctly describes the professional and scientific life of Dr. José R. Giglio, one of the most outstanding Brazilian researchers in the field of Toxinology. During his long and successful career, he has made major contributions, especially in elucidating the function, structure, and mechanisms of action of animal venom proteins (from snakes, scorpions and spiders) as well as the cha...

Spiders are the most successful venomous animals and the most abundant terrestrial predators. Their remarkable success is due in large part to their ingenious exploitation of silk and the evolution of pharmacologically complex venoms that ensure rapid subjugation of prey. Most spider venoms are dominated by disulfide-rich peptides that typically have high affinity and specificity for particular...

Lately several naturally occurring peptides presenting antimicrobial activity have been described in the literature. However, snake venoms, which are an enormous source of peptides, have not been fully explored for searching such molecules. The aim of this work is to review the basis of antimicrobial mechanisms revealing snake venom as a feasible source for searching an antibiotic prototype. Th...

This paper focuses on the application of proteomic tools to study the composition and natural history of snake venoms, and their crossreactivity with current homologous and heterologous antivenoms. Proteomic analyses on Bothrops indicated the suitability of using PLA2 molecules as taxonomic and population-specific markers. The lack of phylogenetic clustering among Neotropical and Neartic rattle...

Serine proteases are widely distributed in viperid snake venoms, but rare in elapid snake venoms. Previously, we have identified a fibrinogenolytic enzyme termed OhS1 from the venom of Ophiophagus hannah. The results indicated that OhS1 might be a serine protease, but there was no structural evidence previously. In the present study, the primary structure of OhS1 was determined by protein seque...

Wasp venoms contain a number of pharmacologically active biomolecules, undertaking a wide range of functions necessary for the wasp's survival. We purified and characterized a novel bioactive peptide (vespin) from the venoms of Vespa magnifica (Smith) wasps with unique primary structure. Its amino acid sequence was determined to be CYQRRVAITAGGLKHRLMSSLIIIIIIRINYLRDNSVIILESSY. It has 44 residue...