Assessing the possible resistance to cardiac glycoside toxins in Opheodrys aestivus
Disciplines
Biodiversity
Abstract (300 words maximum)
The coevolution of predators and prey has produced many different adaptations in each. Certain species, for example, are protected by toxins which present a physiological challenge to the predators that consume them. Similarly, others have developed defensive mechanisms such as toxin resistance. The Rough Greensnake (Opheodrys aestivus), a serpent species native to North America, is an insectivore with a diet primarily composed of crickets, grasshoppers, and other bugs. Recently, one Rough Greensnake was documented consuming a Monarch Butterfly—species protected by cardenolide toxins.. Monarchs sport bright, vibrant colors as a warning sign of toxicity to predators. This curious observation prompted this research: a study investigating the potential Rough Greensnake resistance to the toxins sequestered by Monarch Butterflies. We used two samples of snake DNA (extracted from muscle tissue and a shed skin) to conduct Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and amplified the ATP1A1, ATP1A2, and ATP1A3 genes, which code for the subunits of Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase. We then sequenced this DNA and examined sequences for amino acid substitutions that have been observed in other organisms resistant to these toxins. As such, the purpose of our study was to determine whether or not such substitutions were present within the Rough Greensnake. Here, we expanded upon the previous research, report our preliminary findings, and highlight opportunities for future research in this field.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CSM - Environmental Science
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Dr. Pierson
Assessing the possible resistance to cardiac glycoside toxins in Opheodrys aestivus
The coevolution of predators and prey has produced many different adaptations in each. Certain species, for example, are protected by toxins which present a physiological challenge to the predators that consume them. Similarly, others have developed defensive mechanisms such as toxin resistance. The Rough Greensnake (Opheodrys aestivus), a serpent species native to North America, is an insectivore with a diet primarily composed of crickets, grasshoppers, and other bugs. Recently, one Rough Greensnake was documented consuming a Monarch Butterfly—species protected by cardenolide toxins.. Monarchs sport bright, vibrant colors as a warning sign of toxicity to predators. This curious observation prompted this research: a study investigating the potential Rough Greensnake resistance to the toxins sequestered by Monarch Butterflies. We used two samples of snake DNA (extracted from muscle tissue and a shed skin) to conduct Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and amplified the ATP1A1, ATP1A2, and ATP1A3 genes, which code for the subunits of Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase. We then sequenced this DNA and examined sequences for amino acid substitutions that have been observed in other organisms resistant to these toxins. As such, the purpose of our study was to determine whether or not such substitutions were present within the Rough Greensnake. Here, we expanded upon the previous research, report our preliminary findings, and highlight opportunities for future research in this field.