Could venom-derived therapeutics resolve treatment resistance in refractory EAC?

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  Could venom-derived therapeutics resolve treatment resistance in refractory EAC? Abstract The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma is rising in Western countries. Despite advances in chemotherapy and immunotherapy, the prognosis remains poor, with an overall 5-year survival rate below 15%. A major challenge is the cancer’s poor and often unpredictable response to current treatments. Animal venoms represent a promising yet underexplored source of therapeutic agents, offering millions of structurally diverse and highly potent bioactive peptides that can modulate a wide array of molecular targets. However, only a small fraction of these peptides has been pharmacologically characterized. This review presents the therapeutic potential of venom-derived peptides in cancer treatment, summarizes the role of ion channels in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), and discusses peptides targeting ion channels that may offer new opportunities for future EAC treatment. Freuville L, Matthys C, Gill...

A chromosome-level genome assembly for the desert scorpion Mesobuthus przewalskii from Asian drylands

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A chromosome-level genome assembly for the desert scorpion Mesobuthus przewalskii from Asian drylands

Abstract

Scorpions are an ancient and charismatic group of arthropods with medical importance, but a high-quality reference genome for this group is still lacking. Here we perform whole-genome sequencing of Mesobuthus przewalskii, a desert scorpion endemic to the Taklimakan Desert. We combine PacBio HiFi sequencing and Hi-C chromosome conformation capturing to generate chromosomal-level, haplotype-resolved, and fully annotated genome assembly for this medically important scorpion. The assembly consists of two haplotypes (1052.01 Mbp and 1055.19 Mbp, respectively) reaching chromosome-level contiguity and >98% BUSCO completeness. Sequences were anchored in 13 chromosomes with a contig N50 of 34.44 Mbp and scaffold N50 of 81.43 Mbp. Several key genome features and the mitochondrial genome assembly were also provided. This genome represents the fifth but the most complete assembly for the order Scorpiones.


Su, Y., Xiu, M., Yang, H., & Shi, C. A chromosome-level genome assembly for the desert scorpion Mesobuthus przewalskii from Asian drylands. Journal of Heredity. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esae059