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Published online 1 March 2005 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news050228-5
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Vital organs gave snakes their venom
Specific toxins evolved from tweaks to key proteins.
When snakes evolved venom, they co-opted proteins from all over their bodies, says an analysis of 24 different toxins. Surprisingly, very tiny tweaks were enough to transform harmless proteins into deadly poison, and this may help drug designers to create proteins with precise biological effects.
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