Researchers at the LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG) have discovered a significant diversity of enzymes in spider venom, previously overshadowed by the focus on neurotoxins.
These enzymes, found across 140 different families, could revolutionize industries by offering sustainable solutions in waste management and detergent manufacturing due to their biochemical properties. This discovery expands the potential uses of spider venom beyond traditional medical and agricultural applications, promising new research and economic opportunities.
Exploring the Complexity of Spider Venoms
With approximately 52,000 species of spiders globally, these arachnids are incredibly diverse and produce some of the most complex venoms in the animal kingdom. A single species' venom can contain more than 3,000 distinct molecules, most of which are neurotoxins designed to subdue insect prey.
However, a research team from the LOEWE Centre TBG and the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology's Bioresources branch (IME-BR) in Giessen, Germany, has uncovered a surprising discovery: spider venom is not just about neurotoxins. It also contains a wide variety of enzymes. The findings, published in npj Biodiversity from the Nature group of journals, highlight the untapped potential of these enzymes and their role in venom complexity.
Enzymatic Diversity in Spider Venom
"In the past, a few pioneering studies suggested the presence of enzymes in spider venoms, but a targeted search for them has never been carried out. We took on this task and systematically screened the raw data of all so far venom-wise analyzed spiders for enzymes. We were able to show that there are in fact more than 140 different enzyme families in their venom," explains study leader Dr. Tim Lüddecke, head of the Animal Venomics working group at the IME-BR and the Justus Liebig University in Giessen.
"This means, among others, that we have dramatically underestimated the chemical diversity of spider venoms so far, as all calculations of complexity are based on the neurotoxins alone."
Potential Applications of Spider Venom Enzymes
According to the authors, the results of the work not only enable new research approaches to better understand the evolution and function of spider venoms, but also open new perspectives for their use.
"Enzymes are key building blocks of the bioeconomy. They accelerate chemical reactions and are characterized by very low by-product formation, low energy consumption, and biodegradability. They can therefore be used to create value in a highly sustainable way. Industry is therefore constantly looking for new sources of enzymes," explains Josephine Dresler, PhD student in the working group and first author of the study.
"Some of the enzymes we have identified could be used in detergents or waste management, for example, because of their fat-splitting or protein-degrading properties. They could make a significant contribution to a sustainable transformation there," says Dresler.
Unlocking New Research and Industry Opportunities
The work of the Giessen scientists highlights the translational potential hidden in animal venoms, especially those of spiders.
"So far, the spider venom community has focused exclusively on medical or agricultural applications. Our discovery opens up the possibility of establishing a completely new field of applied research," explains Lüddecke. "But we are only at the beginning, as less than one percent of all spider species have been studied for their venoms. I am confident that we will make more exciting discoveries in the remaining 99 percent of the world's spider fauna!"
Reference: "Enlightening the toxinological dark matter of spider venom enzymes" by Josephine Dresler, Volker Herzig, Andreas Vilcinskas and Tim Lüddecke, 13 September 2024, npj Biodiversity.
DOI: 10.1038/s44185-024-00058-2
News
How Far Can the Body Go? Scientists Find the Ultimate Limit of Human Endurance
Even the most elite endurance athletes can’t outrun biology. A new study finds that humans hit a metabolic ceiling at about 2.5 times their resting energy burn. When ultra-runners take on races that last [...]
World’s Rivers “Overdosing” on Human Antibiotics, Study Finds
Researchers estimate that approximately 8,500 tons of antibiotics enter river systems each year after passing through the human body and wastewater treatment processes. Rivers spanning millions of kilometers across the globe are contaminated with [...]
Yale Scientists Solve a Century-Old Brain Wave Mystery
Yale scientists traced gamma brain waves to thalamus-cortex interactions. The discovery could reveal how brain rhythms shape perception and disease. For more than a century, scientists have observed rhythmic waves of synchronized neuronal activity [...]
Can introducing peanuts early prevent allergies? Real-world data confirms it helps
New evidence from a large U.S. primary care network shows that early peanut introduction, endorsed in 2015 and 2017 guidelines, was followed by a marked decline in clinician-diagnosed peanut and overall food allergies among [...]
Nanoparticle blueprints reveal path to smarter medicines
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are the delivery vehicles of modern medicine, carrying cancer drugs, gene therapies and vaccines into cells. Until recently, many scientists assumed that all LNPs followed more or less the same blueprint, [...]
How nanomedicine and AI are teaming up to tackle neurodegenerative diseases
When I first realized the scale of the challenge posed by neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), I felt simultaneously humbled and motivated. These disorders are not caused [...]
Self-Organizing Light Could Transform Computing and Communications
USC engineers have demonstrated a new kind of optical device that lets light organize its own route using the principles of thermodynamics. Instead of relying on switches or digital control, the light finds its own [...]
Groundbreaking New Way of Measuring Blood Pressure Could Save Thousands of Lives
A new method that improves the accuracy of interpreting blood pressure measurements taken at the ankle could be vital for individuals who are unable to have their blood pressure measured on the arm. A newly developed [...]
Scientist tackles key roadblock for AI in drug discovery
The drug development pipeline is a costly and lengthy process. Identifying high-quality "hit" compounds—those with high potency, selectivity, and favorable metabolic properties—at the earliest stages is important for reducing cost and accelerating the path [...]
Nanoplastics with environmental coatings can sneak past the skin’s defenses
Plastic is ubiquitous in the modern world, and it's notorious for taking a long time to completely break down in the environment - if it ever does. But even without breaking down completely, plastic [...]
Chernobyl scientists discover black fungus feeding on deadly radiation
It looks pretty sinister, but it might actually be incredibly helpful When reactor number four in Chernobyl exploded, it triggered the worst nuclear disaster in history, one which the surrounding area still has not [...]
Long COVID Is Taking A Silent Toll On Mental Health, Here’s What Experts Say
Months after recovering from COVID-19, many people continue to feel unwell. They speak of exhaustion that doesn’t fade, difficulty breathing, or an unsettling mental haze. What’s becoming increasingly clear is that recovery from the [...]
Study Delivers Cancer Drugs Directly to the Tumor Nucleus
A new peptide-based nanotube treatment sneaks chemo into drug-resistant cancer cells, providing a unique workaround to one of oncology’s toughest hurdles. CiQUS researchers have developed a novel molecular strategy that allows a chemotherapy drug to [...]
Scientists Begin $14.2 Million Project To Decode the Body’s “Hidden Sixth Sense”
An NIH-supported initiative seeks to unravel how the nervous system tracks and regulates the body’s internal organs. How does your brain recognize when it’s time to take a breath, when your blood pressure has [...]
Scientists Discover a New Form of Ice That Shouldn’t Exist
Researchers at the European XFEL and DESY are investigating unusual forms of ice that can exist at room temperature when subjected to extreme pressure. Ice comes in many forms, even when made of nothing but water [...]
Nobel-winning, tiny ‘sponge crystals’ with an astonishing amount of inner space
The 2025 Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded to Richard Robson, Susumu Kitagawa and Omar Yaghi on Oct. 8, 2025, for the development of metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs, which are tunable crystal structures with extremely [...]
