Snake evolution and prospecting of snake venom

Author(s):
Vonk, F.J.
Published
2012
Publication type
Doctoral Thesis

Abstract

In this thesis I have shown that snakes have undergone multiple changes in their genome and embryonic development that has provided them with the variation to which natural selection could act. This thesis provides evidence for the variable mechanisms of venom gene evolution, which presumably is much more flexible than previously thought. But it also underscores the potential use of the many different types of snake venom toxins that could be screened for use against human disorders. And most of all, I hope I have contributed towards the fact that snakes are just an incredibly interesting group of vertebrates from both the perspective of ecology and life-style, as well as from a genomic and molecular perspective. They are, and will always be, my first and true love.

Venom gene evolutionVenomSnakesSnake evolutionProspecting of snake venom
Defense date
2012-09-06
Language
English
Supervisor(s)
Richardson, M.K.
Committee member(s)
Cate, C.J. ten; Spaink, H.P.; Vervust, B.; Poelman, R.E.; Klinkhamer, P.G.L.
Qualification
Ph.D.
Degree granting institution
Institute Biology Leiden (IBL), Faculty of Science, Leiden University, Leiden
hdl
1887/19952

Juridical information

Court
LEI Universiteit Leiden

Funding

Sponsorship
The work described in this thesis was supported by a Toptalent grant from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research under grant number 021.002.034 and funding from the Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Leiden).