Biofactories Applied to Future Antivenom Production

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  Image Credit: By Ssiltane - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52242648 Biofactories Applied to Future Antivenom Production Abstract Background: Accidents caused by the  Loxosceles laeta  spider constitute a health problem in South America. Envenomation can lead to severe systemic manifestations, eventually compromising the patient’s life. Most regional health authorities consider antivenom administration the basis of effective treatment in the most serious cases. The availability of spider venom is the primary bottleneck for antivenom production. Herein, we present a novel biotechnological approach, based on the expression of recombinant versions of the most relevant toxin in loxoscelism, sphingomyelinase D (SphD), in insect larvae ( Spodoptera frugiperda ).  Methods: We produced two versions of SphD: one conserving its biological activities (wtSphD) and a second alternative that was designed to be genetically detoxified (dSphD...

Advancing Research on Overlooked Invertebrates in Biological Control: A Case Study of Local Hoverflies and Wolf Spiders

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Advancing Research on Overlooked Invertebrates in Biological Control: A Case Study of Local Hoverflies and Wolf Spiders

Abstract

Preserving natural enemies in agricultural landscapes is a cornerstone of biological pest control, and avoiding insecticides and miticides that harm non-target species is a key strategy to support naturally occurring populations in the field. Current research on the impacts of these chemicals is often biased toward a small number of commercially cultured species, leaving important knowledge gaps for those groups that naturally occur at local scales. Hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) and wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae), both globally important invertebrates in agricultural systems, have been under-researched due to challenges in the field collection and laboratory cultivation of local species. This study helps to address these gaps by evaluating the effects of several widely used chemicals on Australian hoverflies (Melangyna sp.) and wolf spiders (Venatrix spp.) as case study species, with detailed descriptions of laboratory rearing and testing methodologies. The results from standardised chemical toxicity testing showed Venatrix spp. were relatively tolerant to various chemicals, highlighting their potential role in Integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that combine chemical and biological control methods. In contrast, Melangyna sp. was sensitive to numerous chemicals tested, including some that are widely regarded as safe for non-target species. These findings emphasise the need to expand research on underrepresented natural enemy groups to effectively support biological control efforts at local scales. Specifically, the methodologies developed in this study can be adapted to facilitate further research on locally occurring hoverfly and spider species in other regions.

Knapp, R. A., McDougall, R., & Umina, P. A. (2025). Advancing Research on Overlooked Invertebrates in Biological Control: A Case Study of Local Hoverflies and Wolf Spiders. Agronomy, 15(5), 1203. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15051203