Sex Role–Dependent Behavioral and Architectural Divergence in a Jumping Spider

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  Sex Role–Dependent Behavioral and Architectural Divergence in a Jumping Spider ABSTRACT Sex differences in behavior and functional traits are often attributed to differences in mating effort intensity, but the role of sex-specific parental demands remains poorly understood. Using the jumping spider Toxeus maxillosus —where males engage in mate searching and courtship without providing parental care, while females provide extended maternal care from egg attendance to offspring maturity (around 3 months)—we conducted an exploratory investigation into whether these distinct selective pressures led to divergence in spatial behaviors and nest architecture. Results revealed that males and females showed equivalent accuracy, latency, and learning-related performance in both a route-planning test under water stress and a color-pattern associative memory task. In contrast, during nest-construction assays, females built complex, multi-entrance structures that closely matched the container'...

Enhanced immunogenicity of COVID-19 RBD fused to mutant scorpion's phospholipase D for vaccine development

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By Monod L, Duperre N, Harms D (2019) An annotated catalogue of the scorpion types (Arachnida, Scorpiones) held in the Zoological Museum Hamburg. Part I: Parvorder Iurida Soleglad & Fet, 2003. Evolutionary Systematics 3(2): 109-200. https://doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.3.37464 - https://evolsyst.pensoft.net/article/37464/list/2/ (license), CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=86190190


Enhanced immunogenicity of COVID-19 RBD fused to mutant scorpion's phospholipase D for vaccine development

Abstract

The management of the global COVID-19 pandemic relies, in part, on the rapid development of preventive vaccines at an unparalleled speed. The infection caused by the coronavirus is facilitated by the spike glycoprotein trimmer located on the surface of the virion, specifically through its receptor binding domain (RBD). The response of antibodies to this domain is a key indicator of the immunization's effectiveness and is well correlated with the neutralization of the viral agent. The failure of COVID-19 vaccines to induce complete neutralization provides an opportunity to find an alternative way. In this study, we show that recombinant RBD, Wuhan-specific; fused to mPLD1 protein, a highly effective immunogen from Hemiscorpius lepturus scorpion's venom, induce a potent immune response in mouse model. Conventional virus neutralization test (cVNT) with serum of mice immunized with mPLD1-RBD fusion protein, protects the Vero cells against the Omicron and Wuhan variants at the minimum of 1/64 and 1/32 dilution, respectively. The data strongly suggests that the subunit recombinant fusion protein could be a promising candidate for vaccine development against COVID-19. Our research showed that fusion of mPLD1, a highly effective immunogen, with RBD significantly boosts the immune response and substantially amplifies RBD antigenic properties in lab animals, setting the stage for their assessment in a comprehensive preclinical study.

New Microbes and New Infections, 2025-10-01, Volume 67, Article 101634 

https://www.clinicalkey.com/#!/content/journal/1-s2.0-S2052297525000733