"The Surprising Secret Behind the Fuzzy Caterpillar's Baseball Bat Sting"
Scientists have discovered proteins in the venom of asp caterpillars, also known as pus caterpillars, that explain the excruciating pain caused by their sting. The proteins, called "megalysins," change shape and punch holes into cells, sending super potent pain signals to the brain. The study suggests that the genes encoding these toxins were transferred from bacteria to the ancestors of these caterpillars hundreds of millions of years ago, shedding light on the role of horizontal gene transfers in the evolution of animal venoms.