They want to study the venom genes themselves, including their organization, variability and evolution. Doing this requires mapping the snake’s genome. In Nature Genetics on Monday, one team of researchers released their map of the genome of Naja naja, the Indian cobra. They found 12,346 genes expressed in the venom glands, what they call the “venom-ome” of the animal. Of these, they found 139 toxin genes, the ones that perform the biological reactions specific to toxins.

Source: New York Times March 17, 2020 06:00 UTC