Scientists have successfully decoded the spider genome.

In a study published in the May 6th issue of the American journal Nature Communications, scientists have for the first time announced the successful decoding of the spider genome.

(Source: Arachnoboards)

This event reveals secrets about spiders that could help produce smarter pesticides as well as super-strong spider silk.

A team of biologists from Aarhus University (Denmark), led by scientist Trine Bilde, analyzed the DNA sequences of the large black spiders of Southern Europe and the social velvet spiders of Africa, with each species representing two major spider groups.

The large black spider of Southern Europe is notoriously dangerous, even though its bite is only as painful as a bee sting. This species is also known as a "mygalomorph," meaning a spider that lives underground and lurks, waiting for prey. Meanwhile, the velvet spider belongs to the "araneomorph" group, a subgroup of spiders that have adapted to a more expansive habitat above ground, where they live in colonies and create elaborate webs to trap flying insects.

Spiders have long been of particular interest to biologists because of their combination of survival skills and remarkable abilities. With minimal energy expenditure, they can outmaneuver predators weighing up to seven times their own weight.

Chemists hope to recreate spider silk, a complex protein far more durable than steel or Kevlar, and use the neurotoxins in spider venom, which kill many insects, to produce more effective pesticides.

According to scientist Jesper Bechsgaard, the research has provided the most complete picture of the spider genome yet. More specifically, for venom proteins, the research team has provided greater diversity that could be used for specific purposes.

For spider silk proteins, the research team provided multiple complete gene sequences of different silk types, which could be useful for studies on silk, for example, bacterial cells.

According to VNA