Invasive species represent an increasing threat to native ecosystems, harming indigenous taxa through predation, habitat modification, cross-species hybridization and alteration of ecosystem processes. Additionally, high economic costs are associated...
Hg-CATH and Pb-CATH4 are cathelicidins from Heterocephalus glaber and Python bivittatus that have been previously identified as potent antibacterial peptides. However, their antiviral properties were not previously investigated. In this study, their...
The oral microbiota has a diversity of microorganisms that together maintain the homeostasis of the oral cavity. Disruptions in the balance of these microbial populations can lead to the development of oral and dental diseases. To characterize the no...
Burmese python (Python bivittatus) is an invasive snake that has significantly affected ecosystems in southern Florida, United States. Aside from direct predation and competition, invasive species can also introduce nonnative pathogens that can adver...
In an increasingly globalizing world, invasive species have become a serious concern worldwide. Numerous studies have focused on the biology of different invasive species, but few have systematically integrated socioeconomic and environmental factors...
Viral pathogens represent an increasing threat to wildlife health and biodiversity. Most studies of reptile viruses are in captive populations, while knowledge of viral occurrence and diversity in free-ranging reptiles is limited. Some reptarenavirus...
Homologous and differentiated ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes (or derived multiple neo-sex chromosomes) were often described in caenophidian snakes, but sex chromosomes were unknown until recently in non-caenophidian snakes. Previous studies revealed that two...
The evolutionary interplay between predator and prey has significantly shaped the development of snake venom, a critical adaptation for subduing prey. This arms race has spurred the diversification of the components of venom and the corresponding eme...
Raillietiella orientalis is an obligate endoparasitic crustacean that is endemic to Southeast Asia and Africa and mainly inhabits the lungs of snake definitive hosts. This pentastomid has emerged as a neozoan parasite in North America, particularly i...