A dendrogram (tree) showing the genetic similarity between 71 proteins against ~180 related proteins that were found previously in other mollusks. The results confirm that even when compared against hundreds of other proteins simultaneously, similar proteins still cluster together. The black bracket on the right signifies the “outgroup,” a group of proteins that is intentionally unrelated from the rest. Credit: Antonio Cerullo
What is snail mucus? That was the question posed by researchers in a new study that examines the molecular composition of snail mucus. When analyzing the mucus of a common garden snail, they found it contained a complex collection of proteins, some identified as entirely novel.
In a newly published paper in Nature Communications, scientists profile the mucus of Cornu aspersum—a species used in beauty product formulation and eaten as escargot—and detail the composition of three unique types of secretions—one that hydrates and protects its skin, another that