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The Conversation
The Conversation
Matthew Cordes, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona

How does spider venom damage human cells? Researchers uncover the killer mechanism of recluse spider toxin

While rarely aggressive, the brown recluse is known for the damage its venom can inflict on people. Lisa Zins/Flickr, CC BY-SA

Spiders are among Earth’s most resourceful predators, nabbing prey by any means necessary. Orb weavers spin webs for capture. Wolf spiders ambush on the ground at night. Almost all spiders use venom when they hunt.

But each spider’s venom is a cocktail of ingredients as varied as their hunting behavior. Some venom ingredients can harm people, while others do not. As a result, only a few spiders threaten human health, while most are harmless and even beneficial for pest control.

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