Arthropods, such as arachnids and scorpions, comprise some of the oldest and most complex venoms that evolved as powerful tools for prey capture and defence. Their venoms are dominated by peptide toxins that can be exquisitely selective and potent for certain molecular structures in their target organisms. However, peptide synthesis is energetically expensive and therefore arachnids developed sophisticated strategies to minimise venom wastage. Several examples of chemically diverse spider venom components have been reported to act synergistically with venom peptides.
As a result, the use of arachnid venom peptides in synergy with venom minimising synergistic components is an attractive opportunity for preventing or treating pest and parasite infestations of animals and plants.
Technology overview
This patented technology directed to use of arthropod venom protein(s) in combination with zinc as a pesticide eliciting significantly more venom activity than the one or more arthropod venom proteins in the absence of zinc. The invention protects the pesticidal composition where zinc is in the form of a zinc salt, such as zinc chloride (ZnCl2), and a method of producing a composition by combining one or more isolated arthropod venom proteins and zinc.
This invention also provides a method of at preventing or inhibiting pest infestation of an organism, and including the step of administering one or more isolated arthropod venom proteins and zinc to the organism (plant or animal).
Benefits
- Reduced dependency and associated cost of venom peptides from synergistic effects of added zinc which enhances or potentiates a desired level of pesticidal activity of the one or more isolated venom proteins.
- A particular advantage of such pesticide compositions is that zinc is an essential trace element that assists plant growth and also has benefits for animal skin health. Accordingly, the present invention may facilitate both pest inhibition and beneficial zinc treatment of plants and animals.
Intellectual property
An Australian provisional patent application No. 2024900676 titled “Venom Pesticides” was filed on 14 March 2024 and a PCT application PCT/AU2025/050233 filed on 13 March 2025. Prior art searches have not revealed any documents or patents indicating prior discovery of the methodology. It is intended that patent protection will be sought in the major western markets including the United States of America, Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia and other major crop growing countries.
Applications
Venom peptide based pesticide having cost and environmental benefits
Commercial opportunity
UniSC is seeking a commercialisation partner for the development and deployment of the Technology, in the target applications.
The commercialisation strategy for this technology is to demonstrate efficacy for a range of arthropod venoms and to take the novel pesticide into commercial production.
Brief note on scientific founders
Associate Professor Volker Herzig – is an ARC Future Fellow and his lab is focussed on the biodiscovery of novel arthropod venom components, particularly peptides, for potential applications in basic science, medicine and agriculture. Associate Professor Herzig has compiled the world's largest arachnid venoms collection (currently comprising 550 spider and 150 scorpion venoms) that is already used in a variety of collaborative projects spanning the following areas:
- Toxins as bioinsecticides or antiparasitic agents
- Toxins as therapeutics
- Toxins as tools
- The main focus of his lab are bioinsecticides.
Dr Chien-Chang Chen – is a research fellow at Academia Sinica, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, having gained his PhD at the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign. His research interests focus on on the mechanisms underlying the development of persistent chronic pain using optogenetics, chemogenetics, in vivo imaging, gene targeting, electrophysiological, pharmacological and behavioural approaches in wild type and genetically modified mice.
Contact
For further information concerning the commercial opportunity please contact:
Michael Finney – Commercialisation Advisor