Preface: Researching the biochemical makeup and effects of platypus venom was one of my earliest spurs toward an interest in science writing. So, it seems appropriate that more platypus biochemistry spurs me to resume writing.

Nature has spent more time using chemicals to alter and manipulate organisms than any scientist could dream. Venom proteins can frequently alter bodily processes more effectively and efficiently than current medical techniques.

If doctors borrowing venom for medicine sounds strange, you’re behind the times. There’s already an FDA-approved medication on the market that’s based on Gila monster venom and scorpion venom has been used in experimental treatment for rare and lethal forms of brain cancer.

Another example is a chemical in platypus venom being researched as a potential treatment for type-2 diabetes. Rather than parrot other articles — this is a good one — I decided to go to the source: the research article itself.

The study focuses on a protein (GLP-1) that, in humans and many other animals, triggers the release of insulin to reduce blood sugar levels. One of the problems with treating diabetes is how quickly the human body metabolizes GLP-1. Protease enzymes target and break down the protein within minutes. For people with diabetes, whose insulin production is limited, that is too quick for long-lasting blood sugar regulation.

The study’s authors state that GLP-1’s function is highly consistent in animal evolution, “[having] been identified in a range of vertebrate species.” One of those species is the platypus; GLP-1 is found in both its digestive tract and venom. However, with the platypus, GLP-1 is metabolized using a different method, making it almost entirely unaffected by the protease enzymes at work in other species.

One of the many unusual facts about platypus venom is that it isn’t used against prey, or even mainly against predators. Venom production is highest during mating season and only males have venom glands. The idea being that the venom is used against rival males.

The authors conclude that the resistance of platypus GLP-1 is “the result of conflicting function of this peptide in metabolic control and venom.” They speculate that the same protein being used for internal regulation and as a weapon against its own species pushed the evolution of the platypus towards a different means of breaking down GLP-1.

On a side note: The authors use the abbreviation GCG over six times, for two pages, before defining it. Bad form. Improved use of commas would also have made for easier reading. Copyediting isn’t just for English majors.