DOI: 10.5061/dryad.rjdfn2zr0
title: Data from: <em>Megalomyrmex milenae</em> transcriptome reveals a complex venom cocktail

description: Megalomyrmex ant species have a rich natural history that provides an
 interesting backdrop to understanding how venom has been shaped by
 evolution. However, like many other species in the tribe Solenopsidini,
 alkaloid investigations have dominated, limiting our understanding of the
 diversity of venom components. Here, we use venomic tools to qualify and
 quantify the proteins and peptides within Megalomyrmex milenae, a species
 of ant native to the Panamanian rainforest along the Panama Canal. We
 collect a full transcriptome and, for the first time, describe toxic and
 other protein components of the venom cocktail. Among other constituents,
 we find signatures for pore-forming toxins, neurotoxins,
 carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, proteins that potentially enhance trail
 pheromone efficacy, and peptides implicated in antimicrobial activity.
 This greatly enhances our understanding of Megalomyrmex venoms, including
 offering explanations for the multifaceted functional profile observed in
 other studies.
description: # Data from: *Megalomyrmex milenae* transcriptome reveals a complex venom
 cocktail Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.rjdfn2zr0](10.5061/dryad.rjdfn2zr0)
 ## Description of the data and file structure These are the Trinity
 assemblies and raw reads of the *Megalomyrmex milenae*
 [[https://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Megalomyrmex_milenae](https://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Megalomyrmex_milenae)] transcriptome, the custom BLAST database, and supplemental videos of *M. milenae*'s natural history. ### Files and variables #### File: Mmilenae_gaster.Trinity.fasta **Description:** Trinity assembly of the gaster (abdomen), *excluding* the venom organs. #### File: Mmilenae_head.Trinity.fasta **Description:** Trinity assembly of the head. #### File: Mmilenae_thorax.Trinity.fasta **Description:** Trinity assembly of the thorax. #### File: Mmilenae_venom-glands.Trinity.fasta **Description:** Trinity assembly of the venom glands, including the filamentous glands, venom sac, and Dufour's gland. #### File: raw-reads.zip **Description:** This is a zip archive that includes the raw, unassembled sequencing data. Each body part is in its own archive. #### File: antdb.fasta **Description:** This is the custom database of ant toxins used to functionally annotate the transcriptome. #### File: toxins-bodypart.xlsx **Description:** This contains the counts of over-expressed putative venom transcripts delimited by body part. Each body part occupies a different sheet. All categories analyzed are presented, but not all venom transcripts are found in all body parts. #### File: 1_MmilenaBuckTHENTap_PA_Liberti2011.mp4 **Description:** *Megalomyrmex milenae* displaying "bucking" behavior. Later she taps the surface of the bait station. This video was taken in 2011 during RMMA's Tropical Behavioral Ecology and Evolution course by Joanito Liberti. The sounds in the background are from the Panama rain forest and other students on the course.  [https://youtu.be/yd3AMClXIV4](https://youtu.be/yd3AMClXIV4)  #### File: 2_Avoid_MmilenaeRaisedGaster_PA_Liberti2011.mp4 **Description:** *Megalomyrmex milenae* in a raised gaster display at a bait station. This video was taken in 2011 during RMMA's Tropical Behavioral Ecology and Evolution course by Joanito Liberti. The sounds in the background are from the Panama rain forest and other students on the course.  [https://youtu.be/9ac9p_dSoAU](https://youtu.be/9ac9p_dSoAU)  #### File: 3_Mmilenae_GasterTap_PA_Liberti2011.mp4 **Description:** *Megalomyrmex milenae* tapping her gaster at a bait station. This video was taken in 2011 during RMMA's Tropical Behavioral Ecology and Evolution course by Joanito Liberti. The sounds in the background are from the Panama rain forest and other students on the course.  [https://youtu.be/aYHR6ZN66bc](https://youtu.be/aYHR6ZN66bc)  ## Code/software Data can be viewed using any text editor. ## Access information Videos are also previously published on Youtube, as listed above.