Published in Science · View the paper (DOI)
Researchers discovered that the highveld mole-rat is impervious to AITC due to altered ion channels, particularly the constitutively open channel NALCN. This change allows the highveld mole-rat to coexist with venomous ants.
Coverage from 2 institutions
- Pain free, thanks to evolution Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association · May 30, 2019 · first to report
- African mole-rats immune to 'wasabi pain' University of Illinois Chicago · May 30, 2019