Solenodon genome reveals convergent evolution of venom in eulipotyphlan mammals

Multiple representatives of eulipotyphlan mammals (shrews, hedgehogs, moles, and solenodons) are venomous, but little is known about the evolutionary history and composition of their oral venom systems. Herein we characterized venom from the endangered Hispaniolan solenodon (Solenodon paradoxus) and find that it consists of hypotensive proteins likely used to facilitate vertebrate prey capture. We demonstrate that venom has evolved independently on at least 4 occasions in eulipotyphlans, and that molecular components of these venoms have also evolved convergently, with kallikrein-1 proteins coopted as toxins in both solenodons and shrews following their divergence over 70 million years ago. Our findings present an elegant example of convergent molecular evolution and highlight that mammalian venom systems may be subjected to evolutionary constraints.