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Nielsen VG. Ruthenium-based antivenom attenuates Crotalus atrox venom mediated coagulopathy in rabbits. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis 2024; 35:167-172. [PMID: 38477828 DOI: 10.1097/mbc.0000000000001294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Western diamondback rattlesnake ( Crotalus atrox ) is a medically important venomous snake in the Southwestern United States, injuring humans, and their companion animals. The goals of this investigation were to utilize a rabbit model of subcutaneous envenomation to assess Crotalus atrox venom coagulopathy and determine the efficacy of a ruthenium-containing antivenom (RA) in attenuating it. METHODS Sedated New Zealand White rabbits had viscoelastic measurements of whole blood coagulation kinetics obtained from ear artery samples. Crotalus atrox venom (4 mg/kg) was injected subcutaneously and changes in coagulation determined over three hours and compared to samples obtained prior to envenomation. Other rabbits had site-directed RA injected 5 min after venom injection. RESULTS A significant decrease in the velocity of clot growth and thrombus strength was observed in animals injected with venom alone. Site-directed administration of RA resulted in no change in coagulation over the 3 h following venom injection. The interaction of antivenom administration and time was significantly different in the cases of clot growth velocity and strength. CONCLUSIONS A novel rabbit model was used to define the toxicodynamic profile of coagulopathy of Crotalus atrox venom and demonstrate the efficacy of RA. Future investigation is planned involving other medically important venoms and RA administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vance G Nielsen
- The Department of Anesthesiology, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona, USA
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2
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Maciulewicz TS, Cardwell MD, Brandecker K, Massey DJ, Shirazi FM. Snake eyes: Characterization of topical ocular exposures from rattlesnakes in Arizona. Toxicon 2024; 244:107775. [PMID: 38782188 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.107775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Patients occasionally present with reports of ocular exposure to fluids from rattlesnakes, claiming or suspecting the substance to be venom. This study set out to evaluate and characterize reported cases of suspected venom-induced ophthalmia in humans. A retrospective review of rattlesnake exposures reported to the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center over a 24-year period was conducted for ocular exposures. Recorded information included patient demographics, clinical course, laboratory results, and treatments. Documentation regarding interactions between patients and snakes was reviewed by Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center herpetologists to evaluate what substance was expelled from the snake resulting in ocular exposure. Our review of rattlesnake encounters found a total of 26 ocular exposure cases. Patient demographics were largely intentional interactions and involved the male sex. Symptoms ranged from asymptomatic to minor effects with 46.2% managed from home and treated with fluid irrigation. A review of cases by herpetologists concluded the exposure patients commonly experienced was to snake musk. Kinematics of venom expulsion by rattlesnakes conclude the venom gland must be compressed, fangs erected to ≥60o, and fang sheath compressed against the roof of the mouth for venom expulsion. Evidence suggests the chance of venom "spitting" by rattlesnakes is close to zero. Rattlesnakes are documented to forcefully expel airborne malodorous "musk" defensively. An important distinction to remember is musk has a foul odor and is usually colorless, while venom is comparatively odorless and yellow. Rattlesnake venom-induced ophthalmia is a rare event as venom expulsion requires the kinematics of feeding or defensive bites. If the rattlesnake is not in the process of biting or otherwise contacting some other object with its mouth, it is more biologically plausible patients are being exposed to snake musk as a deterrent. Whether it's venom or musk, topical exposure to the eyes should prompt immediate irrigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thom S Maciulewicz
- Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, 1295 North Martin Avenue, Tucson, AZ, USA.
| | - Michael D Cardwell
- Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, 1295 North Martin Avenue, Tucson, AZ, USA; Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Kevin Brandecker
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine, 1501 North Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ, USA.
| | - Daniel J Massey
- Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, 1295 North Martin Avenue, Tucson, AZ, USA.
| | - Farshad Mazda Shirazi
- Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, 1295 North Martin Avenue, Tucson, AZ, USA; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine, 1501 North Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ, USA.
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3
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Smith CF, Modahl CM, Ceja Galindo D, Larson KY, Maroney SP, Bahrabadi L, Brandehoff NP, Perry BW, McCabe MC, Petras D, Lomonte B, Calvete JJ, Castoe TA, Mackessy SP, Hansen KC, Saviola AJ. Assessing Target Specificity of the Small Molecule Inhibitor MARIMASTAT to Snake Venom Toxins: A Novel Application of Thermal Proteome Profiling. Mol Cell Proteomics 2024; 23:100779. [PMID: 38679388 PMCID: PMC11154231 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2024.100779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
New treatments that circumvent the pitfalls of traditional antivenom therapies are critical to address the problem of snakebite globally. Numerous snake venom toxin inhibitors have shown promising cross-species neutralization of medically significant venom toxins in vivo and in vitro. The development of high-throughput approaches for the screening of such inhibitors could accelerate their identification, testing, and implementation and thus holds exciting potential for improving the treatments and outcomes of snakebite envenomation worldwide. Energetics-based proteomic approaches, including thermal proteome profiling and proteome integral solubility alteration (PISA) assays, represent "deep proteomics" methods for high throughput, proteome-wide identification of drug targets and ligands. In the following study, we apply thermal proteome profiling and PISA methods to characterize the interactions between venom toxin proteoforms in Crotalus atrox (Western Diamondback Rattlesnake) and the snake venom metalloprotease (SVMP) inhibitor marimastat. We investigate its venom proteome-wide effects and characterize its interactions with specific SVMP proteoforms, as well as its potential targeting of non-SVMP venom toxin families. We also compare the performance of PISA thermal window and soluble supernatant with insoluble precipitate using two inhibitor concentrations, providing the first demonstration of the utility of a sensitive high-throughput PISA-based approach to assess the direct targets of small molecule inhibitors for snake venom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara F Smith
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Cassandra M Modahl
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - David Ceja Galindo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Keira Y Larson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Sean P Maroney
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Lilyrose Bahrabadi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Nicklaus P Brandehoff
- Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, Denver Health and Hospital Authority, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Blair W Perry
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Maxwell C McCabe
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Daniel Petras
- CMFI Cluster of Excellence, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Bruno Lomonte
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Juan J Calvete
- Evolutionary and Translational Venomics Laboratory, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Todd A Castoe
- Department of Biology, The University of Texas Arlington, Texas, USA
| | - Stephen P Mackessy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, USA
| | - Kirk C Hansen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Anthony J Saviola
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
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4
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Vlasblom R, van Thiel J, Bittenbinder MA, van Rhijn JR, Drost R, Muis L, Slagboom J, Salvatori D, Kool J, Veldman RJ. Distinct cardiotoxic effects by venoms of a spitting cobra (Naja pallida) and a rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) revealed using an ex vivo Langendorff heart model. Toxicon 2024; 240:107637. [PMID: 38331109 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.107637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Here we describe the acute myocardial effects of an elapid (red spitting cobra, Naja pallida) and a viper (western diamondback rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox) venom using an ex vivo heart model. Our results reveal two different pathophysiological trajectories that influence heart function and morphology. While cobra venom causes a drop in contractile force, rattlesnake venom causes enhanced contractility and frequency that coincides with differences in myocellular morphology. This highlights the medical complexity of snake venom-induced cardiotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Vlasblom
- Institute of Life Sciences and Chemistry, HU University of Applied Sciences, 3584 CS, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Jory van Thiel
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Matyas A Bittenbinder
- Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jon-Ruben van Rhijn
- Institute of Life Sciences and Chemistry, HU University of Applied Sciences, 3584 CS, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Rinske Drost
- Institute of Life Sciences and Chemistry, HU University of Applied Sciences, 3584 CS, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Lotte Muis
- Institute of Life Sciences and Chemistry, HU University of Applied Sciences, 3584 CS, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Julien Slagboom
- Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Daniela Salvatori
- Anatomy and Physiology, Department Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CL, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Kool
- Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Robert Jan Veldman
- Institute of Life Sciences and Chemistry, HU University of Applied Sciences, 3584 CS, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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5
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Clare RH, Dawson CA, Westhorpe A, Albulescu LO, Woodley CM, Mosallam N, Chong DJW, Kool J, Berry NG, O’Neill PM, Casewell NR. Snakebite drug discovery: high-throughput screening to identify novel snake venom metalloproteinase toxin inhibitors. Front Pharmacol 2024; 14:1328950. [PMID: 38273820 PMCID: PMC10808794 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1328950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Snakebite envenoming results in ∼100,000 deaths per year, with close to four times as many victims left with life-long sequelae. Current antivenom therapies have several limitations including high cost, variable cross-snake species efficacy and a requirement for intravenous administration in a clinical setting. Next-generation snakebite therapies are being widely investigated with the aim to improve cost, efficacy, and safety. In recent years several small molecule drugs have shown considerable promise for snakebite indication, with oral bioavailability particularly promising for community delivery rapidly after a snakebite. However, only two such drugs have entered clinical development for snakebite. To offset the risk of attrition during clinical trials and to better explore the chemical space for small molecule venom toxin inhibitors, here we describe the first high throughput drug screen against snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs)-a pathogenic toxin family responsible for causing haemorrhage and coagulopathy. Following validation of a 384-well fluorescent enzymatic assay, we screened a repurposed drug library of 3,547 compounds against five geographically distinct and toxin variable snake venoms. Our drug screen resulted in the identification of 14 compounds with pan-species inhibitory activity. Following secondary potency testing, four SVMP inhibitors were identified with nanomolar EC50s comparable to the previously identified matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor marimastat and superior to the metal chelator dimercaprol, doubling the current global portfolio of SVMP inhibitors. Following analysis of their chemical structure and ADME properties, two hit-to-lead compounds were identified. These clear starting points for the initiation of medicinal chemistry campaigns provide the basis for the first ever designer snakebite specific small molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel H. Clare
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Drugs and Diagnostics, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte A. Dawson
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Drugs and Diagnostics, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Adam Westhorpe
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Drugs and Diagnostics, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Laura-Oana Albulescu
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Drugs and Diagnostics, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | | | - Nada Mosallam
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel J. W. Chong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Jeroen Kool
- Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Neil G. Berry
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Paul M. O’Neill
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas R. Casewell
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Drugs and Diagnostics, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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6
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Phan P, Deshwal A, McMahon TA, Slikas M, Andrews E, Becker B, Kumar TKS. A Review of Rattlesnake Venoms. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 16:2. [PMID: 38276526 PMCID: PMC10818703 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Venom components are invaluable in biomedical research owing to their specificity and potency. Many of these components exist in two genera of rattlesnakes, Crotalus and Sistrurus, with high toxicity and proteolytic activity variation. This review focuses on venom components within rattlesnakes, and offers a comparison and itemized list of factors dictating venom composition, as well as presenting their known characteristics, activities, and significant applications in biosciences. There are 64 families and subfamilies of proteins present in Crotalus and Sistrurus venom. Snake venom serine proteases (SVSP), snake venom metalloproteases (SVMP), and phospholipases A2 (PLA2) are the standard components in Crotalus and Sistrurus venom. Through this review, we highlight gaps in the knowledge of rattlesnake venom; there needs to be more information on the venom composition of three Crotalus species and one Sistrurus subspecies. We discuss the activity and importance of both major and minor components in biomedical research and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuc Phan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA;
| | - Anant Deshwal
- Department of Biology, Bradley University, Peoria, IL 61625, USA; (T.A.M.); (M.S.); (E.A.)
| | - Tyler Anthony McMahon
- Department of Biology, Bradley University, Peoria, IL 61625, USA; (T.A.M.); (M.S.); (E.A.)
| | - Matthew Slikas
- Department of Biology, Bradley University, Peoria, IL 61625, USA; (T.A.M.); (M.S.); (E.A.)
| | - Elodie Andrews
- Department of Biology, Bradley University, Peoria, IL 61625, USA; (T.A.M.); (M.S.); (E.A.)
| | - Brian Becker
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA;
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7
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Richards NJ, Alqallaf A, Mitchell RD, Parnell A, Haidar HB, Almeida JR, Williams J, Vijayakumar P, Balogun A, Matsakas A, Trim SA, Patel K, Vaiyapuri S. Indian Ornamental Tarantula ( Poecilotheria regalis) Venom Affects Myoblast Function and Causes Skeletal Muscle Damage. Cells 2023; 12:2074. [PMID: 37626884 PMCID: PMC10453882 DOI: 10.3390/cells12162074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Envenomation by the Indian ornamental tarantula (Poecilotheria regalis) is medically relevant to humans, both in its native India and worldwide, where they are kept as pets. Muscle-related symptoms such as cramps and pain are commonly reported in humans following envenomation by this species. There is no specific treatment, including antivenom, for its envenomation. Moreover, the scientific knowledge of the impact of this venom on skeletal muscle function is highly limited. Therefore, we carried out this study to better understand the myotoxic properties of Poecilotheria regalis venom by determining its effects in cultured myoblasts and in the tibialis anterior muscle in mice. While there was no effect found on undifferentiated myoblasts, the venom affected differentiated multinucleated myotubes resulting in the reduction of fusion and atrophy of myotubes. Similarly, intramuscular administration of this venom in the tibialis anterior muscle in mice resulted in extensive muscle damage on day 5. However, by day 10, the regeneration was evident, and the regeneration process continued until day 20. Nevertheless, some tissue abnormalities including reduced dystrophin expression and microthrombi presence were observed on day 20. Overall, this study demonstrates the ability of this venom to induce significant muscle damage and affect its regeneration in the early stages. These data provide novel mechanistic insights into this venom-induced muscle damage and guide future studies to isolate and characterise individual toxic component(s) that induce muscle damage and their significance in developing better therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J. Richards
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (N.J.R.); (A.A.); (A.P.); (H.B.H.)
| | - Ali Alqallaf
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (N.J.R.); (A.A.); (A.P.); (H.B.H.)
- Medical Services Authority, Ministry of Defence, Kuwait City 13012, Kuwait
| | | | - Andrew Parnell
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (N.J.R.); (A.A.); (A.P.); (H.B.H.)
- Micregen Ltd., Thames Valley Science Park, Reading RG2 9LH, UK;
| | - Husain Bin Haidar
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (N.J.R.); (A.A.); (A.P.); (H.B.H.)
| | - José R. Almeida
- School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (J.R.A.); (J.W.); (P.V.)
| | - Jarred Williams
- School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (J.R.A.); (J.W.); (P.V.)
| | - Pradeep Vijayakumar
- School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (J.R.A.); (J.W.); (P.V.)
| | - Adedoyin Balogun
- Molecular Physiology Laboratory, Centre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
| | - Antonios Matsakas
- Molecular Physiology Laboratory, Centre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
| | | | - Ketan Patel
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (N.J.R.); (A.A.); (A.P.); (H.B.H.)
| | - Sakthivel Vaiyapuri
- School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (J.R.A.); (J.W.); (P.V.)
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8
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Tse TC, Tsai IH, Chan YY, Tsai TS. Venom Proteomics of Trimeresurus gracilis, a Taiwan-Endemic Pitviper, and Comparison of Its Venom Proteome and VEGF and CRISP Sequences with Those of the Most Related Species. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:408. [PMID: 37505677 PMCID: PMC10467061 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15070408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Trimeresurus gracilis is an endemic alpine pitviper in Taiwan with controversial phylogeny, and its venom proteome remains unknown. In this study, we conducted a proteomic analysis of T. gracilis venom using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and identified 155 toxin proteoforms that belong to 13 viperid venom toxin families. By searching the sequences of trypsin-digested peptides of the separated HPLC fractions against the NCBI database, T. gracilis venom was found to contain 40.3% metalloproteases (SVMPs), 15.3% serine proteases, 6.6% phospholipases A2, 5.0% L-amino acid oxidase, 4.6% Cys-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs), 3.2% disintegrins, 2.9% vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs), 1.9% C-type lectin-like proteins, and 20.2% of minor toxins, nontoxins, and unidentified peptides or compounds. Sixteen of these proteoforms matched the toxins whose full amino-acid sequences have been deduced from T. gracilis venom gland cDNA sequences. The hemorrhagic venom of T. gracilis appears to be especially rich in PI-class SVMPs and lacks basic phospholipase A2. We also cloned and sequenced the cDNAs encoding two CRISP and three VEGF variants from T. gracilis venom glands. Sequence alignments and comparison revealed that the PI-SVMP, kallikrein-like proteases, CRISPs, and VEGF-F of T. gracilis and Ovophis okinavensis are structurally most similar, consistent with their close phylogenetic relationship. However, the expression levels of some of their toxins were rather different, possibly due to their distinct ecological and prey conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsz-Chun Tse
- Institute of Wildlife Conservation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912301, Taiwan;
| | - Inn-Ho Tsai
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan;
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106319, Taiwan
| | - Yuen-Ying Chan
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912301, Taiwan;
| | - Tein-Shun Tsai
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912301, Taiwan;
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9
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Albrecht EA, Carter JD, Garbar V, Choudhary A, Tomlins SA. Intracellular Zinc Trafficking during Crotalus atrox Venom Wound Development. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076763. [PMID: 37047742 PMCID: PMC10094922 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we examined zinc trafficking in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) stimulated with Crotalus atrox (CA venom) snake venom. We utilized MTS cytotoxicity assays to monitor the cytotoxic range of CA venom. HUVEC monolayers stimulated with 10 µg/mL CA venom for 3 h displayed cellular retraction, which coincided with 53.0 ± 6.5 percent viability. In contrast, venom concentrations of 100 µg/mL produced a complete disruption of cellular adherence and viability decreased to 36.6 ± 1.0. The zinc probe Fluozin-3AM was used to detect intracellular zinc in non-stimulated controls, HUVEC stimulated with 10 µg/mL CA venom or HUVEC preincubated with TPEN for 2 h then stimulated with 10 µg/mL CA venom. Fluorescent intensity analysis returned values of 1434.3 ± 197.4 for CA venom demonstrating an increase of about two orders of magnitude in labile zinc compared to non-stimulated controls. Endothelial response to CA venom induced a 96.1 ± 3.0- and 4.4 ± 0.41-fold increase in metallothionein 1X (MT1X) and metallothionein 2A (MT2A) gene expression. Zinc chelation during CA venom stimulation significantly increased cell viability, suggesting that the maintenance of zinc homeostasis during envenomation injury improves cell survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric A Albrecht
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA
| | - Jasmine D Carter
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA
| | - Veronica Garbar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA
| | - Abeeha Choudhary
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA
| | - Scott A Tomlins
- Department of Pathology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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10
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Inwood SN, Harrop TWR, Dearden PK. The venom composition and parthenogenesis mechanism of the parasitoid wasp Microctonus hyperodae, a declining biocontrol agent. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 153:103897. [PMID: 36584929 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
A biocontrol system in New Zealand using the endoparasitoid Microctonus hyperodae is failing, despite once being one of the most successful examples of classical biocontrol worldwide. Though it is of significant economic importance as a control agent, little is known about the genetics of M. hyperodae. In this study, RNA-seq was used to characterise two key traits of M. hyperodae in this system, the venom, critical for the initial success of biocontrol, and the asexual reproduction mode, which influenced biocontrol decline. Expanded characterisation of M. hyperodae venom revealed candidates involved in manipulating the host environment to source nutrition for the parasitoid egg, preventing a host immune response against the egg, as well as two components that may stimulate the host's innate immune system. Notably lacking from the venom-specific expression list was calreticulin, as it also had high expression in the ovaries. In-situ hybridisation revealed this ovarian expression was localised to the follicle cells, which may result in the deposition of calreticulin into the egg exochorion. Investigating the asexual reproduction of M. hyperodae revealed core meiosis-specific genes had conserved expression patterns with the highest expression in the ovaries, suggesting M. hyperodae parthenogenesis involves meiosis and that the potential for sexual reproduction may have been retained. Upregulation of genes involved in endoreduplication provides a potential mechanism for the restoration of diploidy in eggs after meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N Inwood
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, Genomics Aotearoa, and the Biochemistry Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand
| | - Thomas W R Harrop
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, Genomics Aotearoa, and the Biochemistry Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand; Melbourne Bioinformatics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Peter K Dearden
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, Genomics Aotearoa, and the Biochemistry Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand.
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11
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Bibliometric Analysis of Literature in Snake Venom-Related Research Worldwide (1933–2022). Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12162058. [PMID: 36009648 PMCID: PMC9405337 DOI: 10.3390/ani12162058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Around the world, snake envenomation poses a serious health risk. Proteins with pharmacological effects are present in snake venom. Recent studies elaborate snake venom and its potential application, including as a cancer drug and antibacterial substances. Our study aimed to analyze the global profile of the literature in snake venom research from documents indexed in the Scopus database between 1933 and 2022. In total, 2999 documents were published with Brazil showing the highest productivity. Antivenom, proteomics, and transcriptomics are emerging as hot topics on a global scale. The present study offers a distinctive overview of snake venom research conducted worldwide. Abstract Snake envenomation is a severe economic and health concern affecting countries worldwide. Snake venom carries a wide variety of small peptides and proteins with various immunological and pharmacological properties. A few key research areas related to snake venom, including its applications in treating cancer and eradicating antibiotic-resistant bacteria, have been gaining significant attention in recent years. The goal of the current study was to analyze the global profile of literature in snake venom research. This study presents a bibliometric review of snake venom-related research documents indexed in the Scopus database between 1933 and 2022. The overall number of documents published on a global scale was 2999, with an average annual production of 34 documents. Brazil produced the highest number of documents (n = 729), followed by the United States (n = 548), Australia (n = 240), and Costa Rica (n = 235). Since 1963, the number of publications has been steadily increasing globally. At a worldwide level, antivenom, proteomics, and transcriptomics are growing hot issues for research in this field. The current research provides a unique overview of snake venom research at global level from 1933 through 2022, and it may be beneficial in guiding future research.
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12
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Jia Y, Vega C. Biochemical and computational approaches to understand venom toxin-toxin interaction. Toxicon 2022; 216:11-14. [PMID: 35772507 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2022.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Snake venoms are mainly composed of proteins and peptides (venom toxins). The venom transcriptomes and proteomes have been extensively investigated; however, venom toxin-toxin interactions remain poorly characterized. We detected the interaction of venom Asp49-PLA2 and 3FTx using biochemical and computational approaches. A stable structure of Asp49-PLA2-3FTx was identified, and the interface of Asp49-PLA2 and 3FTx was analyzed. The approaches will shed light on understanding the venom complexity and deciphering the synergistic effects of venom toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Jia
- Department of Biology, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, 78520, USA.
| | - Christine Vega
- Department of Biology, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, 78520, USA
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13
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Cardwell MD, Massey DJ, Smelski G, Wüster W. Mohave Rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus) Identification Revisited. Wilderness Environ Med 2022; 33:210-218. [PMID: 35221167 DOI: 10.1016/j.wem.2022.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Crotalus scutulatus (Mohave rattlesnake) is a clinically significant pit viper broadly distributed across much of the arid southwestern United States and mainland Mexico. Identification of C scutulatus is a concern among emergency medical service and emergency department personnel owing to its reputation for severe envenomations and difficulty in visually differentiating between C scutulatus and other species, primarily Crotalus atrox (western diamond-backed rattlesnake). We contrast distinctive characteristics of C scutulatus, C atrox, and 3 other sympatric species: Crotalus molossus, Crotalus ornatus, and Crotalus viridis (western and eastern black-tailed rattlesnakes and prairie rattlesnake, respectively). Greenish coloration eliminates C atrox but does not confirm C scutulatus. Obvious coarse and fine speckling of the dorsal pattern and a pale postocular stripe intersecting the mouth characterize C atrox. Dorsal speckling is insignificant or absent in the other species, whereas the pale postocular stripe passes above the mouth in C scutulatus and C viridis and is absent in C molossus and C ornatus. Tails boldly ringed with alternating black and white or contrasting shades of gray are shared by C atrox and C scutulatus, respectively, but a lack of boldly ringed tails characterizes the other species. The proximal rattle segment is yellow and black, or entirely yellow, in C scutulatus but black in the others. The most reliable visual identifications are based on evaluations of multiple traits, all of which are variable to some extent. Traits such as tail ring width and the size and number of crown scales have frequently been overemphasized in the past.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Cardwell
- Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, Tucson, Arizona; Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, California.
| | - Daniel J Massey
- Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, Tucson, Arizona; Banner University Medical Center, Tucson, Arizona
| | | | - Wolfgang Wüster
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution at Bangor, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, United Kingdom; Chiricahua Desert Museum, Rodeo, New Mexico
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14
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15
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Fashionably late: A characterization of late coagulopathies in rattlesnake envenomations between Fab and F(ab’)2 antivenoms. Toxicon 2022; 212:49-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2022.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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16
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Abstract
The venom glands of reptiles, particularly those of front-fanged advanced snakes, must satisfy conflicting biological demands: rapid synthesis of potentially labile and highly toxic proteins, storage in the gland lumen for long periods, stabilization of the stored secretions, immediate activation of toxins upon deployment and protection of the animal from the toxic effects of its own venom. This dynamic system could serve as a model for the study of a variety of different phenomena involving exocrine gland activation, protein synthesis, stabilization of protein products and secretory mechanisms. However, these studies have been hampered by a lack of a long-term model that can be propagated in the lab (as opposed to whole-animal studies). Numerous attempts have been made to extend the lifetime of venom gland secretory cells, but only recently has an organoid model been shown to have the requisite qualities of recapitulation of the native system, self-propagation and long-term viability (>1 year). A tractable model is now available for myriad cell- and molecular-level studies of venom glands, protein synthesis and secretion. However, venom glands of reptiles are not identical, and many differ very extensively in overall architecture, microanatomy and protein products produced. This Review summarizes the similarities among and differences between venom glands of helodermatid lizards and of rear-fanged and front-fanged snakes, highlighting those areas that are well understood and identifying areas where future studies can fill in significant gaps in knowledge of these ancient, yet fascinating systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen P Mackessy
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, 501 20th St., CB 92, Greeley, CO 80639-0017, USA
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17
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The Enzymatic Core of Scorpion Venoms. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14040248. [PMID: 35448857 PMCID: PMC9030722 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14040248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Enzymes are an integral part of animal venoms. Unlike snakes, in which enzymes play a primary role in envenomation, in scorpions, their function appears to be ancillary in most species. Due to this, studies on the diversity of scorpion venom components have focused primarily on the peptides responsible for envenomation (toxins) and a few others (e.g., antimicrobials), while enzymes have been overlooked. In this work, a comprehensive study on enzyme diversity in scorpion venoms was performed by transcriptomic and proteomic techniques. Enzymes of 63 different EC types were found, belonging to 330 orthogroups. Of them, 24 ECs conform the scorpion venom enzymatic core, since they were determined to be present in all the studied scorpion species. Transferases and lyases are reported for the first time. Novel enzymes, which can play different roles in the venom, including direct toxicity, as venom spreading factors, activators of venom components, venom preservatives, or in prey pre-digestion, were described and annotated. The expression profile for transcripts coding for venom enzymes was analyzed, and shown to be similar among the studied species, while being significantly different from their expression pattern outside the telson.
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18
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Youngman NJ, Carlsson DJ, Jones L, Neri-Castro E, Alago´n A, Fry BG. Cloud serpent coagulotoxicity: The biochemical mechanisms underpinning the anticoagulant actions of Mixcoatlus and Ophryacus venoms. Toxicon 2022; 211:44-49. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2022.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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19
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Characterization of the venom and external morphology of a natural hybrid between Crotalus atrox and Crotalus mictlantecuhtli. Toxicon 2022; 207:43-47. [PMID: 35007607 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2022.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Here we report, for the first time, a natural hybrid between Crotalus atrox and C. mictlantecuhtli based on intermediate characteristics of the external morphology and venom. Morphologically, the individual had characteristics of both parent species. The hybrid's venom exhibited an intermediate composition including the presence of crotoxin which has never been documented in C. atrox but is well documented in C. mictlantecuhtli. The hybrid's venom was highly toxic and showed an intermediate proteolytic activity between the parental species. The two Mexican antivenoms were able to neutralize the hybrid's venom's lethality.
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20
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Enriquez-Ochoa D, Meléndez-Martínez D, Aguilar-Yáñez JM, Licona-Cassani C, Mayolo-Deloisa K. Development of aqueous two-phase systems-based approaches for the selective recovery of metalloproteases and phospholipases A 2 toxins from Crotalus molossus nigrescens venom. BIORESOUR BIOPROCESS 2021; 8:136. [PMID: 38650265 PMCID: PMC10992436 DOI: 10.1186/s40643-021-00487-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Snake venoms are rich sources of proteins with potential biotechnological and pharmaceutical applications. Among them, metalloproteases (MPs) and phospholipases A2 (PLA2) are the most abundant. Their isolation involves a multistep chromatographic approach, which has proven to be effective, however implies high operating costs and long processing times. In this study, a cost-effective and simple method based on aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) was developed to recover MPs and PLA2 from Crotalus molossus nigrescens venom. A system with PEG 400 g mol-1, volume ratio (VR) 1, tie line length (TLL) 25% w/w and pH 7 showed the best performance for PLA2 recovery. In systems with PEG 400 g mol-1, VR 1, TLL 15% w/w, pH 7 and 1 and 3% w/w of NaCl, selective recovery of MP subtype P-III was achieved; whereas, in a system with PEG 400 g mol-1, VR 1, TLL 25% w/w and pH 8.5, MP subtypes P-I and P-III were recovered. Due to their low costs, ethanol-salt systems were also evaluated, however, failed to differentially partition PLA2 and MPs. The use of ATPS could contribute to the simplification and cost reduction of protein isolation processes from snake venoms and other toxin fluids, as well as potentially aid their biochemical, proteomic and biological analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Enriquez-Ochoa
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, 64849, Monterrey, NL, Mexico
| | - David Meléndez-Martínez
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, 64849, Monterrey, NL, Mexico
| | - José Manuel Aguilar-Yáñez
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, 64849, Monterrey, NL, Mexico
| | - Cuauhtemoc Licona-Cassani
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, 64849, Monterrey, NL, Mexico.
- Tecnologico de Monterrey The Institute for Obesity Research, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, 64849, Monterrey, NL, Mexico.
| | - Karla Mayolo-Deloisa
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, 64849, Monterrey, NL, Mexico.
- Tecnologico de Monterrey The Institute for Obesity Research, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, 64849, Monterrey, NL, Mexico.
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21
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Nie X, He Q, Zhou B, Huang D, Chen J, Chen Q, Yang S, Yu X. Exploring the five-paced viper ( Deinagkistrodon acutus) venom proteome by integrating a combinatorial peptide ligand library approach with shotgun LC-MS/MS. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2021; 27:e20200196. [PMID: 34745239 PMCID: PMC8547348 DOI: 10.1590/1678-9199-jvatitd-2020-0196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Snake venoms are complex mixtures of toxic proteins or peptides encoded by various gene families that function synergistically to incapacitate prey. In the present study, in order to unravel the proteomic repertoire of Deinagkistrodon acutus venom, some trace abundance components were analyzed. METHODS Shotgun proteomic approach combined with shotgun nano-LC-ESI-MS/MS were employed to characterize the medically important D. acutus venom, after collected samples were enriched with the combinatorial peptide ligand library (CPLL). RESULTS This avenue helped us find some trace components, undetected before, in D. acutus venom. The results indicated that D. acutus venom comprised 84 distinct proteins from 10 toxin families and 12 other proteins. These results are more than twice the number of venom components obtained from previous studies, which were only 29 distinct proteins obtained through RP-HPLC for the venom of the same species. The present results indicated that in D. acutus venom, the most abundant components (66.9%) included metalloproteinases, serine proteinases, and C-type lectin proteins; the medium abundant components (13%) comprised phospholipases A2 (PLA2) and 5'-nucleotidases and nucleases; whereas least abundant components (6%) were aminopeptidases, L-amino acid oxidases (LAAO), neurotoxins and disintegrins; and the trace components. The last were undetected before the use of conventional shotgun proteomics combined with shotgun nano-LC-ESI-MS/MS, such as cysteine-rich secretory proteins Da-CRPa, phospholipases B-like 1, phospholipases B (PLB), nerve growth factors (NGF), glutaminyl-peptide cyclortransferases (QC), and vascular non-inflammatory molecules 2 (VNN2). CONCLUSION These findings demonstrated that the CPLL enrichment method worked well in finding the trace toxin proteins in D. acutus venom, in contrast with the previous venomic characterization of D. acutus by conventional LC-MS/MS. In conclusion, this approach combined with the CPLL enrichment was effective for allowing us to explore the hidden D. acutus venomic profile and extended the list of potential venom toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuekui Nie
- Animal Toxin Group, Engineering Research Center of Active Substance and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiyi He
- Animal Toxin Group, Engineering Research Center of Active Substance and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bin Zhou
- Library, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dachun Huang
- Animal Toxin Group, Engineering Research Center of Active Substance and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Junbo Chen
- Animal Toxin Group, Engineering Research Center of Active Substance and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qianzi Chen
- Animal Toxin Group, Engineering Research Center of Active Substance and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shuqing Yang
- Emergency Department, Chongqing Emergency Medical Center, Chongqing University Central Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaodong Yu
- Animal Toxin Group, Engineering Research Center of Active Substance and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
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22
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Willard NK, Salazar E, Oyervides FA, Wiebe CS, Ocheltree JS, Cortez M, Perez RP, Markowitz H, Iliuk A, Sanchez EE, Suntravat M, Galan JA. Proteomic Identification and Quantification of Snake Venom Biomarkers in Venom and Plasma Extracellular Vesicles. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13090654. [PMID: 34564658 PMCID: PMC8473211 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13090654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The global exploration of snakebites requires the use of quantitative omics approaches to characterize snake venom as it enters into the systemic circulation. These omics approaches give insights into the venom proteome, but a further exploration is warranted to analyze the venom-reactome for the identification of snake venom biomarkers. The recent discovery of extracellular vesicles (EVs), and their critical cellular functions, has presented them as intriguing sources for biomarker discovery and disease diagnosis. Herein, we purified EV’s from the snake venom (svEVs) of Crotalus atrox and C. oreganus helleri, and from plasma of BALB/c mice injected with venom from each snake using EVtrap in conjunction with quantitative mass spectrometry for the proteomic identification and quantification of svEVs and plasma biomarkers. Snake venom EVs from C. atrox and C. o. helleri were highly enriched in 5′ nucleosidase, L-amino acid oxidase, and metalloproteinases. In mouse plasma EVs, a bioinformatic analysis for revealed upregulated responses involved with cytochrome P450, lipid metabolism, acute phase inflammation immune, and heat shock responses, while downregulated proteins were associated with mitochondrial electron transport, NADH, TCA, cortical cytoskeleton, reticulum stress, and oxidative reduction. Altogether, this analysis will provide direct evidence for svEVs composition and observation of the physiological changes of an envenomated organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Kevin Willard
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (N.K.W.); (E.S.); (F.A.O.); (C.S.W.); (J.S.O.); (M.C.); (E.E.S.); (M.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 161, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Emelyn Salazar
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (N.K.W.); (E.S.); (F.A.O.); (C.S.W.); (J.S.O.); (M.C.); (E.E.S.); (M.S.)
| | - Fabiola Alejandra Oyervides
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (N.K.W.); (E.S.); (F.A.O.); (C.S.W.); (J.S.O.); (M.C.); (E.E.S.); (M.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 161, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Cierra Siobhrie Wiebe
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (N.K.W.); (E.S.); (F.A.O.); (C.S.W.); (J.S.O.); (M.C.); (E.E.S.); (M.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 161, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Jack Sutton Ocheltree
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (N.K.W.); (E.S.); (F.A.O.); (C.S.W.); (J.S.O.); (M.C.); (E.E.S.); (M.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 161, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Mario Cortez
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (N.K.W.); (E.S.); (F.A.O.); (C.S.W.); (J.S.O.); (M.C.); (E.E.S.); (M.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 161, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | | | - Harry Markowitz
- Tymora Analytical Operations, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA; (H.M.); (A.I.)
| | - Anton Iliuk
- Tymora Analytical Operations, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA; (H.M.); (A.I.)
| | - Elda Eliza Sanchez
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (N.K.W.); (E.S.); (F.A.O.); (C.S.W.); (J.S.O.); (M.C.); (E.E.S.); (M.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 161, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Montamas Suntravat
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (N.K.W.); (E.S.); (F.A.O.); (C.S.W.); (J.S.O.); (M.C.); (E.E.S.); (M.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 161, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Jacob Anthony Galan
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (N.K.W.); (E.S.); (F.A.O.); (C.S.W.); (J.S.O.); (M.C.); (E.E.S.); (M.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 161, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
- Correspondence:
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Evaluation of Signaling Pathways Profiling in Human Dermal Endothelial Cells Treated by Snake Venom Cysteine-Rich Secretory Proteins (svCRiSPs) from North American Snakes Using Reverse Phase Protein Array (RPPA). Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13090613. [PMID: 34564617 PMCID: PMC8473428 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13090613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cysteine-Rich Secretory Proteins (CRiSPs) are typically found in many snake venoms; however, the role that these toxins play in the pathophysiology of snakebites is still unclear. Herein, we compared the effects of snake venom CRiSPs (svCRiSPs) from the most medically important species of North American snakes on endothelial cell permeability and vascular permeability. We used reverse phase protein array (RPPA) to identify key signaling molecules on human dermal lymphatic (HDLECs) and blood (HDBECs) endothelial cells treated with svCRiSPs. The results showed that Css-CRiSP isolated from Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus and App-CRiSP from Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus are the most potent causes of increase vascular and endothelial permeability in comparison with other svCRiSPs used in this study. We examined the protein expression levels and their activated phosphorylation states in HDLECs and HDBECs induced by App-CRiSP and Css-CRiSP using RPPA. Interestingly, both App-CRiSP and Css-CRiSP induced caveolin-1 expression in HDBECs. We also found that stimulating HDBECs with Css-CRiSP and App-CRiSP significantly induced the phosphorylation of mTOR and Src, respectively. In HDLECs, Css-CRiSP significantly downregulated the expression of N-Cadherin and phospholipase C-gamma, while App-CRiSP significantly enhanced Akt and JNK phosphorylation. These results suggest that the increased endothelial permeability in HDLECs and HDBECs by Css-CRiSP and App-CRiSP may occur through different pathways.
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Using yeast two-hybrid system and molecular dynamics simulation to detect venom protein-protein interactions. Curr Res Toxicol 2021; 2:93-98. [PMID: 34345854 PMCID: PMC8320608 DOI: 10.1016/j.crtox.2021.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The venom protein-protein interactions in snake venom remain largely unknown. Y2H coupled with MD simulations was used to detect venom protein interactions. Venom PLA2s interact with themselves and Lys49 PLA2 interacts with venom CRISP.
Proteins and peptides are major components of snake venom. Venom protein transcriptomes and proteomes of many snake species have been reported; however, snake venom complexity (i.e., the venom protein-protein interactions, PPIs) remains largely unknown. To detect the venom protein interactions, we used the most common snake venom component, phospholipase A2s (PLA2s) as a “bait” to identify the interactions between PLA2s and 14 of the most common proteins in Western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) venom by using yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) analysis, a technique used to detect PPIs. As a result, we identified PLA2s interacting with themselves, and lysing-49 PLA2 (Lys49 PLA2) interacting with venom cysteine-rich secretory protein (CRISP). To reveal the complex structure of Lys49 PLA2-CRISP interaction at the structural level, we first built the three-dimensional (3D) structures of Lys49 PLA2 and CRISP by a widely used computational program-MODELLER. The binding modes of Lys49 PLA2-CRISP interaction were then predicted through three different docking programs including ClusPro, ZDOCK and HADDOCK. Furthermore, the most likely complex structure of Lys49 PLA2-CRISP was inferred by molecular dynamic (MD) simulations with GROMACS software. The techniques used and results obtained from this study strengthen the understanding of snake venom protein interactions and pave the way for the study of animal venom complexity.
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Nakamoto M, Escalante T, Gutiérrez JM, Shea KJ. A Biomimetic of Endogenous Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases: Inhibition Mechanism and Contribution of Composition, Polymer Size, and Shape to the Inhibitory Effect. NANO LETTERS 2021; 21:5663-5670. [PMID: 34181420 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c01357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A biomimetic of endogenous tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) was engineered by introducing three binding elements to a synthetic tetrapolymer. We evaluated the contribution of composition, size, and shape of the TIMP-mimicking polymers to the inhibition of BaP1, a P-I class snake venom metalloproteinase (SVMP). Inhibition was achieved when the size of the linear polymer (LP) was comparable to or greater than that of the enzyme, indicating the efficacy requires binding to a significant portion of the enzyme surface in the vicinity of the active site. The efficacy of a low cross-linked polymer hydrogel nanoparticle (NP) of substantially greater molecular weight was comparable to that of the LPs despite differences in size and shape, an important finding for in vivo applications. The abiotic TIMP was effective against two classes of SVMPs in whole snake venom. The results can serve as a design principle for biomimetic polymer inhibitors of enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiko Nakamoto
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Teresa Escalante
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501, Costa Rica
| | - José M Gutiérrez
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501, Costa Rica
| | - Kenneth J Shea
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
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Saggiomo SL, Firth C, Wilson DT, Seymour J, Miles JJ, Wong Y. The Geographic Distribution, Venom Components, Pathology and Treatments of Stonefish ( Synanceia spp.) Venom. Mar Drugs 2021; 19:md19060302. [PMID: 34073964 PMCID: PMC8225006 DOI: 10.3390/md19060302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Stonefish are regarded as one of the most venomous fish in the world. Research on stonefish venom has chiefly focused on the in vitro and in vivo neurological, cardiovascular, cytotoxic and nociceptive effects of the venom. The last literature review on stonefish venom was published over a decade ago, and much has changed in the field since. In this review, we have generated a global map of the current distribution of all stonefish (Synanceia) species, presented a table of clinical case reports and provided up-to-date information about the development of polyspecific stonefish antivenom. We have also presented an overview of recent advancements in the biomolecular composition of stonefish venom, including the analysis of transcriptomic and proteomic data from Synanceia horrida venom gland. Moreover, this review highlights the need for further research on the composition and properties of stonefish venom, which may reveal novel molecules for drug discovery, development or other novel physiological uses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia L. Saggiomo
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM), James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Australia; (C.F.); (D.T.W.); (J.S.); (J.J.M.); (Y.W.)
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | - Cadhla Firth
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM), James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Australia; (C.F.); (D.T.W.); (J.S.); (J.J.M.); (Y.W.)
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Australia
| | - David T. Wilson
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM), James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Australia; (C.F.); (D.T.W.); (J.S.); (J.J.M.); (Y.W.)
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Australia
| | - Jamie Seymour
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM), James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Australia; (C.F.); (D.T.W.); (J.S.); (J.J.M.); (Y.W.)
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Australia
| | - John J. Miles
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM), James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Australia; (C.F.); (D.T.W.); (J.S.); (J.J.M.); (Y.W.)
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Australia
| | - Yide Wong
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM), James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Australia; (C.F.); (D.T.W.); (J.S.); (J.J.M.); (Y.W.)
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Australia
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Deshwal A, Phan P, Datta J, Kannan R, Thallapuranam SK. A Meta-Analysis of the Protein Components in Rattlesnake Venom. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13060372. [PMID: 34071038 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13060372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The specificity and potency of venom components give them a unique advantage in developing various pharmaceutical drugs. Though venom is a cocktail of proteins, rarely are the synergy and association between various venom components studied. Understanding the relationship between various components of venom is critical in medical research. Using meta-analysis, we observed underlying patterns and associations in the appearance of the toxin families. For Crotalus, Dis has the most associations with the following toxins: PDE; BPP; CRL; CRiSP; LAAO; SVMP P-I and LAAO; SVMP P-III and LAAO. In Sistrurus venom, CTL and NGF have the most associations. These associations can predict the presence of proteins in novel venom and understand synergies between venom components for enhanced bioactivity. Using this approach, the need to revisit the classification of proteins as major components or minor components is highlighted. The revised classification of venom components is based on ubiquity, bioactivity, the number of associations, and synergies. The revised classification can be expected to trigger increased research on venom components, such as NGF, which have high biomedical significance. Using hierarchical clustering, we observed that the genera's venom compositions were similar, based on functional characteristics rather than phylogenetic relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anant Deshwal
- Division of Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Phuc Phan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Jyotishka Datta
- Department of Statistics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Ragupathy Kannan
- Department of Biology, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, Fort Smith, AR 72913, USA
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Szteiter SS, Diego IN, Ortegon J, Salinas EM, Cirilo A, Reyes A, Sanchez O, Suntravat M, Salazar E, Sánchez EE, Galan JA. Examination of the Efficacy and Cross-Reactivity of a Novel Polyclonal Antibody Targeting the Disintegrin Domain in SVMPs to Neutralize Snake Venom. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:254. [PMID: 33807363 PMCID: PMC8066378 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13040254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Snake envenomation can result in hemorrhage, local necrosis, swelling, and if not treated properly can lead to adverse systemic effects such as coagulopathy, nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and cardiotoxicity, which can result in death. As such, snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs) and disintegrins are two toxic components that contribute to hemorrhage and interfere with the hemostatic system. Administration of a commercial antivenom is the common antidote to treat snake envenomation, but the high-cost, lack of efficacy, side effects, and limited availability, necessitates the development of new strategies and approaches for therapeutic treatments. Herein, we describe the neutralization ability of anti-disintegrin polyclonal antibody on the activities of isolated disintegrins, P-II/P-III SVMPs, and crude venoms. Our results show disintegrin activity on platelet aggregation in whole blood and the migration of the SK-Mel-28 cells that can be neutralized with anti-disintegrin polyclonal antibody. We characterized a SVMP and found that anti-disintegrin was also able to inhibit its activity in an in vitro proteolytic assay. Moreover, we found that anti-disintegrin could neutralize the proteolytic and hemorrhagic activities from crude Crotalus atrox venom. Our results suggest that anti-disintegrin polyclonal antibodies have the potential for a targeted approach to neutralize SVMPs in the treatment of snakebite envenomations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby S. Szteiter
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (S.S.S.); (I.N.D.); (J.O.); (E.M.S.); (A.C.); (A.R.); (O.S.); (M.S.); (E.S.)
| | - Ilse N. Diego
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (S.S.S.); (I.N.D.); (J.O.); (E.M.S.); (A.C.); (A.R.); (O.S.); (M.S.); (E.S.)
| | - Jonathan Ortegon
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (S.S.S.); (I.N.D.); (J.O.); (E.M.S.); (A.C.); (A.R.); (O.S.); (M.S.); (E.S.)
| | - Eliana M. Salinas
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (S.S.S.); (I.N.D.); (J.O.); (E.M.S.); (A.C.); (A.R.); (O.S.); (M.S.); (E.S.)
| | - Abcde Cirilo
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (S.S.S.); (I.N.D.); (J.O.); (E.M.S.); (A.C.); (A.R.); (O.S.); (M.S.); (E.S.)
| | - Armando Reyes
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (S.S.S.); (I.N.D.); (J.O.); (E.M.S.); (A.C.); (A.R.); (O.S.); (M.S.); (E.S.)
| | - Oscar Sanchez
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (S.S.S.); (I.N.D.); (J.O.); (E.M.S.); (A.C.); (A.R.); (O.S.); (M.S.); (E.S.)
| | - Montamas Suntravat
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (S.S.S.); (I.N.D.); (J.O.); (E.M.S.); (A.C.); (A.R.); (O.S.); (M.S.); (E.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 161, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Emelyn Salazar
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (S.S.S.); (I.N.D.); (J.O.); (E.M.S.); (A.C.); (A.R.); (O.S.); (M.S.); (E.S.)
| | - Elda E. Sánchez
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (S.S.S.); (I.N.D.); (J.O.); (E.M.S.); (A.C.); (A.R.); (O.S.); (M.S.); (E.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 161, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Jacob A. Galan
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; (S.S.S.); (I.N.D.); (J.O.); (E.M.S.); (A.C.); (A.R.); (O.S.); (M.S.); (E.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 161, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
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29
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Arnaud G, García-de León FJ, Beltrán LF, Carbajal-Saucedo A. Proteomic comparison of adult and juvenile Santa Catalina rattlesnake (Crotalus catalinensis) venom. Toxicon 2021; 193:55-62. [PMID: 33545227 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2021.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Rattlesnake's venom constitutes an important ecological trait that dynamically changes over time. Venoms of adult and juvenile rattleless rattlesnakes, Crotalus catalinensis, an endemic insular species from the Gulf of California, were compared by electrophoretic profile, fibrinogenolytic activity, and proteomic composition to assess ontogenetic variability. The SDS-PAGE profiles show important differences at 12, 22, and 45 kDa, which were prominent in adult samples and absent in juvenile samples, while bands around 20, 25, and 70 kDa are almost absent in adults. Both venoms hydrolyze Aa and Bb chains of fibrinogen generating different patterns of degradation products. This activity was partially inhibited by EDTA and PMSF and completely abolished only in the presence of both inhibitors. More than 260 proteins were identified and quantified in both venoms by proteomic analysis. Metalloproteinases (more than 60%), serine proteinases (14.5% in adult venom and 17.7% in juvenile venom), and C-type lectins (7.1 and 5.9%) represent the three most abundant toxin-related protein families. Bradykinin inhibitor peptides and L-amino acid oxidases were not detected in juvenile venom. A protein-specific comparison shows that adult and juvenile venom share about 30.5% of total toxin-related proteins, while 32% and 35% are exclusively present in adult and juvenile venoms, respectively. This work represents one of the first efforts to understand phenotypic diversity in the venom composition of insular rattlesnake species from Mexico.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Arnaud
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste S.C. Instituto Politécnico Nacional, #195 Col. Playa Palo Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, BCS, CP, 23096, Mexico
| | - Francisco J García-de León
- Laboratorio de Genética para la Conservación, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste S.C. Instituto Politécnico Nacional, #195 Col. Playa Palo Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, BCS, CP, 23096, Mexico
| | - Luis F Beltrán
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste S.C. Instituto Politécnico Nacional, #195 Col. Playa Palo Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, BCS, CP, 23096, Mexico
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30
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Andrade-Silva D, Zelanis A, Travaglia-Cardoso SR, Nishiyama MY, Serrano SMT. Venom Profiling of the Insular Species Bothrops alcatraz: Characterization of Proteome, Glycoproteome, and N-Terminome Using Terminal Amine Isotopic Labeling of Substrates. J Proteome Res 2021; 20:1341-1358. [PMID: 33404253 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.0c00737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Bothrops alcatraz, a species endemic to Alcatrazes Islands, is regarded as critically endangered due to its small area of occurrence and the declining quality of its habitat. We recently reported the identification of N-glycans attached to toxins of Bothrops species, showing similar compositions in venoms of the B. jararaca complex (B. jararaca, B. insularis, and B. alcatraz). Here, we characterized B. alcatraz venom using electrophoretic, proteomic, and glycoproteomic approaches. Electrophoresis showed that B. alcatraz venom differs from B. jararaca and B. insularis; however, N-glycan removal revealed similarities between them, indicating that the occupation of N-glycosylation sites contributes to interspecies variability in the B. jararaca complex. Metalloproteinase was the major toxin class identified in the B. alcatraz venom proteome followed by serine proteinase and C-type lectin, and overall, the adult B. alcatraz venom resembles that of B. jararaca juvenile specimens. The comparative glycoproteomic analysis of B. alcatraz venom with B. jararaca and B. insularis indicated that there may be differences in the utilization of N-glycosylation motifs among their different toxin classes. Furthermore, we prospected for the first time the N-terminome of a snake venom using the terminal amine isotopic labeling of substrates (TAILS) approach and report the presence of ∼30% of N-termini corresponding to truncated toxin forms and ∼37% N-terminal sequences blocked by pyroglutamic acid in B. alcatraz venom. These findings underscore a low correlation between venom gland transcriptomes and proteomes and support the view that post-translational processes play a major role in shaping venom phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora Andrade-Silva
- Laboratório de Toxinologia Aplicada, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - André Zelanis
- Functional Proteomics Laboratory, Department of Science and Technology, Federal University of São Paulo, (ICT-UNIFESP), São José dos Campos 12231-280, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Milton Y Nishiyama
- Laboratório de Toxinologia Aplicada, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Solange M T Serrano
- Laboratório de Toxinologia Aplicada, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
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Hatakeyama DM, Tasima LJ, Bravo-Tobar CA, Serino-Silva C, Tashima AK, Rodrigues CFB, Aguiar WDS, Galizio NDC, de Lima EOV, Kavazoi VK, Gutierrez-Marín JD, de Farias IB, Sant'Anna SS, Grego KF, de Morais-Zani K, Tanaka-Azevedo AM. Venom complexity of Bothrops atrox (common lancehead) siblings. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2020; 26:e20200018. [PMID: 33101399 PMCID: PMC7553035 DOI: 10.1590/1678-9199-jvatitd-2020-0018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Variability in snake venoms is a well-studied phenomenon. However, sex-based variation of Bothrops atrox snake venom using siblings is poorly investigated. Bothrops atrox is responsible for the majority of snakebite accidents in the Brazilian Amazon region. Differences in the venom composition of Bothrops genus have been linked to several factors such as ontogeny, geographical distribution, prey preferences and sex. Thus, in the current study, venom samples of Bothrops atrox male and female siblings were analyzed in order to compare their biochemical and biological characteristics. Methods: Venoms were collected from five females and four males born from a snake captured from the wild in São Bento (Maranhão, Brazil), and kept in the Laboratory of Herpetology of Butantan Intitute. The venoms were analyzed individually and as a pool of each gender. The assays consisted in protein quantification, 1-DE, mass spectrometry, proteolytic, phospholipase A2, L-amino acid oxidase activities, minimum coagulant dose upon plasma, minimum hemorrhagic dose and lethal dose 50%. Results: Electrophoretic profiles of male’s and female’s venom pools were quite similar, with minor sex-based variation. Male venom showed higher LAAO, PLA2 and hemorrhagic activities, while female venom showed higher coagulant activity. On the other hand, the proteolytic activities did not show statistical differences between pools, although some individual variations were observed. Meanwhile, proteomic profile revealed 112 different protein compounds; of which 105 were common proteins of female’s and male’s venom pools and seven were unique to females. Despite individual variations, lethality of both pools showed similar values. Conclusion: Although differences between female and male venoms were observed, our results show that individual variations are significant even between siblings, highlighting that biological activities of venoms and its composition are influenced by other factors beyond gender.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Miki Hatakeyama
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Interinstitutional Graduate Program in Biotechnology (IPT, IBU and USP), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Lídia Jorge Tasima
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Interinstitutional Graduate Program in Biotechnology (IPT, IBU and USP), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Cesar Adolfo Bravo-Tobar
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Interinstitutional Graduate Program in Biotechnology (IPT, IBU and USP), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Caroline Serino-Silva
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Interinstitutional Graduate Program in Biotechnology (IPT, IBU and USP), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Keiji Tashima
- Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Caroline Fabri Bittencourt Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Interinstitutional Graduate Program in Biotechnology (IPT, IBU and USP), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Weslei da Silva Aguiar
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Interinstitutional Graduate Program in Biotechnology (IPT, IBU and USP), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Nathália da Costa Galizio
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Interinstitutional Graduate Program in Biotechnology (IPT, IBU and USP), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Victor Koiti Kavazoi
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Interinstitutional Graduate Program in Biotechnology (IPT, IBU and USP), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Juan David Gutierrez-Marín
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Interinstitutional Graduate Program in Biotechnology (IPT, IBU and USP), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Iasmim Baptista de Farias
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Interinstitutional Graduate Program in Biotechnology (IPT, IBU and USP), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Karen de Morais-Zani
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Interinstitutional Graduate Program in Biotechnology (IPT, IBU and USP), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Anita Mitico Tanaka-Azevedo
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Interinstitutional Graduate Program in Biotechnology (IPT, IBU and USP), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Wang B, Wang Q, Wang C, Wang B, Qiu L, Zou S, Zhang F, Liu G, Zhang L. A comparative analysis of the proteomes and biological activities of the venoms from two sea snakes, Hydrophis curtus and Hydrophis cyanocinctus, from Hainan, China. Toxicon 2020; 187:35-46. [PMID: 32871160 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
We characterized and compared the venom protein profiles of Hydrophis curtus (synonyms: Lapemis hardwickii, Lapemis curtus and Hydrophis hardwickii) and Hydrophis cyanocinctus, the two representatives of medically important venomous sea snakes in Chinese waters using proteomic approaches. A total of 47 and 38 putative toxins were identified in H. curtus venom (HcuV) and H. cyanocinctus venom (HcyV), respectively, and these toxins could be grouped into 15 functional categories, mainly proteinases, phospholipases, three-finger toxins (3FTxs), lectins, protease inhibitors, ion channel inhibitors, cysteine-rich venom proteins (CRVPs) and snake venom metalloproteases (SVMPs). The constituent ratio of each toxin category varied between HcuV and HcyV with 3FTx (54% in HcuV/69% in HcyV) and PLA2 (38% in HcuV/22% in HcyV) unanimously ranked as the top two most abundant families. Both HcuV and HcyV exhibited relatively high lethality (LD50 values in mice of 0.34 μg/g and 0.24 μg/g, respectively), specific PLA2 activity and hemolytic activity. On the basis of several previous reports of HcuV and HcyV collected from other areas, these findings greatly expand our understanding of geographical variation and interspecies diversity of the two sea snake venoms and can provide a scientific basis for the development of specific sea snake antivenom in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Wang
- Department of Marine Biomedicine and Polar Medicine, Naval Characteristic Medical Center, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Qianqian Wang
- Department of Marine Biomedicine and Polar Medicine, Naval Characteristic Medical Center, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Department of Marine Biomedicine and Polar Medicine, Naval Characteristic Medical Center, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Beilei Wang
- Department of Marine Biomedicine and Polar Medicine, Naval Characteristic Medical Center, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Leilei Qiu
- Department of Marine Biomedicine and Polar Medicine, Naval Characteristic Medical Center, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Shuaijun Zou
- Department of Marine Biomedicine and Polar Medicine, Naval Characteristic Medical Center, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Fuhai Zhang
- Department of Marine Biomedicine and Polar Medicine, Naval Characteristic Medical Center, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Guoyan Liu
- Department of Marine Biomedicine and Polar Medicine, Naval Characteristic Medical Center, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Liming Zhang
- Department of Marine Biomedicine and Polar Medicine, Naval Characteristic Medical Center, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
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Functional Mining of the Crotalus Spp. Venom Protease Repertoire Reveals Potential for Chronic Wound Therapeutics. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25153401. [PMID: 32731325 PMCID: PMC7435869 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25153401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic wounds are a major health problem that cause millions of dollars in expenses every year. Among all the treatments used, active wound treatments such as enzymatic treatments represent a cheaper and specific option with a fast growth category in the market. In particular, bacterial and plant proteases have been employed due to their homology to human proteases, which drive the normal wound healing process. However, the use of these proteases has demonstrated results with low reproducibility. Therefore, alternative sources of proteases such as snake venom have been proposed. Here, we performed a functional mining of proteases from rattlesnakes (Crotalus ornatus, C. molossus nigrescens, C. scutulatus, and C. atrox) due to their high protease predominance and similarity to native proteases. To characterize Crotalus spp. Proteases, we performed different protease assays to measure and confirm the presence of metalloproteases and serine proteases, such as the universal protease assay and zymography, using several substrates such as gelatin, casein, hemoglobin, L-TAME, fibrinogen, and fibrin. We found that all our venom extracts degraded casein, gelatin, L-TAME, fibrinogen, and fibrin, but not hemoglobin. Crotalus ornatus and C. m. nigrescens extracts were the most proteolytic venoms among the samples. Particularly, C. ornatus predominantly possessed low molecular weight proteases (P-I metalloproteases). Our results demonstrated the presence of metalloproteases capable of degrading gelatin (a collagen derivative) and fibrin clots, whereas serine proteases were capable of degrading fibrinogen-generating fibrin clots, mimicking thrombin activity. Moreover, we demonstrated that Crotalus spp. are a valuable source of proteases that can aid chronic wound-healing treatments.
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Venom gland transcriptome from Heloderma horridum horridum by high-throughput sequencing. Toxicon 2020; 180:62-78. [PMID: 32283106 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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Layfield HJ, Williams HF, Ravishankar D, Mehmi A, Sonavane M, Salim A, Vaiyapuri R, Lakshminarayanan K, Vallance TM, Bicknell AB, Trim SA, Patel K, Vaiyapuri S. Repurposing Cancer Drugs Batimastat and Marimastat to Inhibit the Activity of a Group I Metalloprotease from the Venom of the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12050309. [PMID: 32397419 PMCID: PMC7290494 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12050309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Snakebite envenomation causes over 140,000 deaths every year, predominantly in developing countries. As a result, it is one of the most lethal neglected tropical diseases. It is associated with incredibly complex pathophysiology due to the vast number of unique toxins/proteins present in the venoms of diverse snake species found worldwide. Here, we report the purification and functional characteristics of a Group I (PI) metalloprotease (CAMP-2) from the venom of the western diamondback rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox. Its sensitivity to matrix metalloprotease inhibitors (batimastat and marimastat) was established using specific in vitro experiments and in silico molecular docking analysis. CAMP-2 shows high sequence homology to atroxase from the venom of Crotalus atrox and exhibits collagenolytic, fibrinogenolytic and mild haemolytic activities. It exerts a mild inhibitory effect on agonist-induced platelet aggregation in the absence of plasma proteins. Its collagenolytic activity is completely inhibited by batimastat and marimastat. Zinc chloride also inhibits the collagenolytic activity of CAMP-2 by around 75% at 50 μM, while it is partially potentiated by calcium chloride. Molecular docking studies have demonstrated that batimastat and marimastat are able to bind strongly to the active site residues of CAMP-2. This study demonstrates the impact of matrix metalloprotease inhibitors in the modulation of a purified, Group I metalloprotease activities in comparison to the whole venom. By improving our understanding of snake venom metalloproteases and their sensitivity to small molecule inhibitors, we can begin to develop novel and improved treatment strategies for snakebites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry J. Layfield
- School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (H.J.L.); (H.F.W.); (D.R.); (A.M.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (T.M.V.)
| | - Harry F. Williams
- School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (H.J.L.); (H.F.W.); (D.R.); (A.M.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (T.M.V.)
- Toxiven Biotech Private Limited, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641042, India; (R.V.); (K.L.)
| | - Divyashree Ravishankar
- School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (H.J.L.); (H.F.W.); (D.R.); (A.M.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (T.M.V.)
| | - Amita Mehmi
- School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (H.J.L.); (H.F.W.); (D.R.); (A.M.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (T.M.V.)
| | - Medha Sonavane
- School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (H.J.L.); (H.F.W.); (D.R.); (A.M.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (T.M.V.)
| | - Anika Salim
- School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (H.J.L.); (H.F.W.); (D.R.); (A.M.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (T.M.V.)
| | - Rajendran Vaiyapuri
- Toxiven Biotech Private Limited, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641042, India; (R.V.); (K.L.)
| | | | - Thomas M. Vallance
- School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (H.J.L.); (H.F.W.); (D.R.); (A.M.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (T.M.V.)
| | - Andrew B. Bicknell
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (A.B.B.); (K.P.)
| | | | - Ketan Patel
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (A.B.B.); (K.P.)
| | - Sakthivel Vaiyapuri
- School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UB, UK; (H.J.L.); (H.F.W.); (D.R.); (A.M.); (M.S.); (A.S.); (T.M.V.)
- Correspondence:
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Abstract
The genetic origins of novelty are a central interest of evolutionary biology. Most new proteins evolve from preexisting proteins but the evolutionary path from ancestral gene to novel protein is challenging to trace, and therefore the requirements for and order of coding sequence changes, expression changes, or gene duplication are not clear. Snake venoms are important novel traits that are comprised of toxins derived from several distinct protein families, but the genomic and evolutionary origins of most venom components are not understood. Here, we have traced the origin and diversification of one prominent family, the snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs) that play key roles in subduing prey in many vipers. Genomic analyses of several rattlesnake (Crotalus) species revealed the SVMP family massively expanded from a single, deeply conserved adam28 disintegrin and metalloproteinase gene, to as many as 31 tandem genes in the Western Diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) through a number of single gene and multigene duplication events. Furthermore, we identified a series of stepwise intragenic deletions that occurred at different times in the course of gene family expansion and gave rise to the three major classes of secreted SVMP toxins by sequential removal of a membrane-tethering domain, the cysteine-rich domain, and a disintegrin domain, respectively. Finally, we show that gene deletion has further shaped the SVMP complex within rattlesnakes, creating both fusion genes and substantially reduced gene complexes. These results indicate that gene duplication and intragenic deletion played essential roles in the origin and diversification of these novel biochemical weapons.
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Sánchez M, Solano G, Vargas M, Reta-Mares F, Neri-Castro É, Alagón A, Sánchez A, Villalta M, León G, Segura Á. Toxicological profile of medically relevant Crotalus species from Mexico and their neutralization by a Crotalus basiliscus/Bothrops asper antivenom. Toxicon 2020; 179:92-100. [PMID: 32345455 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Specimens of the Crotalus genus represent a potential snakebite problem in Mexico, and despite the great number of species of Crotalus present in this country, only a few of them are relevant from a medical point of view. Crotalus envenomed patients can present a range of signs and symptoms, depending on the species involved, and their treatment is indistinctly with either of the anti-viperid antivenoms available in the Mexican Public Health System. One of these antivenoms is produced by immunization of horses with a mixture of only two venoms: Crotalus basiliscus and Bothrops asper venoms. In light of the high variability found in Crotalus species venom composition, it is important to demonstrate the cross-neutralization of this antivenom against other Crotalus species. Therefore, in this work the toxic variability of eight medically important Crotalus venoms from Mexico and its neutralization by the Crotalus basiliscus/Bothrops asper antivenom were assessed. The present study evidenced the variability of toxic and enzymatic activities among the following Crotalus venoms: (1) Crotalus atrox, (2) Crotalus basiliscus, (3) Crotalus culminatus, (4) Crotalus simus, (5) Crotalus tzabcan, (6) Crotalus scutulatus salvini, (7) Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus-A, and (8) Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus-B. All venoms studied possess lethal and hemorrhagic activity on a murine model, although there are important variations among the species; in contrast, the PLA2 activity was similar for all venoms. Interestingly, only C. simus venom exhibited coagulant activity on human plasma under 100 μg. The antivenom neutralized the lethality and all the other assessed activities for all venoms tested. However, the dose required varied depending on the venom and the evaluated activity. Our preclinical data support the recommendation of using this antivenom to clinically manage Crotalus snakebites produced by the species assessed in this study. Nonetheless, only clinical trials could categorically validate these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melvin Sánchez
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Gabriela Solano
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Mariángela Vargas
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Francisco Reta-Mares
- Laboratorios de Biológicos y Reactivos de México S.A. de C.V. (BIRMEX), México DF, Mexico
| | - Édgar Neri-Castro
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos Del Instituto de Biotecnología de La Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Alejandro Alagón
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos Del Instituto de Biotecnología de La Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Andrés Sánchez
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Mauren Villalta
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Guillermo León
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Álvaro Segura
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
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Rheubert JL, Meyer MF, Strobel RM, Pasternak MA, Charvat RA. Predicting antibacterial activity from snake venom proteomes. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0226807. [PMID: 31978103 PMCID: PMC6980403 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The continued evolution of antibiotic resistance has increased the urgency for new antibiotic development, leading to exploration of non-traditional sources. In particular, snake venom has garnered attention for its potent antibacterial properties. Numerous studies describing snake venom proteomic composition as well as antibiotic efficacy have created an opportunity to synthesize relationships between venom proteomes and their antibacterial properties. Using literature reported values from peer-reviewed studies, our study generated models to predict efficacy given venom protein family composition, snake taxonomic family, bacterial Gram stain, bacterial morphology, and bacterial respiration strategy. We then applied our predictive models to untested snake species with known venom proteomic compositions. Overall, our results provide potential protein families that serve as accurate predictors of efficacy as well as promising organisms in terms of antibacterial properties of venom. The results from this study suggest potential future research trajectories for antibacterial properties in snake venom by offering hypotheses for a variety of taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin L. Rheubert
- Department of Biology, University of Findlay, Findlay, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Michael F. Meyer
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Raeshelle M. Strobel
- Department of Biology, University of Findlay, Findlay, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Megan A. Pasternak
- Department of Biology, University of Findlay, Findlay, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Robert A. Charvat
- Department of Biology, University of Findlay, Findlay, Ohio, United States of America
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Nakamoto M, Zhao D, Benice OR, Lee SH, Shea KJ. Abiotic Mimic of Endogenous Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases: Engineering Synthetic Polymer Nanoparticles for Use as a Broad-Spectrum Metalloproteinase Inhibitor. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:2338-2345. [PMID: 31918547 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b11481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We describe a process for engineering a synthetic polymer nanoparticle (NP) that functions as an effective, broad-spectrum metalloproteinase inhibitor. Inhibition is achieved by incorporating three functional elements in the NP: a group that interacts with the catalytic zinc ion, functionality that enhances affinity to the substrate-binding pocket, and fine-tuning of the chemical composition of the polymer to strengthen NP affinity for the enzyme surface. The approach is validated by synthesis of a NP that sequesters and inhibits the proteolytic activity of snake venom metalloproteinases from five clinically relevant species of snakes. The mechanism of action of the NP mimics that of endogenous tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases. The strategy provides a general design principle for synthesizing abiotic polymer inhibitors of enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiko Nakamoto
- Department of Chemistry , University of California, Irvine , Irvine , California 92697 , United States
| | - Di Zhao
- Department of Chemistry , University of California, Irvine , Irvine , California 92697 , United States
| | - Olivia Rose Benice
- Department of Chemistry , University of California, Irvine , Irvine , California 92697 , United States
| | - Shih-Hui Lee
- Department of Chemistry , University of California, Irvine , Irvine , California 92697 , United States
| | - Kenneth J Shea
- Department of Chemistry , University of California, Irvine , Irvine , California 92697 , United States
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Gómez-Betancur I, Gogineni V, Salazar-Ospina A, León F. Perspective on the Therapeutics of Anti-Snake Venom. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24183276. [PMID: 31505752 PMCID: PMC6767026 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24183276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Snakebite envenomation is a life-threatening disease that was recently re-included as a neglected tropical disease (NTD), affecting millions of people in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Improvement in the therapeutic approaches to envenomation is required to palliate the morbidity and mortality effects of this NTD. The specific therapeutic treatment for this NTD uses snake antivenom immunoglobulins. Unfortunately, access to these vital drugs is limited, principally due to their cost. Different ethnic groups in the affected regions have achieved notable success in treatment for centuries using natural sources, especially plants, to mitigate the effects of snake envenomation. The ethnopharmacological approach is essential to identify the potential metabolites or derivatives needed to treat this important NTD. Here, the authors describe specific therapeutic snakebite envenomation treatments and conduct a review on different strategies to identify the potential agents that can mitigate the effects of the venoms. The study also covers an increased number of literature reports on the ability of natural sources, particularly plants, to treat snakebites, along with their mechanisms, drawbacks and future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Gómez-Betancur
- Ophidism-Scorpionism Program, Faculty of Pharmaceutical and Food Sciences, University of Antioquia UdeA, Medellín 1226, Colombia.
| | - Vedanjali Gogineni
- Analytical Department, Cambrex Pharmaceuticals, Charles City, IA 50616, USA.
| | - Andrea Salazar-Ospina
- Research group in Pharmacy Regency Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical and Food Sciences University of Antioquia UdeA, Medellín 1226, Colombia.
| | - Francisco León
- College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
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Abstract
Abstract
Snake venoms are aqueous solutions containing peptides and proteins with various biochemical, physiological, and pathophysiological effects. Several snake venom components are used as lead molecules in the development of new active substances for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, clotting disorders, cancer or pain.
Antibacterial activity has also been attributed to snake venoms and proteins isolated from snake venoms. This study provides information regarding the antibacterial activity of venoms obtained from various snake species from the Elapidae and Viperidae families. Minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations of snake venoms were determined for three Gram-positive (Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 43300) and three Gram-negative (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 13883, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853) pathogenic bacteria. The observed effects were correlated with the protein content of each venom, determined using SDS-PAGE analysis and comparison with data available in the literature. Our findings represent a starting point for the selection of snake venoms containing components with potential use as lead molecules in the development of new antibacterial agents, targeting multidrug resistant bacterial strains.
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Zelanis A, Silva DA, Kitano ES, Liberato T, Fukushima I, Serrano SMT, Tashima AK. A first step towards building spectral libraries as complementary tools for snake venom proteome/peptidome studies. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY D-GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2019; 31:100599. [PMID: 31181499 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2019.100599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Snake venoms are complex mixtures of a large number of distinct proteins and peptides with biological activity. Peptide spectral libraries are compilations of previously identified MS/MS spectra obtained from proteomics experiments. Here we present the generation and use of a Venom Peptidome and a Venom Proteome spectral library for the analysis of venom proteomes and peptidomes from distinct snake species.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Zelanis
- Functional Proteomics Laboratory, Department of Science and Technology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (ICT-UNIFESP), São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil.
| | - Débora A Silva
- Laboratório Especial de Toxinologia Aplicada, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eduardo S Kitano
- Laboratório Especial de Toxinologia Aplicada, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratório de Imunologia, Hospital de Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tarcísio Liberato
- Functional Proteomics Laboratory, Department of Science and Technology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (ICT-UNIFESP), São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
| | - Isabella Fukushima
- Functional Proteomics Laboratory, Department of Science and Technology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (ICT-UNIFESP), São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
| | - Solange M T Serrano
- Laboratório Especial de Toxinologia Aplicada, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alexandre K Tashima
- Laboratório Especial de Toxinologia Aplicada, Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil; Departamento de Bioquímica, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Dobson JS, Zdenek CN, Hay C, Violette A, Fourmy R, Cochran C, Fry BG. Varanid Lizard Venoms Disrupt the Clotting Ability of Human Fibrinogen through Destructive Cleavage. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:E255. [PMID: 31067768 PMCID: PMC6563220 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11050255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The functional activities of Anguimorpha lizard venoms have received less attention compared to serpent lineages. Bite victims of varanid lizards often report persistent bleeding exceeding that expected for the mechanical damage of the bite. Research to date has identified the blockage of platelet aggregation as one bleeding-inducing activity, and destructive cleavage of fibrinogen as another. However, the ability of the venoms to prevent clot formation has not been directly investigated. Using a thromboelastograph (TEG5000), clot strength was measured after incubating human fibrinogen with Heloderma and Varanus lizard venoms. Clot strengths were found to be highly variable, with the most potent effects produced by incubation with Varanus venoms from the Odatria and Euprepriosaurus clades. The most fibrinogenolytically active venoms belonged to arboreal species and therefore prey escape potential is likely a strong evolutionary selection pressure. The results are also consistent with reports of profusive bleeding from bites from other notably fibrinogenolytic species, such as V. giganteus. Our results provide evidence in favour of the predatory role of venom in varanid lizards, thus shedding light on the evolution of venom in reptiles and revealing potential new sources of bioactive molecules useful as lead compounds in drug design and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S Dobson
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Christina N Zdenek
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Chris Hay
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Aude Violette
- Alphabiotoxine Laboratory sprl, Barberie 15, 7911 Montroeul-au-bois, Belgium.
| | - Rudy Fourmy
- Alphabiotoxine Laboratory sprl, Barberie 15, 7911 Montroeul-au-bois, Belgium.
| | - Chip Cochran
- Department of Earth and Biological Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.
| | - Bryan G Fry
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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Ziegman R, Undheim EAB, Baillie G, Jones A, Alewood PF. Investigation of the estuarine stonefish (Synanceia horrida) venom composition. J Proteomics 2019; 201:12-26. [PMID: 30953730 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2019.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The Estuarine stonefish (Synanceia horrida) is recognised as one of the most venomous fish species in the world but the overall venom composition has yet to be investigated using in-depth transcriptomic and proteomic methods. To date, known venom components are restricted to a hyaluronidase and a large, pore-forming toxin known as Stonustoxin (SNTX). Transcriptomic sequencing of the venom gland resulted in over 170,000 contigs with only 0.4% that were homologous to putative venom proteins. Integration of the transcriptomic data with proteomic data from the S. horrida venom confirmed the hyaluronidase and SNTX to be present, together with several other protein families including major contributions from C-type lectins. Other protein families observed included peroxiredoxin and several minor protein families such as Golgi-associated plant pathogenesis related proteins, tissue pathway factor inhibitors, and Kazal-type serine protease inhibitors that, although not putative venom proteins, may contribute to the venom's adverse effects. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Proteomic analysis of milked Synanceia horrida venom, paired with transcriptomic analysis of the venom gland tissue revealed for the first time the composition of one of the world's most dangerous fish venoms. The results demonstrate that the venom is relatively less complex compared to other well-studied venomous animals with a number of unique proteins not previously found in animal venoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah Ziegman
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Eivind A B Undheim
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Gregory Baillie
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Alun Jones
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Paul F Alewood
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia.
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Rex CJ, Mackessy SP. Venom composition of adult Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus atrox) maintained under controlled diet and environmental conditions shows only minor changes. Toxicon 2019; 164:51-60. [PMID: 30954451 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2019.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Many species of snakes produce venom as a chemical means of procuring potentially fractious prey. Studies have increasingly focused on venom compositional variation between and within individual snakes of the same species/subspecies, with significant differences often being observed. This variation in composition has been attributed to differences in age, season, diet, and environment, suggesting that these factors could help explain the inter- and intra-specific variation found in some snake venoms, perhaps via some type of feedback mechanism(s). To address several of these possible sources of variation, this study utilized wild-caught Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus atrox) from Cochise Co., AZ. Sixteen adult C. atrox were maintained in the lab on a diet of NSA mice for eight months to determine whether venom composition changed in captivity under a static diet in a stable environment. Reducing 1-D SDS-PAGE, fibrinogen degradation assays, reversed-phase HPLC, and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry revealed only minor differences over time within individuals. Venom L-amino acid oxidase (LAAO) and phosphodiesterase activities significantly increased over the course of captivity, with no changes occurring in azocasein metalloproteinase, kallikrein-like serine proteinase (KLSP), or thrombin-like serine proteinase (TLSP) activities. Snake total length was positively correlated with TLSP activity and negatively correlated with LAAO and KLSP activity. There was typically a much higher degree of variation between individuals than within individuals for all analyses performed and measurements collected. Because the overall "fingerprint" of each snake's venom remained more/less constant, it is concluded that biologically significant changes in venom composition did not occur within individual C. atrox as a function of captivity/diet. However, this study does indicate that differences in activity levels do occur in minor venom enzyme components, but the differences observed are likely to be of minimal significance to the production of antivenom or to subsequent treatment of human envenomations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Rex
- Department of Biological Sciences, 501 20th St., University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, 80639-0017, USA
| | - Stephen P Mackessy
- Department of Biological Sciences, 501 20th St., University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, 80639-0017, USA.
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Whittington AC, Mason AJ, Rokyta DR. A Single Mutation Unlocks Cascading Exaptations in the Origin of a Potent Pitviper Neurotoxin. Mol Biol Evol 2019; 35:887-898. [PMID: 29329419 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary innovations and complex phenotypes seemingly require an improbable amount of genetic change to evolve. Rattlesnakes display two dramatically different venom phenotypes. Type I venoms are hemorrhagic with low systemic toxicity and high expression of tissue-destroying snake venom metalloproteinases. Type II venoms are highly neurotoxic and lack snake venom metalloproteinase expression and associated hemorrhagic activity. This dichotomy hinges on Mojave toxin (MTx), a phospholipase A2 (PLA2) based β-neurotoxin expressed in Type II venoms. MTx is comprised of a nontoxic acidic subunit that undergoes extensive proteolytic processing and allosterically regulates activity of a neurotoxic basic subunit. Evolution of the acidic subunit presents an evolutionary challenge because the need for high expression of a nontoxic venom component and the proteolytic machinery required for processing suggests genetic changes of seemingly little immediate benefit to fitness. We showed that MTx evolved through a cascading series of exaptations unlocked by a single nucleotide change. The evolution of one new cleavage site in the acidic subunit unmasked buried cleavage sites already present in ancestral PLA2s, enabling proteolytic processing. Snake venom serine proteases, already present in the venom to disrupt prey hemostasis, possess the requisite specificities for MTx acidic subunit proteolysis. The dimerization interface between MTx subunits evolved by exploiting a latent, but masked, hydrophobic interaction between ancestral PLA2s. The evolution of MTx through exaptation of existing functional and structural features suggests complex phenotypes that depend on evolutionary innovations can arise from minimal genetic change enabled by prior evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Carl Whittington
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
| | - Andrew J Mason
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC
| | - Darin R Rokyta
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
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Global proteomic and functional analysis of Crotalus durissus collilineatus individual venom variation and its impact on envenoming. J Proteomics 2019; 191:153-165. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2018.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 02/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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48
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Wang C, Wang B, Wang B, Wang Q, Liu G, Wang T, He Q, Zhang L. Unique Diversity of Sting-Related Toxins Based on Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analysis of the Jellyfish Cyanea capillata and Nemopilema nomurai (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa). J Proteome Res 2018; 18:436-448. [PMID: 30481029 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.8b00735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The scyphozoan jellyfish Cyanea capillata and Nemopilema nomurai are common blooming species in China. They possess heterogeneous nematocysts and produce various types of venom that can elicit diverse sting symptoms in humans. However, the differences in venom composition between the two species remain unclear. In this study, a combined transcriptomic and proteomic approach was used to identify and compare putative toxins in penetrant nematocysts isolated from C. capillata and N. nomurai. A total of 53 and 69 putative toxins were identified in C. capillata nematocyst venom (CnV) and N. nomurai nematocyst venom (NnV), respectively. These sting-related toxins from both CnV and NnV could be grouped into 10 functional categories, including proteinases, phospholipases, neurotoxins, cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs), lectins, pore-forming toxins (PFTs), protease inhibitors, ion channel inhibitors, insecticidal components, and other toxins, but the constituent ratio of each toxin category varied between CnV and NnV. Metalloproteinases, proteases, and pore-forming toxins were predominant in NnV, representing 27.5%, 18.8%, and 8.7% of the identified venom proteins, respectively, while phospholipases, neurotoxins, and proteases were the top three identified venom proteins in CnV, accounting for 22.6%, 17.0%, and 11.3%, respectively. Our findings provide comprehensive information on the molecular diversity of toxins from two common blooming and stinging species of jellyfish in China. Furthermore, the results reveal a possible relationship between venom composition and sting consequences, guiding the development of effective treatments for different jellyfish stings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Tao Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine , Changhai Hospital, Navy Medical University , Shanghai 200433 , China
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Carregari VC, Rosa-Fernandes L, Baldasso P, Bydlowski SP, Marangoni S, Larsen MR, Palmisano G. Snake Venom Extracellular vesicles (SVEVs) reveal wide molecular and functional proteome diversity. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12067. [PMID: 30104604 PMCID: PMC6089973 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30578-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins constitute almost 95% of snake venom's dry weight and are produced and released by venom glands in a solubilized form during a snake bite. These proteins are responsible for inducing several pharmacological effects aiming to immobilize and initiate the pre-digestion of the prey. This study shows that proteins can be secreted and confined in snake venom extracellular vesicles (SVEVs) presenting a size distribution between 50 nm and 500 nm. SVEVs isolated from lyophilized venoms collected from four different species of snakes (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix, Crotalus atrox, Crotalus viridis and Crotalus cerberus oreganus) were analyzed by mass spectrometry-based proteomic, which allowed the identification of proteins belonging to eight main functional protein classes such as SVMPs, serine proteinases, PLA2, LAAO, 5'nucleotidase, C-type lectin, CRISP and Disintegrin. Biochemical assays indicated that SVEVs are functionally active, showing high metalloproteinase and fibrinogenolytic activity besides being cytotoxic against HUVEC cells. Overall, this study comprehensively depicts the protein composition of SVEVs for the first time. In addition, the molecular function of some of the described proteins suggests a central role for SVEVs in the cytotoxicity of the snake venom and sheds new light in the envenomation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Corassolla Carregari
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biology (IB), Faculty of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil.,GlycoProteomics Laboratory, Department of Parasitology, ICB, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Livia Rosa-Fernandes
- GlycoProteomics Laboratory, Department of Parasitology, ICB, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Paulo Baldasso
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biology (IB), Faculty of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Sergio Paulo Bydlowski
- Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Hematology (LIM31), University of São Paulo Medical School (FMUSP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sergio Marangoni
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biology (IB), Faculty of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Martin R Larsen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Giuseppe Palmisano
- GlycoProteomics Laboratory, Department of Parasitology, ICB, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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50
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Macrander J, Panda J, Janies D, Daly M, Reitzel AM. Venomix: a simple bioinformatic pipeline for identifying and characterizing toxin gene candidates from transcriptomic data. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5361. [PMID: 30083468 PMCID: PMC6074769 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The advent of next-generation sequencing has resulted in transcriptome-based approaches to investigate functionally significant biological components in a variety of non-model organism. This has resulted in the area of “venomics”: a rapidly growing field using combined transcriptomic and proteomic datasets to characterize toxin diversity in a variety of venomous taxa. Ultimately, the transcriptomic portion of these analyses follows very similar pathways after transcriptome assembly often including candidate toxin identification using BLAST, expression level screening, protein sequence alignment, gene tree reconstruction, and characterization of potential toxin function. Here we describe the Python package Venomix, which streamlines these processes using common bioinformatic tools along with ToxProt, a publicly available annotated database comprised of characterized venom proteins. In this study, we use the Venomix pipeline to characterize candidate venom diversity in four phylogenetically distinct organisms, a cone snail (Conidae; Conus sponsalis), a snake (Viperidae; Echis coloratus), an ant (Formicidae; Tetramorium bicarinatum), and a scorpion (Scorpionidae; Urodacus yaschenkoi). Data on these organisms were sampled from public databases, with each original analysis using different approaches for transcriptome assembly, toxin identification, or gene expression quantification. Venomix recovered numerically more candidate toxin transcripts for three of the four transcriptomes than the original analyses and identified new toxin candidates. In summary, we show that the Venomix package is a useful tool to identify and characterize the diversity of toxin-like transcripts derived from transcriptomic datasets. Venomix is available at: https://bitbucket.org/JasonMacrander/Venomix/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Macrander
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, United States of America.,Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America
| | - Jyothirmayi Panda
- College of Computing and Informatics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, United States of America
| | - Daniel Janies
- College of Computing and Informatics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, United States of America.,Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, United States of America
| | - Marymegan Daly
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America
| | - Adam M Reitzel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, United States of America
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