Citation

Ali SA, Jackson TN, Casewell NR, Low DHW, Rossi S, Baumann K, Fathinia B, Visser J, Nouwens A, Hendrikx I, Jones A, Fry BG. J. Proteomics 2014; 116: 106-113.

Affiliation

Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4520 Australia; Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4520 Australia. Electronic address: bgfry@uq.edu.au.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jprot.2014.09.003

PMID

25241240

Abstract

Venoms of the viperid sister genera Eristicophis and Pseudocerastes are poorly studied despite their anecdotal reputation for producing severe or even lethal envenomations. This is due in part to the remote and politically unstable regions that they occupy. All species contained are sit-and wait ambush feeders. Thus, this study examined their venoms through proteomics techniques in order to establish if this feeding ecology, and putatively low levels of gene flow, have resulted in significant variations in venom profile. The techniques indeed revealed extreme venom variation. This has immediate implications as only one antivenom is made (using the venom of P. persicus) yet the proteomic variation suggests that it would be of only limited use for the other species, even the sister species P. fieldi. The high degree of variation however also points towards these species being rich resources for novel compounds which may have use as lead molecules in drug design and development. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: These results show extreme venom variation between these closely related snaks These results have direct implications for the treatment of the envenomed patient.

Language: en