Extreme venom variation in Middle Eastern vipers: A proteomics comparison of Eristicophis macmahonii, Pseudocerastes fieldi and Pseudocerastes persicus

Ali, Syed A., Jackson, Timothy N.W., Casewell, Nicholas ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8035-4719, Low, Dolyce H.W., Rossi, Sarah, Baumann, Kate, Fathinia, Behzad, Visser, Jeroen, Nouwens, Amanda, Hendrikx, Iwan, Jones, Alun and Fry, Bryan G. (2014) 'Extreme venom variation in Middle Eastern vipers: A proteomics comparison of Eristicophis macmahonii, Pseudocerastes fieldi and Pseudocerastes persicus'. Journal of Proteomics, Vol 116, pp. 106-113.

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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 Pseudocerastes persicus) yet the proteomic variation suggests that it would be of only limited use for the other species, even the sister species Pseudocerastes fieldi. The high degree of variation however also points toward 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 snakes.

These results have direct implications for the treatment of the envenomed patient.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	QU Biochemistry > Proteins. Amino Acids. Peptides > QU 58.5 DNA. QW Microbiology and Immunology > Antigens and Antibodies. Toxins and Antitoxins > QW 630 Toxins. Antitoxins WD Disorders of Systemic, Metabolic or Environmental Origin, etc > Animal Poisons > WD 410 Reptiles
Faculty: Department:	Biological Sciences > Department of Tropical Disease Biology
Digital Object Identifer (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jprot.2014.09.003
Depositing User:	Lynn Roberts-Maloney
Date Deposited:	28 Jan 2015 10:28
Last Modified:	06 Feb 2018 13:08
URI:	https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/4808

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