High-throughput proteomics and in vitro functional characterization of the 26 medically most important elapids and vipers from sub-Saharan Africa

Giang Thi Tuyet Nguyen, Carol O'Brien, Yessica Wouters, Lorenzo Seneci, Alex Gallissà-Calzado, Isabel Campos-Pinto, Shirin Ahmadi, Andreas H. Laustsen*, Anne Ljungars

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

134 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Venomous snakes are important parts of the ecosystem, and their behavior and evolution have been shaped by their surrounding environments over the eons. This is reflected in their venoms, which are typically highly adapted for their biological niche, including their diet and defense mechanisms for deterring predators. Sub-Saharan Africa is rich in venomous snake species, of which many are dangerous to humans due to the high toxicity of their venoms and their ability to effectively deliver large amounts of venom into their victims via their bite. In this study, the venoms of 26 of sub-Saharan Africa's medically most relevant elapid and viper species were subjected to parallelized toxicovenomics analysis. The analysis included venom proteomics and in vitro functional characterization of whole venom toxicities, enabling a robust comparison of venom profiles between species. The data presented here corroborate previous studies and provide biochemical details for the clinical manifestations observed in envenomings by the 26 snake species. Moreover, two new venom proteomes (Naja anchietae and Echis leucogaster) are presented here for the first time. Combined, the presented data can help shine light on snake venom evolutionary trends and possibly be used to further improve or develop novel antivenoms.
Original languageEnglish
Article numbergiac121
JournalGigaScience
Volume11
Number of pages15
ISSN2047-217X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Keywords

  • Snakebite envenoming
  • Sub-saharan Africa
  • Toxicovenomic
  • In vitro characterization
  • High-thorughput assays
  • Cytotoxicity
  • Enzymatic activity of venoms

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'High-throughput proteomics and in vitro functional characterization of the 26 medically most important elapids and vipers from sub-Saharan Africa'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this