Extensive Variation in the Activities of <i>Pseudocerastes</i> and <i>Eristicophis</i> Viper Venoms Suggests Divergent Envenoming Strategies are Used for Prey Capture
Snakes of the genera <i>Pseudocerastes</i> and <i>Eristicophis</i> (Viperidae: Viperinae) are known as the desert vipers due to their association with the arid environments of the Middle East. These species have received limited research attention and little is known about th...
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doaj-12764346280e4a0892f4a23f976077522021-02-03T00:06:12ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512021-02-011311211210.3390/toxins13020112Extensive Variation in the Activities of <i>Pseudocerastes</i> and <i>Eristicophis</i> Viper Venoms Suggests Divergent Envenoming Strategies are Used for Prey CaptureBianca op den Brouw0Francisco C. P. Coimbra1Lachlan A. Bourke2Tam Minh Huynh3Danielle H. W. Vlecken4Parviz Ghezellou5Jeroen C. Visser6James S. Dobson7Manuel A. Fernandez-Rojo8Maria P. Ikonomopoulou9Nicholas R. Casewell10Syed Ali11Behzad Fathinia12Wayne C. Hodgson13Bryan G. Fry14Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaVenom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaVenom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaMonash Venom Group, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, Monash University, VIC 3800, AustraliaDepartment of Animal Science and Health, Institute of Biology Leiden, 2333 BE Leiden, The NetherlandsMedicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran 1983969411, IranVenom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaVenom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaMadrid Institute for Advanced Studies in Food, E28049 Madrid, SpainMadrid Institute for Advanced Studies in Food, E28049 Madrid, SpainCentre for Snakebite Research & Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UKHEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, PakistanDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yasouj University, Yasouj 75914, IranMonash Venom Group, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, Monash University, VIC 3800, AustraliaVenom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaSnakes of the genera <i>Pseudocerastes</i> and <i>Eristicophis</i> (Viperidae: Viperinae) are known as the desert vipers due to their association with the arid environments of the Middle East. These species have received limited research attention and little is known about their venom or ecology. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of desert viper venoms was conducted by visualising the venom proteomes via gel electrophoresis and assessing the crude venoms for their cytotoxic, haemotoxic, and neurotoxic properties. Plasmas sourced from human, toad, and chicken were used as models to assess possible prey-linked venom activity. The venoms demonstrated substantial divergence in composition and bioactivity across all experiments. <i>Pseudocerastes urarachnoides </i>venom activated human coagulation factors X and prothrombin and demonstrated potent procoagulant activity in human, toad, and chicken plasmas, in stark contrast to the potent neurotoxic venom of <i>P. fieldi</i>. The venom of <i>E. macmahonii</i> also induced coagulation, though this did not appear to be via the activation of factor X or prothrombin. The coagulant properties of <i>P. fieldi</i> and <i>P. persicus</i> venoms varied among plasmas, demonstrating strong anticoagulant activity in the amphibian and human plasmas but no significant effect in that of bird. This is conjectured to reflect prey-specific toxin activity, though further ecological studies are required to confirm any dietary associations. This study reinforces the notion that phylogenetic relatedness of snakes cannot readily predict venom protein composition or function. The significant venom variation between these species raises serious concerns regarding antivenom paraspecificity. Future assessment of antivenom is crucial.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/13/2/112<i>Pseudocerastes</i><i>Eristicophis</i>venomhaemotoxicneurotoxiccytotoxic |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Bianca op den Brouw Francisco C. P. Coimbra Lachlan A. Bourke Tam Minh Huynh Danielle H. W. Vlecken Parviz Ghezellou Jeroen C. Visser James S. Dobson Manuel A. Fernandez-Rojo Maria P. Ikonomopoulou Nicholas R. Casewell Syed Ali Behzad Fathinia Wayne C. Hodgson Bryan G. Fry |
spellingShingle |
Bianca op den Brouw Francisco C. P. Coimbra Lachlan A. Bourke Tam Minh Huynh Danielle H. W. Vlecken Parviz Ghezellou Jeroen C. Visser James S. Dobson Manuel A. Fernandez-Rojo Maria P. Ikonomopoulou Nicholas R. Casewell Syed Ali Behzad Fathinia Wayne C. Hodgson Bryan G. Fry Extensive Variation in the Activities of <i>Pseudocerastes</i> and <i>Eristicophis</i> Viper Venoms Suggests Divergent Envenoming Strategies are Used for Prey Capture Toxins <i>Pseudocerastes</i> <i>Eristicophis</i> venom haemotoxic neurotoxic cytotoxic |
author_facet |
Bianca op den Brouw Francisco C. P. Coimbra Lachlan A. Bourke Tam Minh Huynh Danielle H. W. Vlecken Parviz Ghezellou Jeroen C. Visser James S. Dobson Manuel A. Fernandez-Rojo Maria P. Ikonomopoulou Nicholas R. Casewell Syed Ali Behzad Fathinia Wayne C. Hodgson Bryan G. Fry |
author_sort |
Bianca op den Brouw |
title |
Extensive Variation in the Activities of <i>Pseudocerastes</i> and <i>Eristicophis</i> Viper Venoms Suggests Divergent Envenoming Strategies are Used for Prey Capture |
title_short |
Extensive Variation in the Activities of <i>Pseudocerastes</i> and <i>Eristicophis</i> Viper Venoms Suggests Divergent Envenoming Strategies are Used for Prey Capture |
title_full |
Extensive Variation in the Activities of <i>Pseudocerastes</i> and <i>Eristicophis</i> Viper Venoms Suggests Divergent Envenoming Strategies are Used for Prey Capture |
title_fullStr |
Extensive Variation in the Activities of <i>Pseudocerastes</i> and <i>Eristicophis</i> Viper Venoms Suggests Divergent Envenoming Strategies are Used for Prey Capture |
title_full_unstemmed |
Extensive Variation in the Activities of <i>Pseudocerastes</i> and <i>Eristicophis</i> Viper Venoms Suggests Divergent Envenoming Strategies are Used for Prey Capture |
title_sort |
extensive variation in the activities of <i>pseudocerastes</i> and <i>eristicophis</i> viper venoms suggests divergent envenoming strategies are used for prey capture |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Toxins |
issn |
2072-6651 |
publishDate |
2021-02-01 |
description |
Snakes of the genera <i>Pseudocerastes</i> and <i>Eristicophis</i> (Viperidae: Viperinae) are known as the desert vipers due to their association with the arid environments of the Middle East. These species have received limited research attention and little is known about their venom or ecology. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of desert viper venoms was conducted by visualising the venom proteomes via gel electrophoresis and assessing the crude venoms for their cytotoxic, haemotoxic, and neurotoxic properties. Plasmas sourced from human, toad, and chicken were used as models to assess possible prey-linked venom activity. The venoms demonstrated substantial divergence in composition and bioactivity across all experiments. <i>Pseudocerastes urarachnoides </i>venom activated human coagulation factors X and prothrombin and demonstrated potent procoagulant activity in human, toad, and chicken plasmas, in stark contrast to the potent neurotoxic venom of <i>P. fieldi</i>. The venom of <i>E. macmahonii</i> also induced coagulation, though this did not appear to be via the activation of factor X or prothrombin. The coagulant properties of <i>P. fieldi</i> and <i>P. persicus</i> venoms varied among plasmas, demonstrating strong anticoagulant activity in the amphibian and human plasmas but no significant effect in that of bird. This is conjectured to reflect prey-specific toxin activity, though further ecological studies are required to confirm any dietary associations. This study reinforces the notion that phylogenetic relatedness of snakes cannot readily predict venom protein composition or function. The significant venom variation between these species raises serious concerns regarding antivenom paraspecificity. Future assessment of antivenom is crucial. |
topic |
<i>Pseudocerastes</i> <i>Eristicophis</i> venom haemotoxic neurotoxic cytotoxic |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/13/2/112 |
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