Biochemical characterization of the Micrurus pyrrhocryptus venom

Dokmetjian, José Christian; Canto, Sergio del; Vinzón, Sabrina E.; Bonino, Mirtha Biscoglio de Jiménez

doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2008.12.015

Cited by 26 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…In electrophoresis, the masses present proteins between 10 and 15 kDa, agreeing with the results described by Alape-Gir on et al (1999), which made a comparison between the results of electrophoresis of venoms of 15 species of the genus Micrurus, including M. spixii and obtained results within the same range of molecular weight. It is important to note that these bands of low molecular weight, especially localized below 14 kDa, are quite clear and are found in other genera of the Elapidae family (Ciscotto et al, 2011;Dokmetjian et al, 2009;Nawarak et al, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Biological characterization of the Amazon coral Micrurus spixii snake venom: Isolation of a new neurotoxic phospholipase A2

Terra

Moreira-Dill

Simões-Silva

et al. 2015

Toxicon

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The Micrurus genus is the American representative of Elapidae family. Micrurus spixii is endemic of South America and northern states of Brazil. Elapidic venoms contain neurotoxins that promote curare-mimetic neuromuscular blockage. In this study, biochemical and functional characterizations of M. spixii crude venom were performed and a new neurotoxic phospholipase A2 called MsPLA2-I was isolated. M. spixii crude venom caused severe swelling in the legs of tested mice and significant release of creatine kinase (CK) showing its myotoxic activity. Leishmanicidal activity against Leishmania amazonensis (IC50 1.24 μg/mL) was also observed, along with antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum, which are unprecedented for Micrurus venoms. MsPLA2-I with a Mr 12,809.4 Da was isolated from the crude venom of M. spixii. The N-terminal sequencing of a fragment of 60 amino acids showed 80% similarity with another PLA2 from Micrurus altirostris. This toxin and the crude venom showed phospholipase activity. In a mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation, M. spixii venom and MsPLA2-I induced the blockage of both direct and indirect twitches. While the venom presented a pronounced myotoxic activity, MsPLA2-I expressed a summation of neurotoxic activity. The results of this study make M. spixii crude venom promising compounds in the exploration of molecules with microbicidal potential.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Biological characterization of the Amazon coral Micrurus spixii snake venom: Isolation of a new neurotoxic phospholipase A2

Terra

Moreira-Dill

Simões-Silva

et al. 2015

Toxicon

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“…In another study of Naja kaouthia venom proteomics [38], 61 venom proteins segments or peptides were identified, most of which were covered by our EST sequence, except the cobra venom factors. Two studies on coral snakes identified 26 and 11 toxin proteins or peptides, respectively [39,40], 3FTx and PLA2 proteins were also the major toxin components. So, the major toxins are basically consistent with our results observed in the N. atra venom gland transcriptome while Bungarus has quite different components.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Venom gland transcriptomes of two elapid snakes (Bungarus multicinctus and Naja atra) and evolution of toxin genes

et al. 2011

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BackgroundKraits (genus Bungarus) and cobras (genus Naja) are two representative toxic genera of elapids in the old world. Although they are closely related genera and both of their venoms are very toxic, the compositions of their venoms are very different. To unveil their detailed venoms and their evolutionary patterns, we constructed venom gland cDNA libraries and genomic bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) libraries for Bungarus multicinctus and Naja atra, respectively. We sequenced about 1500 cDNA clones for each of the venom cDNA libraries and screened BAC libraries of the two snakes by blot analysis using four kinds of toxin probes; i.e., three-finger toxin (3FTx), phospholipase A2 (PLA2), kunitz-type protease inhibitor (Kunitz), and natriuretic peptide (NP).ResultsIn total, 1092 valid expressed sequences tags (ESTs) for B. multicinctus and 1166 ESTs for N. atra were generated. About 70% of these ESTs can be annotated as snake toxin transcripts. 3FTx (64.5%) and β bungarotoxin (25.1%) comprise the main toxin classes in B. multicinctus, while 3FTx (95.8%) is the dominant toxin in N. atra. We also observed several less abundant venom families in B. multicinctus and N. atra, such as PLA2, C-type lectins, and Kunitz. Peculiarly a cluster of NP precursors with tandem NPs was detected in B. multicinctus. A total of 71 positive toxin BAC clones in B. multicinctus and N. atra were identified using four kinds of toxin probes (3FTx, PLA2, Kunitz, and NP), among which 39 3FTx-postive BACs were sequenced to reveal gene structures of 3FTx toxin genes.ConclusionsBased on the toxin ESTs and 3FTx gene sequences, the major components of B. multicinctus venom transcriptome are neurotoxins, including long chain alpha neurotoxins (α-ntx) and the recently originated β bungarotoxin, whereas the N. atra venom transcriptome mainly contains 3FTxs with cytotoxicity and neurotoxicity (short chain α-ntx). The data also revealed that tandem duplications contributed the most to the expansion of toxin multigene families. Analysis of nonsynonymous to synonymous nucleotide substitution rate ratios (dN/dS) indicates that not only multigene toxin families but also other less abundant toxins might have been under rapid diversifying evolution.

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“…Coral snake envenomations are comparatively infrequent because of their subfossorial behavior and the high incidence of dry bites; nevertheless, the mortality attributed to muscle respiratory paralysis is high (Rengifo and Rodríguez-Acosta, 2004). In spite of being considered amongst the most toxic snakes in America (Roze, 1996), their venom hemostatic activities have been scarcely described since disorders of blood coagulation are not common in human envenomations (Barros et al,1994; Francis et al,1997; Urdaneta et al, 2004; Cecchini et al, 2005; Dokmetjian et al, 2009). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hemostatic and toxinological diversities in venom of Micrurus tener tener, Micrurus fulvius fulvius and Micrurus isozonus coral snakes

Salazar

Vivas

Sánchez

et al. 2011

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The coral snake Micrurus tener tener (Mtt) from the Elapidae family inhabits the southwestern United States and produces severe cases of envenomations. Although the majority of Mtt venom components are neurotoxins and phospholipase A2s, this study demonstrated, by SDS-PAGE and molecular exclusion chromatography (MEC), that these venoms also contain high-molecular-weight proteins between 50 and 150 kDa that target the hemostatic system. The biological aspects of other Micrurus venoms were also studied, such as the LD50s of Micrurus isozonus (from 0.52 to 0.61 mg/kg). A pool from these venoms presented a LD50 of 0.57 mg/kg, Micrurus f. fulvius (Mff) and Mtt had LD50s of 0.32 and 0.78 mg/kg, respectively. These venoms contained fibrino(geno)lytic activity, they inhibited platelet aggregation, as well as factor Xa and/or plasmin-like activities. M. isozonus venoms from different Venezuelan geographical regions inhibited ADP-induced platelet aggregation (from 50 to 68%). Micrurus tener tener venom from the United States was the most active with a 95.2% inhibitory effect. This venom showed thrombin-like activity on fibrinogen and human plasma. Fractions of Mtt showed fibrino(geno)lytic activity and inhibition on plasmin amidolytic activity. Several fractions degraded the fibrinogen Aα chains, and fractions F2 and F7 completely degraded both fibrinogen Aα and Bβ chains. To our knowledge, this is the first report on thrombin-like and fibrino(geno)lytic activity and plasmin or factor Xa inhibitors described in Micrurus venoms. Further purification and characterization of these Micrurus venom components could be of therapeutic use in the treatment of hemostatic disorders.

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Biochemical characterization of the Micrurus pyrrhocryptus venom

Cited by 26 publications

References 32 publications

Biological characterization of the Amazon coral Micrurus spixii snake venom: Isolation of a new neurotoxic phospholipase A2

Biological characterization of the Amazon coral Micrurus spixii snake venom: Isolation of a new neurotoxic phospholipase A2

Venom gland transcriptomes of two elapid snakes (Bungarus multicinctus and Naja atra) and evolution of toxin genes

Hemostatic and toxinological diversities in venom of Micrurus tener tener, Micrurus fulvius fulvius and Micrurus isozonus coral snakes

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