Snake venoms: attractive antimicrobial proteinaceous compounds for therapeutic purposes

Abstract

Gram-positive and -negative bacteria are dangerous pathogens that may cause human infection diseases, especially due to the increasingly high prevalence of antibiotic resistance, which is becoming one of the most alarming clinical problems. In the search for novel antimicrobial compounds, snake venoms represent a rich source for such compounds, which are produced by specialized glands in the snake's jawbone. Several venom compounds have been used for antimicrobial effects. Among them are phospholipases A2, which hydrolyze phospholipids and could act on bacterial cell surfaces. Moreover, metalloproteinases and L-amino acid oxidases, which represent important enzyme classes with antimicrobial properties, are investigated in this study. Finally, antimicrobial peptides from multiple classes are also found in snake venoms and will be mentioned. All these molecules have demonstrated an interesting alternative for controlling microorganisms that are resistant to conventional antibiotics, contributing in medicine due to their differential mechanisms of action and versatility. In this review, snake venom antimicrobial compounds will be focused on, including their enormous biotechnological applications for drug development.

Black cobra (Naja naja karachiensis) lysates exhibit broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities

“…A literature search revealed no reports on antibacterial activities of snake blood, plasma, or internal organs, albeit there are many reports on the antibacterial activity of snake venoms. 24,25 Here for the first time,…”

The Antimicrobial Activity of an Acidic Phospholipase A2 (NN-XIa-PLA2) from the Venom of Naja naja naja (Indian Cobra)

“…Despite the potential therapeutic application of svPLA 2 s as antimicrobial agents, very few svPLA 2 s with microbicidal/antimicrobial activities have been characterized for their mechanism of action [6,18,19]. Indian Cobra (Naja naja) species is a widely distributed snake responsible for potent toxic and lethal effects [20][21][22][23][24], although several reports exist reporting its various biological effects [20][21][22][23][24].…”

Structural insights into Cn‐AMP1, a short disulfide‐free multifunctional peptide from green coconut water

“…Furthermore, in addition to multiple functions, there are also a wide number of AMP sources including microorganisms, invertebrates, animals and plants [3][4][5]. In the case of plant tissues, AMPs have also been isolated from flowers, leaves, roots and seeds, among others [5][6][7][8].…”