Integration of Omics Approaches to Profile the Venom of the Bothrops moojeni snake: unreavelling new toxins and ontogenic divergences

• Grant number: 16/20641-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: January 18, 2017
• End date: July 17, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Toxicological Analysis
• Principal Investigator: Suely Vilela
• Grantee: Fernanda Gobbi Amorim
• Supervisor: Loic Quinton
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Université de Liège (ULg), Belgium
• Associated to the scholarship: 15/26609-7 - Bothrops moojeni snake venomics: application of toxins of biotechnological interest obtained by omics techniques, BP.PD

Abstract

Snakebites are considered a health problem in most tropical countries and Bothrops genus is major cause of accidents in Brazil. Bothrops moojeni belongs to the Viperidae family, popularly known as "caiçara" or "jararacão" and is found in the Midwest and Southeast of Brazil. The accident is characterized by proteolytic (or necrotizing), coagulant and hemorrhagic activities. The snake venom is a rich source of toxins that could be viewed as new drug candidates and potential biotechnological tools. However, the classical purification approaches tend to be laborious to get an overview of the venom components. Thus, the omics techniques (transcriptome and proteome/peptidome) are important tools to determine the venom composition, perform an evolutionary characterization, identify new toxins, understand the envenoming and characterize the antivenom, which allows the production of a more effective serum. Additionally, it is important to understand how some factors (such as genders) may influence the composition of the venom. Futhermore, until this date, there is no transcriptome/proteome studies with Bothrops moojeni snake. In this context, this internship aim to apply mass spectrometry in order to perform the proteome and peptidome of the B. moojeni snake venom. These results will be integrated with transcriptomic study that was performed in Brazil, providing an in depth characterization of full transcripts and expressed toxins of this snake's venom gland. In addition, we aim to associate the omics techniques in order to evaluate the ontogenic divergences between the genders. This detailed evaluation may be helpful to increase the effectiveness of antivenom production and search for new therapeutic and/or biotechnological components. The Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry of the University of Liège has a remarkable technological expertise concerning to proteomic studies with the most efficient mass spectrometers and software for analysis and omics data's integration. Moreover, this internship will promote the exchange of knowledge through interaction with international researchers, as well as the improvement of the technological expertise of the candidate and the research group.

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

AMORIM, FERNANDA G.; MENALDO, DANILO L.; CARONE, SANTE E. I.; SILVA, THIAGO A.; SARTIM, MARCO A.; DE PAUW, EDWIN; QUINTON, LOIC; SAMPAIO, SUELY V.. New Insights on Moojase, a Thrombin-Like Serine Protease from Bothrops moojeni Snake Venom. TOXINS, v. 10, n. 12, DEC 2018. (11/23236-4, 16/20641-9, 15/26609-7)

AMORIM, FERNANDA GOBBI; MORANDI-FILHO, ROMUALDO; FUJIMURA, PATRICIA TIEME; UEIRA-VIEIRA, CARLOS; SAMPAIO, SUELY VILELA. New findings from the first transcriptome of the Bothrops moojeni snake venom gland. Toxicon, v. 140, p. 105-117, DEC 15 2017. (16/20641-9, 15/26609-7, 11/23236-4)

AMORIM, FERNANDA GOBBI; COSTA, TASSIA RAFAELA; BAIWIR, DOMINIQUE; DE PAUW, EDWIN; QUINTON, LOIC; SAMPAIO, SUELY VILELA. Proteopeptidomic, Functional and Immunoreactivity Characterization of Bothrops moojeni Snake Venom: Influence of Snake Gender on Venom Composition. TOXINS, v. 10, n. 5, MAY 2018. (15/00740-0, 15/26609-7, 16/20641-9, 11/23236-4)

GIRIBALDI, JULIEN; KAZANDJIAN, TALINE; AMORIM, FERNANDA G.; WHITELEY, GARETH; WAGSTAFF, SIMON C.; CAZALS, GUILLAUME; ENJALBAL, CHRISTINE; QUINTON, LOIC; CASEWELL, NICHOLAS R.; DUTERTRE, SEBASTIEN. Venomics of the asp viper Vipera aspis aspis from France. JOURNAL OF PROTEOMICS, v. 218, APR 30 2020. (16/20641-9, 15/26609-7)