Proteolytic enzymes and phospholipases in snake venoms: distribution and mechanisms of action related to venom toxicity and the digestion of prey

• Grant number: 18/15753-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: September 01, 2018
• End date: July 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Biochemical and Molecular Pharmacology
• Agreement: NSF - Dimensions of Biodiversity and BIOTA
• Principal Investigator: Ana Maria Moura da Silva
• Grantee: Noranathan da Costa Guimarães
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 16/50127-5 - Dimensions US-BIOTA São Paulo: scales of biodiversity: integrated studies of snake venom evolution and function across multiple levels of diversity, AP.BTA.TEM

Abstract

Proteolytic and phospholipases enzymes are key components in snake venoms that act to capture prey through distinct mechanisms: proteolytic enzymes target important hemostasis control targets while phospholipases act on different muscle or neuronal receptors, inducing paralysis of prey and myotoxicity. Besides the capture of prey, these enzymes are supposedly involved in the digestion of prey tissues. In this project, we will select species representative of taxonomic groups of snakes of the family Viperidae that present phenotypic differences as to the expression pattern of these enzymes. In these groups we will compare the abundance and activities of phospholipases A2, serine proteinases and metalloproteinases in individual venom samples. The highly expressed venoms of each of these enzymes will be selected and used for pharmacological approaches aimed at identifying the disorders of the hemostatic system or neurotoxicity they induce and their main mechanisms of action. They will also be tested for their digestive properties of mammalian, lizards and arthropods tissues. (AU)

Scientific publications

(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)

FREITAS-DE-SOUSA, LUCIANA A.; NACHTIGALL, PEDRO G.; FORTES-JUNIOR, JOSE A.; HOLDING, MATTHEW L.; NYSTROM, GUNNAR S.; ELLSWORTH, SCHYLER A.; GUIMARIES, NORANATHAN C.; TIOYAMA, EMILLY; ORTIZ, FLORA; SILVA, BRUNO R.; et al. Size Matters: An Evaluation of the Molecular Basis of Ontogenetic Modifications in the Composition of Bothrops jararacussu Snake Venom. TOXINS, v. 12, n. 12, DEC 2020. (18/25749-8, 18/08589-7, 18/15753-8, 18/26520-4, 16/50127-5, 17/24546-3)