Ontogenetic profile and three-finger toxins bioprospecting potential of Naja kaouthia snake venom

• Grant number: 24/07134-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: January 31, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Compared Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Anita Mitico Tanaka-Azevedo
• Grantee: Thaís Almeida de Godoy
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Snake envenomation was reintroduced as a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2017 and represents a serious public health problem for tropical and subtropical regions of developing countries. Naja kaouthia (N. kaouthia) snake is considered category 1 of medical importance by the WHO. Its venom has a prominent neurotoxic effect due to the two main protein families: three-finger toxins (3FTx) and phospholipases A2. The lethality of N. kaouthia venom is mainly associated with 3FTx, which are poorly recognized by current antivenoms due to their low immunogenicity. Snake venom presents considerable heterogeneity that may be a function of the factors that led to molecular evolution. Variations in snake venom composition can be determined according to specie, genetics, diet, gender, geographic distribution, age or even seasonality. It is worth mentioning that snake venom is considered a valuable source for the bioprospecting of molecules with therapeutic potential, therefore, components of these venoms are widely studied for biotechnological applications, mainly in the pharmaceutical area. Therefore, the aim of this work is to investigate venoms of young and adult N. kaouthia snakes in order to analyze variations in biochemical composition, biological and immunoenzymatic activities. In addition, a bioprospecting study will be carried out on cytotoxins from the 3FTx family with biotechnological potential.