Bioprospecting and characterization of antimicrobial peptides from Tityus serrulatus venom: fractionation and biological assays

• Grant number: 26/00440-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2026
• End date: March 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Toxicology
• Principal Investigator: Manuela Berto Pucca
• Grantee: Isabela Balista da Julia
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 25/01407-4 - AT-Biota: Unveiling the Hidden Richness of Arachnids and Triatomines in Unexplored Regions of Brazilian Biomes, AP.BTA.JP

Abstract

Bacterial resistance has been declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the ten greatest global public health emergencies worldwide. Each year, an increasing number of people die as a result of bacterial adaptation to antibiotics, and according to the WHO, if no action is taken, by 2050 up to 10 million people may die due to this public health problem. Therefore, there is a high demand for new antimicrobial molecules, and Brazil, with its vast richness of fauna and flora and hosting approximately 13% of the world's biodiversity, is a strong candidate for the discovery of new antimicrobial agents.An example of this potential is the yellow scorpion Tityus serrulatus, widely distributed throughout most of the country and responsible for more than 200,000 accidents. These animals have adapted very well to urban environments, making them a pest that is difficult to control. Despite this, their venom contains an arsenal of bioactive compounds, such as low-molecular-weight proteins, amino acids, and salts that act on sodium channels in the brain. In addition, more recent studies have demonstrated the existence of antimicrobial peptides, commonly referred to as AMPs (antimicrobial peptides). These small molecules, which exhibit broad-spectrum activity, represent a promising strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance, a global health problem with the potential to worsen significantly in the coming decades.Thus, the present undergraduate research project aims to bioprospect antimicrobial peptides from the venom of Tityus serrulatus. The venom will be extracted by electrical stimulation of the telson, pooled from these animals in accordance with Brazilian environmental regulations (SISBIO and SISGEN). Subsequently, the pool will be characterized by Tricine SDS-PAGE to determine its protein profile. The venom will then be subjected to RP-HPLC, that is, reverse-phase liquid chromatography, to separate the different venom fractions. Afterwards, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) will be determined for three bacteria that are among the most resistant to antimicrobials, namely Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus. Finally, a graph will be constructed comparing the MIC results with the chromatographic peaks, with the aim of identifying potential antimicrobial peptides that will be subsequently characterized. (AU)