Not as docile as it looks? Loxosceles venom variation and loxoscelism in the Mediterranean Basin and the Canary Islands.

ABSTRACT: The medical importance of Loxosceles spiders has promoted extensive research on different aspects of their venoms. Most of the reported cases of loxoscelism have occurred in the Americas, and thus, much work has focused on North and South American Loxosceles species. Interestingly, loxoscelism cases are rare in the Mediterranean Basin although Loxosceles rufescens, endemic to the Mediterranean, is an abundant spider even in human-altered areas. Thus, it has been suggested that the venom of L. rufescens could be of less medical relevance than that of its congeners. In this study, we challenge this hypothesis by using multiple approaches to study venom variation in selected species and lineages from the Mediterranean Basin and the Canary Islands. We found that SMase D activity, the key bioac

SUBMITTER: Planas E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6699624 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature