Project description:Bites by the Indian spectacled cobra (Naja naja) are widely reported across the Indian subcontinent, with an associated high rate of mortality and morbidity. In western India (WI), the numbers of reported incidents of cobra envenomation are significantly higher than the other snake bites. In this study the venom proteome of WINn was deciphered for the first time using tandem mass spectroscopy analysis.
Project description:Latest advancement of omics technologies allows in-depth characterization of venom compositions. In the present work we present a proteomic study of two snake venoms of the genus Naja i.e. Naja naja (black cobra) and Naja oxiana (brown cobra), of Pakistani origin. The present study has shown that these snake venoms consist of a highly diversified proteome. Furthermore, the data also revealed variation among closely related species. High throughput mass spectrometric analysis of the venom proteome allowed to identify for the N. naja venom 34 protein families and for the N. oxiana 24 protein families. The comparative evaluation of the two venoms showed that N. naja consists of a more complex venom proteome than N. oxiana venom.
Project description:Spiders have distinct capture prey behaviors selected along Araneae´s evolutive history, but mainly based on the use of venom for prey paralysis. Uloboridae spiders lost the venom glands secondarily in evolution. Due to that they extensively wrap prey with silk to paralyze and begin digestion. During the extra-oral digestion, the digestive fluid very efficiently performs the liquefaction of both the prey and the AcSp2 spidroins from the web fibers. Despite the efficiency of this process, the cocktail of enzymes involved in digestion in Uloboridae spiders is unknown. In this study, we evaluated the protein content in the midgut of Uloborus sp. using enzymatic, proteomic, and phylogenetic analysis approaches. Hydrolases as peptidases (endo and exopeptidases: cysteine, serine and metallopeptidases), carbohydrases (alpha-amylase, chitinase, alpha-mannosidase), and lipases were biochemically assayed; 50 proteins, annotated as enzymes, structural proteins, and toxins, were identified. This is the first characterization of the molecules involved in the digestive process and the midgut protein content of a nonvenomous spider.
Project description:The venom proteomes of three medically important Nigerian Elapidae snakes Naja haje, Naja katiensis and Naja nigricollis was studied using Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography (HILIC) coupled with LC-MS/MS analysis. Peptides/Proteins were identified and characterised using the SEQUEST and X!Tandem algorithms incorporated on to the Scaffold proteome software version 4.10.0. The Nigerian elapid species studied displayed about 70% similarity in composition of their venoms.
Project description:Venoms of Naja mossambica and Naja nigricincta nigricincta were analysed in order to identify the proteins. Samples were run on SDS-PAGE gel or analysed without digestion.