title: Digestive properties of the venom of the Australian Coastal Taipan, Oxyuranus scutellatus (Peters, 1867).
abstract: The digestive properties of Australian elapid snake venoms have not been studied to any great extent. To address this, the in vitro digestive properties of Oxyuranus scutellatus (Australian Coastal Taipan) venom were investigated in a simulation of the in vivo conditions using the parameters reported for the stomach of snakes and representative prey for this species. The amount of soluble protein released was measured over time using a bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assay. Dismembered mouse hindlegs were injected intramuscularly with 0.1 ml O. scutellatus venom (concentration 10 mg/ml) and maintained in a micro-anaerobic, acidic environment (pH approximately 1.2-1.7) at 25 degrees C. The bathing liquid was sampled every 24 h for 7 days, and assayed for soluble protein. Statistical analysis revealed that O. scutellatus venom increased the rate at which proteins were released when compared to a negative control suggesting the potential importance of envenomation in the digestion of whole prey.
authors.affiliation: University of South Australia, Frome Road, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia. Jay_Nicholson@health.qld.gov.au
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mirtschin
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Madaras
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Venning
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kokkinn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004063:Digestion; D004546:Elapid Venoms / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000502:physiology; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D004546:Elapid Venoms; D010741:Phospholipases A