title: Venomic analysis and evaluation of antivenom cross-reactivity of South American Micrurus species.
abstract: Coral snakes from Micrurus genus are the main representatives of the Elapidae family in South America. However, biochemical and pharmacological features regarding their venom constituents remain poorly investigated. Here, venomic analyses were carried out aiming at a deeper understanding on the composition of M. frontalis, M. ibiboboca, and M. lemniscatus venoms. In the three venoms investigated, proteins ranging from 6 to 8 kDa (3FTx) and 12 to 14 kDa (PLA(2)) were found to be the most abundant. Also, the N-terminal sequences of four new proteins, purified from the M. lemniscatus venom, similar to 3FTx, PLA(2) and Kunitz-type protease inhibitor from other Micrurus and elapid venoms are reported. Cross-reactivity among different Micrurus venoms and homologous or heterologous antivenoms was carried out by means of 2D-electrophoresis and immunoblotting. As, expected, the heterologous anti-Elapid venom displayed the highest degree of cross-reactivity. Conversely, anti-M. corallinus reacted weakly against the tested venoms. In gel digestions, followed by mass spectrometry sequencing and similarity searching, revealed the most immunogenic protein families as similar to short and long neurotoxins, weak neurotoxins, PLA(2), β-bungarotoxin, venom protein E2, frontoxin III, LAO and C-type lectin. The implications of our results for the production of Micrurus antivenoms are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Venenos e Toxinas Animais, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula H C
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Ciscotto
authors.forename: Breno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rates
authors.forename: Daniel A F
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: Luciano P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Helida
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Micheline F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Donato
authors.forename: Giselle Agostini
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Cotta
authors.forename: Wany Selena
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Maria
authors.forename: Raquel J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Eladio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: De Lima
authors.forename: Adriano M C
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pimenta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000997:Antivenins / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D004546:Elapid Venoms / Q000032:analysis*; D017815:Elapidae; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D013020:South America
chemical_list: D000997:Antivenins; D004546:Elapid Venoms; C053972:micrurus venom