title: Proteomic analysis of Moroccan cobra Naja haje legionis venom using tandem mass spectrometry.
abstract: The proteome of the venom of Naja haje legionis, the only medically important elapid species in Morocco, has been elucidated by using a combination of proteomic techniques that includes size exclusion chromatography, reverse-phase HPLC, Tricine/SDS-Page, tryptic digestion, Q-TOF tandem mass spectrometry and database search. The sequence analysis of venom fractions revealed a highly complex venom proteome which counts a total of 76 proteins identified from database that can be assigned into 9 proteins families. We report the identification of: cobra venom factor (CVF), l-amino-acid oxidases (LAAO), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMP), cysteine rich secretory proteins (CRISP), venom nerve growth factor (vNGF), phospholipases A2 (PLA2), vespryns, kunitz-type inhibitor, short neurotoxins, long neurotoxins, weak neurotoxins, neurotoxin like proteins, muscarinic toxins, cardiotoxins and cytotoxins. Comparison of these proteins showed high sequence homology with proteins from other African and Asian cobras. Further works are needed to assess the contribution of individual toxins in venom toxicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Naja haje legionis is one of the medically important snakes implicated in the pathogenesis of snake bite in Morocco. The absence of information about venom composition and clinical manifestations of envenomation by this cobra represents an obstacle for the management of this environmental disease in the country. The elucidation of Moroccan cobra venom composition will provide a reasonable guidance for clinician to understand the pathophysiological conditions associated with cobra envenomation and the elaboration of better management strategies.
authors.affiliation: Venom and Toxins Laboratory, Pasteur Institute of Morocco, Casablanca, Morocco; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Sunway Campus, Malaysia; Laboratory of Biology and Health, URAC 34, Hassan II University Mohammedia - Casablanca, Faculty of Science Ben M'sik, Morocco. Electronic address: ibtissam.malih@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ibtissam
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Malih
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Sunway Campus, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Muhamad Rusdi
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ahmad rusmili
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Sunway Campus, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Ting Yee
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Tee
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biology and Health, URAC 34, Hassan II University Mohammedia - Casablanca, Faculty of Science Ben M'sik, Morocco.
authors.forename: Rachid
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saile
authors.affiliation: Venom and Toxins Laboratory, Pasteur Institute of Morocco, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Noreddine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ghalim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Sunway Campus, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Iekhsan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Othman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004546:Elapid Venoms / Q000378:metabolism*; D017815:Elapidae / Q000378:metabolism*; D040901:Proteomics; D013045:Species Specificity; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D004546:Elapid Venoms
keywords: Moroccan cobra; Naja haje legionis; Tandem mass spectrometry; Venom proteome