title: Venom gland transcriptomics for identifying, cataloging, and characterizing venom proteins in snakes.
abstract: Snake venoms are cocktails of protein toxins that play important roles in capture and digestion of prey. Significant qualitative and quantitative variation in snake venom composition has been observed among and within species. Understanding these variations in protein components is instrumental in interpreting clinical symptoms during human envenomation and in searching for novel venom proteins with potential therapeutic applications. In the last decade, transcriptomic analyses of venom glands have helped in understanding the composition of various snake venoms in great detail. Here we review transcriptomic analysis as a powerful tool for understanding venom profile, variation and evolution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Tezpur 784 028, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Rajeev Kungur
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Brahma
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Ryan J R
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: McCleary
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA; University of South Australia, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia.
authors.forename: R Manjunatha
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Kini
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Tezpur 784 028, Assam, India. Electronic address: doley@tezu.ernet.in.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Doley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods*; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012910:Snake Venoms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification; D012911:Snakes / Q000235:genetics*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D012910:Snake Venoms
keywords: Snake venom; Transcriptome; Venom complexity; Venom gland; Venom protein cataloging; Venom protein evolution; Venomics