An in-depth snake venom proteopeptidome characterization: Benchmarking Bothrops jararaca

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Proteomics
• Venomics

Background:

• Understanding snake venom composition is crucial for envenomation treatment and drug discovery.
• Bothrops jararaca venom is a complex mixture of proteins and peptides with diverse biological activities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively characterize the proteome and peptidome of Bothrops jararaca venom using a large-scale proteomic approach.
• To identify novel venom components and explore their potential therapeutic applications.

Main Methods:

• Fractionation of Bothrops jararaca venom using OFFGEL and chromatography.
• Analysis of peptidic and proteic fractions by reversed-phase nano-chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry.
• Joint characterization of the venom peptidome and proteome (proteopeptidome).

Main Results:

• Identification of 46 protein classes, including eight high-abundance venom components and 38 additional classes.
• Detailed characterization of the Bothrops jararaca venom peptidome, revealing unprecedented diversity.
• Detection of Elapidae venom components within a Viperidae venom, supporting toxin evolution studies.

Conclusions:

• The study provides the most complete snake venom peptidome described to date.
• The identified diversity suggests the presence of cryptides with potential bioactivities.
• The findings facilitate the discovery of novel bioactive molecules for therapeutic development.