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Understanding the molecular bases of adaptations requires assessing the functional significance of phenotypic variation at the molecular level. Here we conduct such an assessment for an adaptive trait (snake venom proteins) which shows high levels of interspecific variation at the molecular level. We tested the toxicity of venom from four taxa of Sistrurus rattlesnakes with different diets towards...
Karwinskia humboldtiana fruit (Kh) causes a neurological disorder 3–4 weeks after ingestion, characterized by flaccid, symmetrical, ascending paralysis, similar to the Guillain–Barre syndrome. In this polyneuropathy the lesion (demyelization) in peripheral nerves has been described in several animal species, both in acute and in chronic intoxication. However, no reports exist about the presence of...
Lopap (Lonomia obliqua prothrombin activator protease) is a member of the lipocalin family isolated from the extract of L. obliqua bristles. Lopap displays serine protease-like activities, including coagulation disturbance, cytokine secretion and antiapoptotic activity in human cultured endothelial cells. Here, we have investigated the effects of the recombinant protein (rLopap) on the inflammatory...
We report the first documented death due to a coral snake (Micrurus species) in the United States (U.S.) in over 40 years. The victim failed to seek medical care following the bite of an eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) and succumbed within hours. Post-mortem proof of envenomation was obtained using an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) developed specifically for this investigation. U...
Circulatory responses of crucian carp injected intraperitoneally with extracted microcystins (MCs) were studied at sublethal and lethal doses (150 and 600μg MC kg −1 body mass, respectively). Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), heart rate, hematocrit (Hct), red blood cell (RBC) counts, and circulating blood volume (BV) were assayed at 0, 1, 3, 12, 24, and 48h post-toxin administration. MAP...
Monitoring of okadaic acid (OA)-group toxins in seafood is of paramount importance for the protection of consumer health from diarrheic shellfish poisoning. The property of OA-group compounds to inhibit type 2A serine/threonine phosphoprotein phosphatase (PP2A) has been exploited for the detection of OA in several experimental settings, but the performance of PP2A inhibition assays in the quantification...
Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) constitute a family of seven structurally similar but antigenically distinct proteins produced by different strains of Clostridium botulinum. Type A botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT/A) is produced along with 6 neurotoxin associated proteins (NAPs) including hemagglutinin (Hn-33) through polycistronic expression of a clustered group of genes to form a complex (BoNT/AC). The...
The issues of antivenom stability and distribution, and the training of health staff in the correct use of antivenoms in Latin America were discussed in a workshop held at Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Costa Rica, in September 16–19, 2008, under the auspices of the program CYTED. Participants from public antivenom production laboratories of the region, together with representatives of the Ministries...
Bites by the brown spider (Loxosceles spp.) are an important health problem in South America, where three species predominate (Loxosceles laeta, Loxosceles gaucho, Loxosceles intermedia). Brown spider bites (loxoscelism) induce a block of cutaneous necrosis and, less commonly, may cause fatal systemic poisoning. A variety of controversial protocols are used to treat loxoscelism, while treatment with...
Azaspiracid-2 was isolated from a marine sponge Echinoclathria sp. collected off Amami-Oshima as the predominant cytotoxic constituent. A combination of HPLC using ODS, GS320, and Phenylhexyl stationary phases permitted the purification without using acid or inorganic additives in the mobile phase. Azaspiracid-2 exhibited potent cytotoxicity against P388 cells with an IC 50 value of 0.72ng/mL...
Liquid formulations of antivenom require a cold chain for their distribution and storage, especially in tropical countries characterized by high temperature and humidity (climatic zone IV). Since cold chain is often deficient in many regions, there is a need to develop novel formulations of liquid antivenoms of higher stability at room temperatures. The effect of addition of the polyols mannitol and...
Microcystins are heptapeptide toxins produced by cyanobacteria. Microcystin-RR (MC-RR) is a common variant among the 80 variants identified so far. There have been many investigations documenting the toxic effects of microcystins on animals and higher plants, but little is known on the toxic effects of microcystins on algae, especially at molecular level. We studied the effects of MC-RR on gene expression...
Two distinct phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) inhibitory proteins (PLIs) were purified from the serum of the Japanese rat snake, Elaphe climacophora. The 150-kDa inhibitor, a trimer of a 50-kDa subunit, specifically inhibited the basic PLA 2 purified from the venom of Gloydius brevicaudus, whereas the 120-kDa one composed of two distinct 25-kDa subunits, A and B, inhibited both the...
Venoms of snakes belonging to the same Genera tend to share biochemical, toxinological and antigenic characteristics. Accordingly, paraspecific neutralization of venom lethality by experimental antisera and commercial antivenoms has been reported. We studied the spectrum of neutralization of lethality of an experimental monovalent equine antiserum against the strongly neurotoxic African forest cobra...
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