Simplifying traditional approaches for accessible analysis of snake venom enzymes.

Snake venoms enzymes affect diverse physiological mechanisms leading to effects such as inflammation, edema, hemolysis, and blood clotting disorders. In this report, we describe modifications to classical assays for assessing the enzymatic activity of snake venom phospholipase A (PLA) and phosphodiesterase (PDE), including the adaptation of the PDE assay to an agar plate. A final staining step, using Stains-all®, was added to the PLA activity assay on an egg yolk-containing agar plate.

Hyperglycosylation impairs the inhibitory activity of rCdtPLI2, the first recombinant beta-phospholipase A inhibitor.

Crotoxin, a phospholipase A (PLA) complex and the major Crotalus venom component, is responsible for the main symptoms described in crotalic snakebite envenomings and a key target for PLA inhibitors (PLIs). PLIs comprise the alpha, beta and gamma families, and, due to a lack of reports on beta-PLIs, this study aimed to heterologously express CdtPLI2 from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom gland to improve the knowledge of the neglected beta-PLI family. Thereby, recombinant CdtPLI2 (rCdtPLI2) was produced in the eukaryotic Pichia pastoris system to keep some native post-translational modifications.

The complex repertoire of Tityus spp. venoms: Advances on their composition and pharmacological potential of their toxins.

Animal venoms are a rich and complex source of components, including peptides (such as neurotoxins, anionic peptides and hypotensins), lipids, proteins (such as proteases, hyaluronidases and phospholipases) and inorganic compounds, which affect all biological systems of the envenoming victim. Their action may result in a wide range of clinical manifestations, including tachy/bradycardia, hyper/hypotension, disorders in blood coagulation, pain, edema, inflammation, fever, muscle paralysis, coma and even death. Scorpions are one of the most studied venomous animals in the world and interesting bioactive molecules have been isolated and identified from their venoms over the years.

Beyond Angiogenesis: The Multitasking Approach of the First PEGylated Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) from Brazilian Rattlesnake Venom.

A pioneering study regarding the isolation, biochemical evaluation, functional assays and first PEGylation report of a novel vascular endothelial growth factor from venom (VEGF and PEG-VEGF). VEGF was isolated from crude venom using two different chromatographic steps, representing 2% of soluble venom proteins. Its primary sequence was determined using mass spectrometry analysis, and the molecule demonstrated no affinity to heparin.

State-of-the-art review of snake venom phosphodiesterases (svPDEs).

Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) constitute an enzyme group able to hydrolyze nucleic acids as well as some second messengers. Due to this ability and their expression in several human tissues and organs, PDEs can control a gamut of physiological processes. They are also involved in some pathological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease and erectile dysfunction.