Chemical Engineering @ChemengFiles.Com

A team of researchers led by Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) Juan José Calvete has characterized the protein composition of the venom of the rattlesnake Crotalus atrox U.S., which together with Crotalus adamanteus, is responsible for Most poisoning accidents in the U.S.. The research is part of a larger project that seeks to understand the molecular basis of the evolution of venoms of the genus, widely distributed throughout the American continent. The study will improve the production and effectiveness of antidotes that neutralize the toxicity of the venom of these snakes. The work is published in the Journal of Proteome Research.

Calvete detailed research: "We identified by proteomic techniques which families of toxins are present in the venom of this snake, and also had given his relative concentration. This information is relevant to know what arsenal against biological antidotes should be prepared" .

The team headed by researchers at the CSIC's Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (CSIC), used in this work a new methodology, which has never been applied to the study of snake venom. With the technique based on combinatorial chemistry, have been able to analyze proteins present in minute quantities.

"With this new technology we have found enzymatic proteins involved in processing some of the toxins from the venom, which will allow us to better understand their origin and evolution," the researcher at the CSIC.

Such work aims to develop antibodies to the letter against the toxins of snake venoms. This requires knowing what kind of poison in each toxins. On this basis, one could design the minimum number of specific antibodies to neutralize the action of each family of toxins, using bioinformatics-based structures.