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Individual variability of venom from the European adder (Vipera berus berus) from one locality in Eastern Hungary
Tamás Malina László Krecsák Alexander Westerström Gábor Szemán-Nagy Gyöngyi Gyémánt Márta M-Hamvas Edward G. Rowan Alan L. Harvey David A. Warrell Balázs Pál
Tamás Malina
László Krecsák
Alexander Westerström
Gábor Szemán-Nagy
Gyöngyi Gyémánt
Márta M-Hamvas
Edward G. Rowan
Alan L. Harvey
David A. Warrell
Balázs Pál
Abstract
We have revealed intra-population variability among venom samples from several individual European adders (Vipera berus berus) within a defined population in Eastern Hungary. Individual differences in venom pattern were noticed, both gender-specific and age-related, by one-dimensional electrophoresis. Gelatin zymography demonstrated that these individual venoms have different degradation profiles indicating varying protease activity in the specimens from adders of different ages and genders. Some specimens shared a conserved region of substrate degradation, while others had lower or extremely low protease activity. Phospholipase A2 activity of venoms was similar but not identical. Interspecimen diversity of the venom phospholipase A2-spectra (based on the components' molecular masses) was detected by MALDI-TOF MS. The lethal toxicity of venoms (LD50) also showed differences among individual snakes. Extracted venom samples had varying neuromuscular paralysing effect on chick biventer cervicis nerve-muscle preparations. The paralysing effect of venom was lost when calcium in the physiological salt solution was replaced by strontium; indicating that the block of twitch responses to nerve stimulation is associated with the activity of a phospholipase-dependent neurotoxin. In contrast to the studied V. b. berus venoms from different geographical regions so far, this is the first V. b. berus population discovered to have predominantly neurotoxic neuromuscular activity. The relevance of varying venom yields is also discussed. This study demonstrates that individual venom variation among V. b. berus living in particular area of Eastern Hungary might contribute to a wider range of clinical manifestations of V. b. berus envenoming than elsewhere in Europe.
Keywords
intra-species venom variation, neurotoxic, phospholipase A2, protease, vipera berus berus
Date
2017
Type
Journal article
Journal
Toxicon
Book
Volume
135
Issue
Page Range
59-70
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
File Access
Controlled