Journal
TOXINS
Volume 15, Issue 9, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/toxins15090523
Keywords
snake venom; neurotoxin; molecular evolution; gene families; opisthoglyphous
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This study used a transcriptomic approach to analyze the venom expression profiles of four species of Colubrinae snakes from the Neotropics. The results showed evidence of parallel evolution of structural changes in 3FTxs among rear-fanged Colubrinae snakes. Positive selection was found in structural loops or fingers of 3FTxs, indicating their importance in interacting with prey target molecules.
Snake venom research has historically focused on front-fanged species (Viperidae and Elapidae), limiting our knowledge of venom evolution in rear-fanged snakes across their ecologically diverse phylogeny. Three-finger toxins (3FTxs) are a known neurotoxic component in the venoms of some rear-fanged snakes (Colubridae: Colubrinae), but it is unclear how prevalent 3FTxs are both in expression within venom glands and more broadly among colubrine species. Here, we used a transcriptomic approach to characterize the venom expression profiles of four species of colubrine snakes from the Neotropics that were dominated by 3FTx expression (in the genera Chironius, Oxybelis, Rhinobothryum, and Spilotes). By reconstructing the gene trees of 3FTxs, we found evidence of putative novel heterodimers in the sequences of Chironius multiventris and Oxybelis aeneus, revealing an instance of parallel evolution of this structural change in 3FTxs among rear-fanged colubrine snakes. We also found positive selection at sites within structural loops or fingers of 3FTxs, indicating these areas may be key binding sites that interact with prey target molecules. Overall, our results highlight the importance of exploring the venoms of understudied species in reconstructing the full evolutionary history of toxins across the tree of life.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available