Publications
| Title | Abstract | Year(sorted ascending) Filter | PMID Filter |
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| biochemical and biological activities of the venom of a new species of pitviper from vietnam, triceratolepidophis sieversorum. | biochemical and biological activities of a venom sample from a recently discovered new genus and species of pitviper from vietnam, triceratolepidophis sieversorum, were assayed and compared with those of five other viperid snakes (bothrops asper, crotalus atrox, protobothrops flavoviridis, trimeresurus insularis, and vipera ammodytes). the venom had high casein hydrolysis, arginine ester hydrolysis and haemorrhagic activities, lacked measurable phosphodiesterase and l-amino acid oxidase activiti ... | 2003 | 12565732 |
| crotalidae polyvalent immune fab antivenom limits the decrease in perfusion pressure of the anterior leg compartment in a porcine crotaline envenomation model. | crotalidae polyvalent immune fab (crofab; fabav) antivenom prevents a decrease in perfusion pressures in intramuscular crotaline envenomation compared with normal saline solution. | 2003 | 12605206 |
| wide distribution of cysteine-rich secretory proteins in snake venoms: isolation and cloning of novel snake venom cysteine-rich secretory proteins. | cysteine-rich secretory proteins (crisps) are found in epididymis and granules of mammals, and they are thought to function in sperm maturation and in the immune system. recently, we isolated and obtained clones for novel snake venom proteins that are classified as crisp family proteins. to elucidate the distribution of snake venom crisp family proteins, we evaluated a wide range of venoms for immuno-cross-reactivity. then we isolated, characterized, and cloned genes for three novel crisp family ... | 2003 | 12646276 |
| use of microarrays for investigating the subtoxic effects of snake venoms: insights into venom-induced apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. | the pathological effects of only a small percentage of the total number of protein components of snake venoms are well documented, yet this knowledge has led to a general understanding of the physiological consequences of snake venom poisoning. the aim of this study was to assess the effect of subpathological levels of crotalus atrox (western diamondback rattlesnake) and bothrops jararaca (jararaca) snake venoms on the gene expression profile of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (huvec) in ... | 2003 | 12657312 |
| preclinical assessment of the ability of polyvalent (crotalinae) and anticoral (elapidae) antivenoms produced in costa rica to neutralize the venoms of north american snakes. | polyvalent (crotalinae) and anticoral (elapidae) antivenoms produced by instituto clodomiro picado, costa rica, were assessed for their ability to neutralize various toxic activities of the venoms of north american snakes of the genera crotalus, agkistrodon and micrurus, in assays involving preincubation of venom and antivenom. when the intraperitoneal route of injection was utilized, polyvalent (crotalinae) antivenom was effective in the neutralization of the venoms of crotalus atrox, crotalus ... | 2003 | 12782085 |
| kallikrein-like proteinase from bushmaster snake venom. | a kallikrein-like proteinase of lachesis muta muta (bushmaster) venom, designated lv-ka, was purified by gel filtration and anion exchange chromatographies. physicochemical studies indicated that the purified enzyme is a 33 kda monomeric glycoprotein, the mr of which fell to 28 kda after deglycosylation with pngase f. approximately 77% of the protein sequence was determined by sequencing the various fragments derived from digestions with endoproteases. the partial sequence obtained suggests that ... | 2003 | 12821319 |
| inhibition of hemorrhagic and edematogenic activities of snake venoms by a broad-spectrum protease inhibitor, murinoglobulin; the effect on venoms from five different genera in viperidae family. | in order to obtain basic data on the effect of broad-spectrum protease inhibitor against local symptoms of viperidae snake envenomation, inhibitory capacity of rat murinoglobulin on local hemorrhagic and edematogenic activities of venoms from crotalus atrox, bothrops jararaca, lachesis muta muta, trimeresurus flavoviridis and echis carinatus sochureki were examined. murinoglobulin, pre-incubated with the crude venoms at 37 degrees c for 15 min, inhibited hemorrhagic activity of all five venoms t ... | 2003 | 12906888 |
| thermoregulation is the pits: use of thermal radiation for retreat site selection by rattlesnakes. | pitvipers (viperidae: crotalinae) possess unique sensory organs, the facial pits, capable of sensing subtle fluctuations in thermal radiation. prey acquisition has long been regarded as the sole function of the facial pits. however, the ability to sense thermal radiation could also direct thermoregulatory behavior by remotely sensing nearby surface temperatures. using a series of behavioral arenas of varying spatial complexity and ecological relevance, we surveyed the ability of the western diam ... | 2003 | 12819261 |
| resolution of compartment syndrome after rattlesnake envenomation utilizing non-invasive measures. | western diamondback rattlesnake envenomation is usually managed by administration of neutralizing antivenom. the development of compartment syndrome is a rare complication that has sparked considerable debate regarding medical vs. surgical management. we report a case of compartment syndrome resulting from a rattlesnake envenomation, which responded to large doses of neutralizing antivenom given concomitantly with mannitol and hyperbaric oxygen. this regimen obviated the need for surgical fascio ... | 2003 | 12676299 |
| minimal shortening in a high-frequency muscle. | reducing the cost of high-frequency muscle contractions can be accomplished by minimizing cross-bridge cycling or by recycling elastic strain energy. energy saving by contractile minimization has very different implications for muscle strain and activation patterns than by elastic recoil. minimal cross-bridge cycling will be reflected in minimal contractile strains and highly reduced force, work and power output, whereas elastic energy storage requires a period of active lengthening that increas ... | 2003 | 12624164 |
| proteome analysis of the thermoreceptive pit membrane of the western diamondback rattlesnake crotalus atrox. | rattlesnakes detect their prey's temperature by means of a cavern-like structure, the pit organ. the sensory component of this organ lies within a thin membrane called the pit membrane. proteome analysis conducted on this neurosensory tissue revealed only a relatively small number of proteins, thereby depicting its high degree of specialization. in addition to containing blood serum and structural proteins, the proteome of this membrane appears to be strikingly similar to that of isolated rattle ... | 2003 | 12548637 |
| heat in evolution's kitchen: evolutionary perspectives on the functions and origin of the facial pit of pitvipers (viperidae: crotalinae). | pitvipers (viperidae: crotalinae) possess thermal radiation receptors, the facial pits, which allow them to detect modest temperature fluctuations within their environments. it was previously thought that these organs were used solely to aid in prey acquisition, but recent findings demonstrated that western diamondback rattlesnakes (crotalus atrox) use them to direct behavioral thermoregulation, suggesting that facial pits might be general purpose organs used to drive a suite of behaviors. to in ... | 2004 | 15531644 |
| integrin beta 4 is a target of rattlesnake venom during inducing apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells. | to find more effective components which can trigger apoptosis in crude rattlesnake venom, and the possible mechanisms by which the venom causes apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells (vecs), we investigated the function of integrin beta4 by using the monoclonal antibody (mab) of this integrin. we added anti-beta4 mab 5 microg.ml(-1) to the cells treated with 2 microg.ml(-1) rattlesnake venom; apoptosis of these cells was completely inhibited 6 h after the treatment. furthermore, the increase of ... | 2004 | 15135325 |
| seasonal steroid hormone levels and their relation to reproduction in the western diamond-backed rattlesnake, crotalus atrox (serpentes: viperidae). | we report seasonal variation in steroid hormone levels in blood samples from free-ranging western diamond-backed rattlesnakes (crotalus atrox), and the relationship between these hormones and events in the reproductive cycle. at a field site in the sonoran desert of south-central arizona, we collected monthly blood samples over the course of two active seasons from 17 radiotelemetered females, and over three active seasons from 103 randomly encountered males. we used radioimmunoassay to measure ... | 2004 | 15081832 |
| x-ray crystal structure of a galactose-specific c-type lectin possessing a novel decameric quaternary structure. | rattlesnake venom lectin (rsl) from the western diamondback rattlesnake (crotalus atrox) is an oligomeric galactose-specific c-type lectin. the x-ray crystal structure of rsl, in complex with lactose and thiodigalactoside, at 2.2 and 2.3 a resolution, respectively, reveals a decameric protein composed of two 5-fold symmetric pentamers arranged in a staggered, back-to-back orientation. each monomer corresponds to a single canonical c-type lectin carbohydrate recognition domain devoid of accessory ... | 2004 | 15049685 |
| unique temperature-activated neurons from pit viper thermosensors. | rattlesnakes, copperheads, and other pit vipers have highly sensitive heat detectors known as pit organs, which are used to sense and strike at prey. however, it is not currently known how temperature change triggers cellular and molecular events that activate neurons supplying the pit organ. we dissociated and cultured neurons from the trigeminal ganglia (tg) innervating the pit organs of the western diamondback rattlesnake (crotalus atrox) and the copperhead (agkistrodon contortix) to investig ... | 2004 | 15213055 |
| inhibitory effects on phospholipase a2 and antivenin activity of melanin extracted from thea sinensis linn. | antivenin activity of melanin extracted from black tea (mebt) was reported for the first time. the antagonistic effect of mebt was evaluated for agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus (broadbanded copperhead), agkistrodon halys blomhoffii (japanese mamushi), and crotalus atrox (western diamondback rattlesnake) snake venoms administered i.p. to icr mice. mebt was injected i.p. immediately after the venom administration in dose of 3 mg per mouse in the same place of venom injection. mebt demonstrated ... | 2004 | 14967198 |
| fasciotomy worsens the amount of myonecrosis in a porcine model of crotaline envenomation. | we evaluate the efficacy of fasciotomy or crotaline snake antivenom in reducing myonecrosis. | 2004 | 15278079 |
| pressure immobilization delays mortality and increases intracompartmental pressure after artificial intramuscular rattlesnake envenomation in a porcine model. | we determine the effect of pressure immobilization on mortality and intracompartmental pressure after artificial intramuscular crotalus atrox envenomation in a porcine model. | 2004 | 15573035 |
| amino acid sequence of fibrolase, a direct-acting fibrinolytic enzyme from agkistrodon contortrix contortrix venom. | the complete amino acid sequence of fibrolase, a fibrinolytic enzyme from southern copperhead (agkistrodon contortrix contortrix) venom, has been determined. this is the first report of the sequence of a direct-acting, nonhemorrhagic fibrinolytic enzyme found in snake venom. the majority of the sequence was established by automated edman degradation of overlapping peptides generated by a variety of selective cleavage procedures. the amino-terminus is blocked by a cyclized glutamine (pyroglutamic ... | 2004 | 1304358 |
| infrared imaging in vipers: differential responses of crotaline and viperine snakes to paired thermal targets. | pit vipers use infrared-sensitive pit organs to accurately target homeothermic prey even in the absence of visual cues. it has been suggested that other vipers, including large ambush predators of the genus bitis, also may use radiant infrared information for predatory targeting. we compared behavioral responses of pit vipers and snakes of the viperine genus bitis to paired targets of different temperatures (i.e. cool and warm balloons), some scented with rodent odors. the rates of tongue flicki ... | 2004 | 15302110 |
| egg mass in an asynchronously hatching parrot: does variation offset constraints imposed by laying order? | life history theory predicts phenotypic trade-offs between the number and quality of offspring produced. intraspecific variation in egg mass is common in birds and increased egg size can have positive effects on offspring fitness. however, evidence of a trade-off with clutch size is limited. we analyzed variation in mass of 5,743 green-rumped parrotlet (forpus passerinus) eggs laid over 15 years to evaluate the potential for facultative adjustment of egg mass and factors governing variation. hea ... | 2005 | 15800736 |
| cardiovascular actions of rattlesnake bradykinin ([val1,thr6]bradykinin) in the anesthetized south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus. | incubation of heat-denatured plasma from the rattlesnake crotalus atrox with trypsin generated a bradykinin (bk) that contained two amino acid substitutions (arg1 --> val and ser6 --> thr) compared with mammalian bk. bolus intra-arterial injections of synthetic rattlesnake bk (0.01-10 nmol/kg) into the anesthetized rattlesnake, crotalus durissus terrificus, produced a pronounced and concentration-dependent increase in systemic vascular conductance (gsys). this caused a fall in systemic arterial ... | 2005 | 15498967 |
| a multifaceted analysis of viperid snake venoms by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis: an approach to understanding venom proteomics. | the complexity of viperid venoms has long been appreciated by investigators in the fields of toxinology and medicine. however, it is only recently that the depth of that complexity has become somewhat quantitatively and qualitatively appreciated. with the resurgence of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-de) and the advances in mass spectrometry virtually all venom components can be visualized and identified given sufficient effort and resources. here we present the use of 2-de for examining ... | 2005 | 15627971 |
| [toxicity of venoms from snakes of medical importance in méxico]. | the characterization of the toxic activities of snake venoms is necessary to understand the physiopathology of the envenomation and to test the potency of the antivenoms used to treat this pathology. because of the lack of data on the toxic activities of venoms from mexican snakes of medical importance, we studied the venoms from bothrops asper, athropoides nummifrr, agkistrodon billineatus, crotalus durissus durissus, crotalus basiliscus, crotalus scutulatus, crotalus atrox and micrurus nigroci ... | 2005 | 15754746 |
| sexual size dimorphism and growth plasticity in snakes: an experiment on the western diamond-backed rattlesnake (crotalus atrox). | we conducted an experiment to examine the effects of sex and food intake on growth, mass gain, and attainment of sexual maturity in western diamond-backed rattlesnakes (crotalus atrox). we also measured testosterone levels to determine whether testosterone might be involved in the male-biased sexual size dimorphism observed in this species. we collected neonate rattlesnakes and raised them in the laboratory for 2 years on either a high-intake diet (fed one mouse per week) or a low-intake diet (f ... | 2005 | 15945080 |
| california ground squirrel (spermophilus beecheyi) defenses against rattlesnake venom digestive and hemostatic toxins. | previous studies have shown that some mammals are able to neutralize venom from snake predators. california ground squirrels (spermophilus beecheyi) show variation among populations in their ability to bind venom and minimize damage from northern pacific rattlesnakes (crotalus oreganus), but the venom toxins targeted by resistance have not been investigated. four california ground squirrel populations, selected for differences in local density or type of rattlesnake predators, were assayed for t ... | 2005 | 16273425 |
| effects of food supplementation on the physiological ecology of female western diamond-backed rattlesnakes (crotalus atrox). | food availability is an important factor in the life histories of organisms because it is often limiting and thus can affect growth, mass change, reproduction, and behaviors such as thermoregulation, locomotion, and mating. experimental studies in natural settings allow researchers to examine the effects of food on these parameters while animals are free to behave naturally. the wide variation among organisms in energy demands and among environmental food resources suggest that responses to chan ... | 2005 | 15800735 |
| western diamondback rattlesnakes demonstrate physiological and biochemical strategies for tolerating prolonged starvation. | because of the uncertainty in food resources in nature, all animals face the possibility of imposed periods of fasting (i.e., starvation) at some point in their lives. i investigated physiological and biochemical responses to starvation that occur in a species of rattlesnake known to tolerate successfully prolonged periods of starvation in the wild. sixteen subadult crotalus atrox were fasted for up to 24 wk under controlled conditions simulating their active season. snakes exhibited significant ... | 2006 | 17160877 |
| structure-function inferences based on molecular modeling, sequence-based methods and biological data analysis of snake venom lectins. | lectins are a structurally and functionally diverse group of proteins from different sources, capable to recognize and bind specifically carbohydrates. several snake venoms contain calcium-dependent true lectins (svls) that recognize galactose. herein, in order to enlighten some of the structure-function relationships of snake venom lectins (svls), we constructed theoretical models for 10 svls based on the crotalus atrox lectin (cal), the only svl crystal structure available, and compared with o ... | 2006 | 17046438 |
| structural features of the reprolysin atrolysin c and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (timps) interaction. | atrolysin c is a p-i snake venom metalloproteinase (svmp) from crotalus atrox venom, which efficiently degrades capillary basement membranes, extracellular matrix, and cell surface proteins to produce hemorrhage. the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (timps) are effective inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases which share some structural similarity with the svmps. in this work, we evaluated the inhibitory profile of timp-1, timp-2, and the n-terminal domain of timp-3 (n-timp-3) on the pro ... | 2006 | 16842758 |
| winter profile of plasma sex steroid levels in free-living male western diamond-backed rattlesnakes, crotalus atrox (serpentes: viperidae). | recent field studies on the reproductive ecology of western diamond-backed rattlesnakes (crotalus atrox) from populations in southern arizona showed significant differences in the concentration of plasma sex steroids (testosterone, t; 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone, dht; and 17beta-estradiol, e2) throughout the active season (march-october), and peak levels were coincident with the two mating periods (late summer and early spring). there is, however, no information on levels of sex steroids during w ... | 2006 | 16828091 |
| crystallization and preliminary x-ray crystallographic analysis of two vascular apoptosis-inducing proteins (vaps) from crotalus atrox venom. | vaps are haemorrhagic snake-venom toxins belonging to the reprolysin family of zinc metalloproteinases. in vitro, vaps induce apoptosis specifically in cultured vascular endothelial cells. vaps have a modular structure that bears structural homology to mammalian adams (a disintegrin and metalloproteinases). vap1 is a homodimer with a mw of 110 kda in which the monomers are connected by a single disulfide bridge. vap2 is homologous to vap1 and exists as a monomer with a mw of 55 kda. in the curre ... | 2006 | 16820695 |
| from physiology to fitness: the costs of a defensive adaptation in rattlesnakes. | the costs of using and maintaining presumed adaptations are unknown for most animals. energetically expensive traits, such as some agonistic and antipredator behaviors in animals, may incur trade-offs with other aspects of an animal's life history, such as feeding and reproduction. however, infrequent and brief use may reduce the costs of vigorous behaviors. the shaker muscles in the tails of rattlesnakes are an excellent system for studying the potential costs of a specialized defensive system. ... | 2006 | 16380934 |
| characterization and cdna cloning of dipeptidyl peptidase iv from the venom of gloydius blomhoffi brevicaudus. | dipeptidyl peptidase activity was investigated in snake venoms from gloydius blomhoffi brevicaudus, gloydius halys blomhoffii, trimeresurus flavoviridis and crotalus atrox. the strongest dipeptidyl peptidase iv (dpp iv) activity was found in venom from g. blomhoffi brevicaudus. the substrate specificity, susceptibility to inhibitors, and ph optimum of the partially purified enzyme were similar to those of known dpp ivs from bacteria and eukaryotes. the g. blomhoffi brevicaudus venom gland cdna l ... | 2006 | 16828569 |
| california ground squirrel (spermophilus beecheyi) defenses against rattlesnake venom digestive and hemostatic toxins. | previous studies have shown that some mammals are able to neutralize venom from snake predators. california ground squirrels (spermophilus beecheyi) show variation among populations in their ability to bind venom and minimize damage from northern pacific rattlesnakes (crotalus oreganus), but the venom toxins targeted by resistance have not been investigated. four california ground squirrel populations, selected for differences in local density or type of rattlesnake predators, were assayed for t ... | 2006 | 16525875 |
| inhibition of the proteolytic activity of hemorrhagin-e from crotalus atrox venom by antihemorrhagins from homologous serum. | antihemorrhagic proteins from crotalus atrox serum were tested for their ability to inhibit the proteolytic activity of the hemorrhagic toxin-e from crotalus atrox venom and of several other proteolytic enzymes: trypsin, collagenase and thermolysin. the antihemorrhagic proteins inhibited the proteolytic activity of hemorrhagin-e when tested on gelatin type i and collagen type iv, the proteolytic activity of trypsin on photofilm gelatin and the proteolytic activity of whole venom when tested on a ... | 2006 | 1519250 |
| isolation and characterization of two disintegrins inhibiting adp-induced human platelet aggregation from the venom of crotalus scutulatus scutulatus (mohave rattlesnake). | disintegrins and disintegrin-like proteins are molecules found in the venom of four snake families (atractaspididae, elapidae, viperidae, and colubridae). the disintegrins are nonenzymatic proteins that inhibit cell-cell interactions, cell-matrix interactions, and signal transduction, and may have potential in the treatment of strokes, heart attacks, cancers, and osteoporosis. prior to 1983, the venom of crotalus scutulatus scutulatus (mohave rattlesnake) was known to be only neurotoxic; however ... | 2006 | 16084550 |
| study of the interaction between different phosphodiesterases and yessotoxin using a resonant mirror biosensor. | yessotoxins (ytxs) are disulfated polyether toxins that were first isolated from scallops in japan. it has been proposed that these toxins activate cellular phosphodiesterases (pdes). the interaction between ytx and pdes was confirmed by resonant biosensor and fluorescence polarization studies. the aim of this work is to study the specificity of different pdes for ytx binding. association measurements are done in a resonant mirror biosensor. the instrument detects changes in the refractive index ... | 2006 | 16780358 |
| behavioural examination of the infrared sensitivity of rattlesnakes (crotalus atrox). | pitvipers (crotalinae) and boid snakes (boidae) possess highly sensitive infrared (ir) receptors. the ability of these snakes to image ir radiation allows the assessment of the direction and distance of an ir source (such as warm-blooded prey) in the absence of visual cues. the aim of this study was to determine the behavioural threshold of snakes to an ir stimulus. a moving ir source of constant size and temperature was presented to rattlesnakes (crotalus atrox) at various distances (10-160 cm) ... | 2006 | 16788817 |
| comparison of indirect and direct approaches using ion-trap and fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry for exploring viperid venom proteomes. | in a sense, the field of snake venom proteomics has been under investigation since the very earliest biochemical studies where it was soon recognized that venoms are comprised of complex mixtures of bioactive molecules, most of which are proteins. only with the re-emergence of 2d polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2d page) and the recent developments in mass spectrometry for the identification/characterization of proteins coupled with venom gland transcriptomes has the field of snake venom prot ... | 2006 | 16574175 |
| characterization and cdna cloning of aminopeptidase a from the venom of gloydius blomhoffi brevicaudus. | the aminopeptidase activities of snake venoms from gloydius blomhoffi brevicaudus, gloydius halys blomhoffii, trimeresurus flavoviridis, bothrops jararaca and crotalus atrox were investigated. aminopeptidase a (apa), aminopeptidase b and aminopeptidase n activities were present in all snake venoms. the strongest apa activity was found in venom from g. blomhoffi brevicaudus. the susceptibility to metallopeptidase inhibitors and the ph optimum of the partially purified enzyme from g. blomhoffi bre ... | 2007 | 17383704 |
| molecular evolution of piii-svmp and rgd disintegrin genes from the genus crotalus. | several types of disintegrins have been isolated from crotalus spp rattlesnakes, including rgd disintegrins, and piii-svmps. we isolated six cdnas from snake venom glands using rt-pcr. three rgd disintegrins (atroxatin, mojastin, and viridistatin) and three piii-svmps (catroriarin, scutiarin, and viristiarin) cdnas were isolated from the rattlesnakes crotalus atrox, crotalus scutulatus scutulatus, and crotalus viridis viridis, respectively. atroxatin and viridistatin shared 90% amino acid identi ... | 2007 | 17112685 |
| phylogeographic structure and historical demography of the western diamondback rattlesnake (crotalus atrox): a perspective on north american desert biogeography. | the western diamondback rattlesnake (crotalus atrox) is a prominent member of north american desert and semi-arid ecosystems, and its importance extends from its impact on the region's ecology and imagery, to its medical relevance as a large deadly venomous snake. we used mtdna sequences to identify population genetic structure and historical demographic patterns across the range of this species, and relate these to broader patterns of historical biogeography of desert and semi-arid regions of t ... | 2007 | 16934495 |
| crofabtrade mark total anti-venom activity measured by se-hplc, and anti-pla(2) activity assayed in vitro at physiological ph. | one problem in the development and refinement of anti-venoms is ascertaining both overall anti-venom reactivity and which key toxins are neutralized. here we show by se-hplc that the in vitro reaction of crofab anti-venin with crotalus atrox venom asymptotically nears completion (>95%) by 11 min at 4 degrees c by following the change in area under chromatographic peaks. the peaks for reactants decrease and the formation of high molecular weight complexes increases with time. to assay the large n ... | 2007 | 17261322 |
| inactivation of phospholipase a2 and metalloproteinase from crotalus atrox venom by direct current. | to achieve our aim of understanding the interactions between direct current and enzymes in solution, we exposed reconstituted crotalus atrox venom to direct electric current by immersing two platinum thread electrodes connected to a voltage generator (between 0 and 8 v) into a reaction mixture for a few seconds. then, we assayed the residual activity of phospholipases a(2) (pla(2)),metalloproteinases, and phosphodiesterases, abundant in crotaline snake venoms and relevant in the pathophysiology ... | 2007 | 17366544 |
| use of silac for exploring sheddase and matrix degradation of fibroblasts in culture by the piii svmp atrolysin a: identification of two novel substrates with functional relevance. | snake venom metalloproteinases (svmps) in viperid venoms primarily function to give rise to local and systemic hemorrhage following snake envenomation. years of research on these toxins, both in vitro and in vivo, indicate that they function by disrupting capillary basement membranes, stromal matrix and cell-cell and cell-matrix contacts to allow escape of capillary contents under pressure. however, most of these studies used either defined substrates in vitro or were limited by relevant antibod ... | 2007 | 17543881 |
| soft epidermis of a scaleless snake lacks beta-keratin. | beta-keratins are responsible for the mechanical resistance of scales in reptiles. in a scaleless crotalus snake (crotalus atrox), large areas of the skin are completely devoid of scales, and the skin appears delicate and wrinkled. the epidermis of this snake has been assessed for the presence of beta-keratin by immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting using an antibody against chicken scale beta-keratin. this antibody recognizes beta-keratins in normal snake scales with molecular weights of 15-18 ... | 2007 | 17664165 |
| prey envenomation does not improve digestive performance in western diamondback rattlesnakes (crotalus atrox). | although the toxic properties of snake venoms have been recognized throughout history, very little is known about the adaptive significance of these powerful mixtures. this study examined the popular hypothesis that prey envenomation enhances digestion by influencing the energetic costs of digestion and assimilation, gut passage time, and apparent assimilation efficiency (assim) in western diamondback rattlesnakes (crotalus atrox), a species whose venom is recognized for its comparatively high p ... | 2007 | 17671964 |
| biochemical characterization of atroxase and nucleotide sequence encoding the fibrinolytic enzyme. | atroxase, isolated from the venom of crotalus atrox (western diamondback rattlesnake), is a non-hemorrhagic protease which has fibrinolytic activity in vitro and in vivo. fibrin solubilization occurs primarily from the hydrolysis of alpha-polymer and unpolymerized alpha- and beta-chains. the enzyme also cleaves the a alpha-chain of fibrinogen first, followed by the b beta-chain, and shows no effect on the gamma-chain. although crude venom induces platelet aggregation, atroxase demonstrated no ab ... | 2007 | 9027985 |
| reduction of rattlesnake-venom-induced myonecrosis in mice by hyperbaric oxygen therapy. | hyperbaric oxygen therapy (hbot) at 1, 2, and 2.75 atmospheres absolute (ata) was used to treat rattlesnake (crotalus atrox) venom-induced tissue damage and edema in thigh muscles of mice. tissue damage was evaluated by double-blind histopathologic examination: tissue edema was determined by measuring tissue water content. a total of 10 intermittent exposures to oxygen over a period of 4 days at 2 and 2.75 ata did not influence the resolution of venom-induced tissue edema, whereas tissue damage ... | 2007 | 2045641 |
| snakes survive starvation by employing supply- and demand-side economic strategies. | animals vary widely in their abilities to tolerate extended periods of food limitation. although some snakes are known for their unique ability to survive periods of inanition that last up to 2 years, very little is known about the biological mechanisms that allow them to do this. consequently, the present study examined physiological, compositional, and morphological responses to 168 days of starvation among three distantly related snake species (i.e., ball python, python regius; ratsnake, elap ... | 2007 | 17644357 |
| the ontogeny of contractile performance and metabolic capacity in a high-frequency muscle. | high-performance muscles such as the shaker muscles in the tails of western diamond-backed rattlesnakes (crotalus atrox) are excellent systems for studying the relationship between contractile performance and metabolic capacity. we observed that shaker muscle contraction frequency increases dramatically with growth in small individuals but then declines gradually in large individuals. we tested whether metabolic capacity changed with performance, using shaker muscle contraction frequency as an i ... | 2007 | 16380925 |
| mechanisms controlling venom expulsion in the western diamondback rattlesnake, crotalus atrox. | although many studies have documented variation in the amount of venom expended during bites of venomous snakes, the mechanistic source of this variation remains uncertain. this study used experimental techniques to examine how two different features of the venom delivery system, the muscle surrounding the venom gland (the compressor glandulae in the rattlesnake) and the fang sheath, could influence venom flow in the western diamondback rattlesnake, crotalus atrox. differential contraction of th ... | 2007 | 17094108 |
| proximate developmental mediators of sexual dimorphism in size: case studies from squamate reptiles. | sexual dimorphism in size (sexual size dimorphism; ssd) is nearly ubiquitous, but the relative importance of genetic versus environmental control of ssd is not known for most species. we investigated proximate determinants of ssd in several species of squamate reptiles, including three species of sceloporus lizards and the diamond-backed rattlesnake (crotalus atrox). in natural populations of these species, ssd is caused by sexual differences in age-specific growth. males and females, however, m ... | 2007 | 21672836 |
| cdna cloning and some additional peptide characterization of a single-chain vascular apoptosis-inducing protein, vap2. | vascular apoptosis-inducing proteins (vaps) from hemorrhagic snake venom are apoptosis-inducing toxins targeting vascular endothelial cells. well-characterized vaps consist of disulfide-bridged double chains (ddvaps). the authors previously described a single-chain vap (scvap), vap2 from crotalus atrox, which also induces apoptosis in endothelial cells (masuda et al., 1998, european journal of biochemistry, 253, 36-41). the authors report here the whole cdna sequences and some additional peptide ... | 2007 | 17497365 |
| crystal structures of catrocollastatin/vap2b reveal a dynamic, modular architecture of adam/adamalysin/reprolysin family proteins. | catrocollastatin/vascular apoptosis-inducing protein (vap)2b is a metalloproteinase from crotalus atrox venom, possessing metalloproteinase/disintegrin/cysteine-rich (mdc) domains that bear the typical domain architecture of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase (adam)/adamalysin/reprolysin family proteins. here we describe crystal structures of catrocollastatin/vap2b in three different crystal forms, representing the first reported crystal structures of a member of the monomeric class of this fam ... | 2007 | 17485084 |
| shotgun protein sequencing: assembly of peptide tandem mass spectra from mixtures of modified proteins. | despite significant advances in the identification of known proteins, the analysis of unknown proteins by ms/ms still remains a challenging open problem. although klaus biemann recognized the potential of ms/ms for sequencing of unknown proteins in the 1980s, low throughput edman degradation followed by cloning still remains the main method to sequence unknown proteins. the automated interpretation of ms/ms spectra has been limited by a focus on individual spectra and has not capitalized on the ... | 2007 | 17446555 |
| recurrent hemorrhage after western diamondback rattlesnake envenomation treated with crotalidae polyvalent immune fab (ovine). | recurrent coagulopathy has been observed in patients after rattlesnake envenomation treated with crotalidae polyvalent immune fab (ovine) [fabav]. while recurrent coagulopathy is well documented in the literature, clinically significant sequelae have not been reported. we present a case of recurrent thrombocytopenia after western diamondback envenomation treated with fabav, resulting in an extensive recurrent local hemorrhage. | 2008 | 18608290 |
| tail morphology in the western diamond-backed rattlesnake, crotalus atrox. | the shaker muscles in the tails of rattlesnakes are used to shake the rattle at very high frequencies. these muscles are physiologically specialized for sustaining high-frequency contractions. the tail skeleton is modified to support the enlarged shaker muscles, and the muscles have major anatomical modifications when compared with the trunk muscles and with the tail muscles of colubrid snakes. the shaker muscles have been known for many years to consist of three large groups of muscles on each ... | 2008 | 18553368 |
| on the quaternary structure of a c-type lectin from bothrops jararacussu venom--bj-32 (bjcul). | bj-32 (also known as bjcul) is a c-type lectin from the venom of bothrops jararacussu with specificity for beta-galactosides and a remarkable ability to agglutinate several species of trypanosomatids. our objective was to study the oligomerization state of native bj-32 by using different biophysical and computational methods. small-angle x-ray light scattering (saxs) experiments disclosed a compact, globular protein with a radius of gyration of 36.72+/-0.04a and molecular weight calculated as 14 ... | 2008 | 18948130 |
| measuring agreement and discord among hemagglutination inhibition assays against different ophidian paramyxovirus strains in the eastern massasauga (sistrurus catenatus catenatus). | at present, the hemagglutination inhibition (hi) assay is the sole commercially available serologic method available to detect exposure to ophidian paramyxovirus (opmv) in snakes. during 2006, 26 eastern massasaugas (sistrurus catenatus catenatus) were collected, and blood was sampled to determine their opmv status. samples from each snake were divided into 3 aliquots and tested by using commercially available hi assays against the 4 opmv isolates used in the 3 laboratories that offer the servic ... | 2008 | 18816997 |
| inhibition of lung tumor colonization and cell migration with the disintegrin crotatroxin 2 isolated from the venom of crotalus atrox. | disintegrins are low molecular weight proteins (4-15 kda) with an rgd binding region at their binding loop. disintegrin and disintegrin-like proteins are found in the venom of four families of snakes: atractaspididae, elapidae, viperidae, and colubridae. this report describes the biological activity of a disintegrin, crotatroxin 2, isolated by a three-step chromatography procedure from the venom of the western diamondback rattlesnake (crotalus atrox). the intact molecular mass for crotatroxin 2 ... | 2008 | 18387648 |
| direct treatment of mouse or human blood with soluble 5'-nucleotidase inhibits platelet aggregation. | adenosine signaling is known to inhibit platelet aggregation. extracellular adenosine mainly stems from enzymatic phosphohydrolysis of precursor nucleotides via ecto-5'-nucleotidase. previous studies suggest that soluble 5'-nucleotidase (5'-nt) derived from crotalus atrox venom may be clinically beneficial in vascular leakage, myocardial, renal, and intestinal ischemia, or acute lung injury. however, the effects of 5'-nt treatment on platelet aggregation remain unknown. we examined the direct ef ... | 2008 | 18511695 |
| hemorrhagic activity of the vascular apoptosis-inducing proteins vap1 and vap2 from crotalus atrox. | vascular apoptosis-inducing proteins (vaps) from hemorrhagic snake venom are apoptosis-inducing toxins that target vascular endothelial cells. we now show that vap1 and vap2 from crotalus atrox have hemorrhagic activity in mouse skin following intradermal injection. following intravenous injection, vap2 induced hemorrhage in the lung, intestine and kidney. although the hemorrhagic activity was relatively weak, these apoptosis toxins may play a role in the complex mechanism of snake venom-induced ... | 2008 | 18657564 |
| expression of mrnas coding for vap1/crotastatin-like metalloproteases in the venom glands of three south american pit vipers assessed by quantitative real-time pcr. | snake venom metalloproteases encompass a large family of toxins, with approximately 200 members already catalogued, which exhibit a diversity of structures and biological functions. from this relatively large number, only a dozen examples of apoptosis-inducing metalloproteases, like vap1 and 2 from the venom of crotalus atrox, are known. since most vap1-like toxins ever characterized were purified from the venom of viperidae species inhabiting diverse places on earth, we investigate the expressi ... | 2008 | 18926840 |
| fatty acid analyses may provide insight into the progression of starvation among squamate reptiles. | fasting-induced changes in fatty acid composition have been reported to occur within the body lipids of several types of animals; however, little is known about the changes in fatty acid profiles exhibited by reptiles subjected to prolonged fasting. this study characterizes the fatty acid profiles of six reptile species subjected to sublethal periods of fasting lasting 0, 56, 112, and 168 days. analyses of fatty acid methyl esters (fames) conducted on the total body lipids of rattlesnakes (crota ... | 2008 | 18657629 |
| stable isotopes may provide evidence for starvation in reptiles. | previous studies have attempted to correlate stable isotope signatures of tissues with the nutritional condition of birds, mammals, fishes, and invertebrates. unfortunately, very little is known about the relationship between food limitation and the isotopic composition of reptiles. we examined the effects that starvation has on delta13c and delta15n signatures in the tissues (excreta, carcass, scales, and claws) of six, distantly related squamate reptiles (gaboon vipers, bitis gabonica; ball py ... | 2008 | 18613003 |
| crotalid snake venom subproteomes unraveled by the antiophidic protein dm43. | snake venoms are mixtures of proteins and peptides with different biological activities, many of which are very toxic. several animals, including the opossum didelphis aurita, are resistant to snake venoms due to the presence of neutralizing factors in their blood. an antihemorrhagic protein named dm43 was isolated from opossum serum. it inhibits snake venom metalloproteinases through noncovalent complex formation with these enzymes. in this study, we have used dm43 and proteomic techniques to e ... | 2009 | 19267469 |
| subcutaneous crotaline fab antivenom for the treatment of rattlesnake envenomation in a porcine model. | this study was designed to investigate whether the local, subcutaneous injection of crotaline fab antivenom (crofab) at the rattlesnake envenomation site would result in less extremity edema when compared to intravenous (i.v.) antivenom infusion alone. | 2009 | 19153852 |
| cysteine-rich secretory proteins in snake venoms form high affinity complexes with human and porcine beta-microseminoproteins. | beta-microseminoprotein (msp), a 10 kda protein in human seminal plasma, binds human cysteine-rich secretory protein-3 (crisp-3) with high affinity. crisp-3 is a member of the family of crisps, which are widespread among animals. in this work we show that human as well as porcine msp binds catrin, latisemin, pseudecin, and triflin, which are crisps present in the venoms of the snakes crotalus atrox, laticauda semifasciata, pseudechis porphyriacus, and trimeresurus flavoviridis, respectively. the ... | 2009 | 19341830 |
| structural modification of proteins by direct electric current from low voltage. | the interaction of direct electric current (dc) and proteins is a little explored topic. we had reported that exposure of crotalus atrox venom to dc caused irreversible inactivation of phospholipase a(2) and metalloprotease and that the eukaryote adenylate kinases (ak) precipitate in nondenaturing gel electrophoresis. ak1 displays an elevated percent difference of charged versus polar amino acid content (ch-po 14). commercial ak1 and other 17 enzymes with various ch-po values were exposed in sol ... | 2009 | 19827034 |
| exploring the venom proteome of the western diamondback rattlesnake, crotalus atrox, via snake venomics and combinatorial peptide ligand library approaches. | we report the proteomic characterization of the venom of the medically important north american western diamondback rattlesnake, crotalus atrox, using two complementary approaches: snake venomics (to gain an insight of the overall venom proteome), and two solid-phase combinatorial peptide ligand libraries (cpll), followed by 2d electrophoresis and mass spectrometric characterization of in-gel digested protein bands (to capture and "amplify" low-abundance proteins). the venomics approach revealed ... | 2009 | 19371136 |
| nanoscale probing reveals that reduced stiffness of clots from fibrinogen lacking 42 n-terminal bbeta-chain residues is due to the formation of abnormal oligomers. | removal of bbetal-42 from fibrinogen by crotalus atrox venom results in a molecule lacking fibrinopeptide b and part of a thrombin binding site. we investigated the mechanism of polymerization of desbbeta1-42 fibrin. fibrinogen trinodular structure was clearly observed using high resolution noncontact atomic force microscopy. e-regions were smaller in desbbeta1-42 than normal fibrinogen (1.2 nm +/- 0.3 vs. 1.5 nm +/- 0.2), whereas there were no differences between the d-regions (1.7 nm +/- 0.4 v ... | 2009 | 19289066 |
| [rattlesnake bite poisoning, health damage and treatment in children]. | in mexico, we do not know the exact number of cases and the magnitude of health damage conditioned by poisonous rattlesnake bites, and little relative information exists in pediatric population. | 2009 | 14574752 |
| comparative study of anticoagulant and procoagulant properties of 28 snake venoms from families elapidae, viperidae, and purified russell's viper venom-factor x activator (rvv-x). | snake venoms consist of numerous molecules with diverse biological functions used for capturing prey. each component of venom has a specific target, and alters the biological function of its target. once these molecules are identified, characterized, and cloned; they could have medical applications. the activated clotting time (act) and clot rate were used for screening procoagulant and anticoagulant properties of 28 snake venoms. crude venoms from daboia russellii siamensis, bothrops asper, bot ... | 2010 | 20677373 |
| pilot studies of pressure-immobilization bandages for rattlesnake envenomations. | pressure-immobilization bandages sequester venom in extremities and are recommended for snakebites without local toxicity. pilot studies were performed to determine the time of onset of toxicity and efficacy of pressure-immobilizations bandages in a porcine model of rattlesnake envenomation. | 2010 | 19888893 |
| human cytokine response to texas crotaline envenomation before and after antivenom administration. | the aim of this study was to characterize the human cytokine response to texas crotaline envenomation before and after antivenom administration. | 2010 | 20887908 |
| rock squirrel (spermophilus variegatus) blood sera affects proteolytic and hemolytic activities of rattlesnake venoms. | rock squirrels (spermophilus variegatus) from two sites in south central new mexico, where prairie (crotalus viridis viridis) and western diamondback (crotalus atrox) rattlesnakes are common predators, were assayed for inhibition of rattlesnake venom digestive and hemostatic activities. at statistically significant levels rock squirrel blood sera reduced the metalloprotease and hemolytic activity of venoms from c. v. viridis and c. atrox more than venom from an allopatric snake species, the nort ... | 2010 | 21184770 |
| rosmarinic acid in argusia argentea inhibits snake venom-induced hemorrhage. | a methanolic extract of argusia (or messerschmidia or tournefortia) argentea (boraginaceae) significantly inhibited hemorrhage induced by crude venom of trimeresurus flavoviridis. the extract was then separated according to antivenom activity by using silica gel column chromatography and hplc equipped with an octadecylsilanized silica gel (ods) column to afford rosmarinic acid (ra) (1) as an active principle. ra (1) significantly inhibited the hemorrhagic effect of crude venoms of t. flavoviridi ... | 2010 | 20512530 |
| in vitro evaluation of total venom-antivenin immune complex formation and binding parameters relevant to antivenin protection against venom toxicity and lethality based on size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography. | total venom-antivenin immune complex formation and binding parameters relevant to antivenin protection against venom toxicity and lethality can be evaluated using size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography (se-hplc). simple integration of regions within se-hplc elution profiles was used to compare binding characteristics of crotalidae polyvalent immune fab (ovine) antivenin (fabav) and crotalus atrox (western diamondback rattlesnake; c. atrox), c. varidis varidis (prairie rattlesnake; ... | 2011 | 21392522 |
| crotalidae polyvalent immune fab: in patients with north american crotaline envenomation. | crotalidae polyvalent immune fab is an antivenom comprising purified, sheep-derived, fab igg fragments and is indicated for use in patients with north american crotaline envenomation. crotalidae polyvalent immune fab is produced using four north american snake venoms: crotalus atrox, crotalus adamanteus, crotalus scutulatus, and agkistrodon piscivorus. intravenous crotalidae polyvalent immune fab was effective in patients aged =10 years who had minimal or moderate envenomation by a north america ... | 2011 | 21443271 |
| inactivation of crotalus atrox venom hemorrhagic activity by direct current exposure using hens' egg assay. | the hemotoxic venoms of viperidae and crotalidae are responsible for most of the evenomations in the united states, west africa, india, south-east asia, new guinea, and latin america. we previously reported that a short exposure of crotalus atrox venom to direct electric current (dc) from a low-voltage generator, in solution, causes consistent and irreversible inactivation of venom phospholipase a(2) and metalloproteases. here we report by in vivo assay on chicken embryos at stage 18 of developm ... | 2011 | 21800403 |
| zootherapeutic practices in aquismón, san luis potosí, méxico. | animal derived products have been a source of medicinal compounds since ancient times. this work documents the use of animal species in traditional medicine in the municipality of aquismón, san luis potosí, méxico. | 2011 | 21963568 |
| folk medicinal use of fauna in mapimi, durango, méxico. | to document the use of animal species in traditional medicine from the municipality of mapimi, durango, méxico. | 2011 | 20937375 |
| isolation and identification of a snake venom metalloproteinase inhibitor from california ground squirrel (spermophilus beecheyi) blood sera. | california ground squirrels (spermophilus beecheyi) show blood-based defenses to a variety of toxins in the venom of the northern pacific rattlesnake (crotalus oreganus oreganus). in this study we demonstrate the presence of an effective snake venom metalloproteinase inhibitor (svmpi) in s. beecheyi. the blood sera of california ground squirrels were effective at reducing the metalloproteinase activity of northern pacific (c. o. oreganus) and prairie rattlesnake (crotalus viridis viridis) venoms ... | 2011 | 21903126 |
| neutralization of haemorrhagic activity of viper venoms by 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-1-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-oxo-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran-5-carbonitrile. | viper envenomation undeniably induces brutal local manifestations such as haemorrhage, oedema and necrosis involving massive degradation of extracellular matrix at the bitten region and many a times results in dangerous systemic haemorrhage including pulmonary shock. snake venom metalloproteases (svmps) are being considered to be the primary culprits for the venom-induced haemorrhage. as a consequence, the venom researchers and medical practitioners are in deliberate quest of svmp inhibitors. in ... | 2011 | 21729242 |
| specificity analysis of the c-type lectin from rattlesnake venom, and its selectivity towards gal- or galnac-terminated glycoproteins. | the rattlesnake (crotalus atrox) venom lectin is a readily-prepared decameric c-type lectin, specific for gal and galnac. glycan microarray analysis showed it reacted with a wide range of glycans, chiefly recognizing sets of compounds with galβ1-4glcnac (lacnac), α-gal or α-galnac non-reducing termini. its array profile was therefore distinctly different from those of four previously studied mammalian c-type lectins with the same gal/galnac monosaccharide specificity, and it was more broadly rea ... | 2011 | 21805077 |
| directional sensitivity in the thermal response of the facial pit in western diamondback rattlesnakes (crotalus atrox). | recent work published in the accompanying paper used a combination of 3d morphological reconstruction to define optical spread functions and heat transfer physics to study how external heat energy would reach the sensory membrane within the facial pit of pitvipers. the results from all of the species examined indicated asymmetric directional sensitivity, e.g. the pit would preferentially respond to stimuli located below and behind the snake. the present study was intended as a test of these find ... | 2012 | 22786639 |
| synthesis and some properties of constrained short-chain phosphatidylcholine analogues: (+)- and (-)-(1,3/2)-1-o-(phosphocholine)2,3-o- dihexanoylcyclopentane-1,2,3-triol. | reported herein is the synthesis of (+)- and (-)-(1,3/2)-1-o-(phosphocholine)-2,3-o-dihexanoylcyclopentane-1,2, 3-triol. these are the enantiomers of a contrained analogue of dihexanoylphosphatidylcholine in which the glycerol backbone is replaced by all-trans cyclopentane-1,2,3-triol. evidence is presented to demonstrate that the (-)-enantiomer is a substrate for phospholipase a2 (pla2) (crotalus atrox) while the (+)-enantiomer is not. this strict enantiomeric (and positional) specificity was e ... | 2012 | 3370720 |
| relationship between the structure and the enzymatic activity of crotoxin complex and its phospholipase a2 subunit: an in silico approach. | crotoxin, one of the major toxins of south american rattlesnake crotalus durissus subspecies, is an heterodimeric complex composed of two distinct subunits: a basic phospholipase a(2) (pla(2), cb) and an acidic nontoxic catalytically inactive protein, crotapotin (ca). it's well known that cb has a high enzymatic activity; however the molecular aspects that determine this fact remain unknown. in this study, an in silico approach was used to predict the ca structure by homology modeling, and the c ... | 2012 | 22481077 |
| resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia. snake venomics from a 26-year old polyacrylamide focusing gel. | a 26-year-old dried polyacrylamide gel, cast in presence of an immobilized ph gradient and containing focused proteins from the venoms of a northern black-tailed rattlesnake (crotalus molossus molossus), and of a western diamondback rattlesnake (crotalus atrox) has been screened in order to see the feasibility of extracting the proteins, analyzing them by mass spectrometry (ms) and assessing their integrity. nine gel bands were excised along the ph 3-10 gradient and the gel segments reswollen in ... | 2012 | 21985938 |
| cdna cloning of a snake venom metalloproteinase from the eastern diamondback rattlesnake (crotalus adamanteus), and the expression of its disintegrin domain with anti-platelet effects. | a 5' truncated snake venom metalloproteinase was identified from a cdna library constructed from venom glands of an eastern diamondback rattlesnake (crotalus adamanteus). the 5'-rapid amplification of cdna ends (race) was used to obtain the 1865 bp full-length cdna sequence of a snake venom metalloproteinase (camvmpii). camvmpii encodes an open reading frame of 488 amino acids, which includes a signal peptide, a pro-domain, a metalloproteinase domain, a spacer, and an rgd-disintegrin domain. the ... | 2013 | 23313448 |
| antibody responses to natural rattlesnake envenomation and a rattlesnake toxoid vaccine in horses. | antivenom antibody titers following administration of rattlesnake venom for antivenom production in horses are well documented; however, antivenom antibody titers following natural rattlesnake envenomation in horses are not. antibody titers produced in response to the commercially available rattlesnake venom vaccine are also not published. our study objectives were to measure antivenom antibody titers in rattlesnake-bitten horses and compare them to titers in horses vaccinated with the rattlesna ... | 2013 | 23515015 |
| molecular basis for prey relocation in viperid snakes. | vertebrate predators use a broad arsenal of behaviors and weaponry for overcoming fractious and potentially dangerous prey. a unique array of predatory strategies occur among snakes, ranging from mechanical modes of constriction and jaw-holding in non-venomous snakes, to a chemical means, venom, for quickly dispatching prey. however, even among venomous snakes, different prey handling strategies are utilized, varying from the strike-and-hold behaviors exhibited by highly toxic elapid snakes to t ... | 2013 | 23452837 |
| gape size, its morphological basis, and the validity of gape indices in western diamond-backed rattlesnakes (crotalus atrox). | maximum gape is important to the ecology and evolution of many vertebrates, particularly gape-limited predators, because it can restrict the sizes and shapes of prey that can be eaten. although many cranial elements probably contribute to gape, it is typically estimated from jaw length or jaw width, or occasionally from a combination of these two measures. we measured maximum gape directly for 18 individuals of the western diamond-backed rattlesnake, crotalus atrox. we measured each individual's ... | 2013 | 23108999 |
| irreversible inactivation of snake venom l-amino acid oxidase by covalent modification during catalysis of l-propargylglycine. | snake venom l-amino acid oxidase (sv-laao, a flavor-enzyme) has attracted considerable attention due to its multifunctional nature, which is manifest in diverse clinical and biological effects such as inhibition of platelet aggregation, induction of cell apoptosis and cytotoxicity against various cells. the majority of these effects are mediated by h2o2 generated during the catalytic conversion of l-amino acids. the substrate analog l-propargylglycine (lpg) irreversibly inhibited the enzyme from ... | 2013 | 23772385 |
| in silico molecular interaction analysis of ltnf peptide-lt10 with snake venom enzymes. | lethal toxin neutralizing factor (ltnf) isolated from opossum (didephis virginiana) has been shown to exhibit anti-venom and anti-allergic property. the small synthetic peptide- lt10 derived from n-terminal of ltnf also showed this property in vivo. we applied molecular modeling, docking and molecular dynamic (md) simulation techniques to compute the interaction of lt10 peptide with few snake venom enzymes, namely pla2 from naja naja and atrolysin -c from crotalus atrox. our in silico interactio ... | 2014 | 24654849 |
| thrombin-dependent incorporation of von willebrand factor into a fibrin network. | attachment of platelets from the circulation onto a growing thrombus is a process involving multiple platelet receptors, endothelial matrix components, and coagulation factors. it has been indicated previously that during a transglutaminase reaction activated factor xiii (fxiiia) covalently cross-links von willebrand factor (vwf) to polymerizing fibrin. bound vwf further recruits and activates platelets via interactions with the platelet receptor complex glycoprotein ib (gpib). in the present st ... | 2014 | 25381443 |
| organotopic organization of the primary infrared sensitive nucleus (lttd) in the western diamondback rattlesnake (crotalus atrox). | pit vipers (crotalinae) have a specific sensory system that detects infrared radiation with bilateral pit organs in the upper jaw. each pit organ consists of a thin membrane, innervated by three trigeminal nerve branches that project to a specific nucleus in the dorsal hindbrain. the known topographic organization of infrared signals in the optic tectum prompted us to test the implementation of spatiotopically aligned sensory maps through hierarchical neuronal levels from the peripheral epitheli ... | 2014 | 24989331 |