| in vitro neuromuscular activity of 'colubrid' venoms: clinical and evolutionary implications. | in this study, venoms from species in the colubrinae, homalopsinae, natricinae, pseudoxyrhophiinae and psammophiinae snake families were assayed for activity in the chick biventer cervicis skeletal nerve muscle preparation. boiga dendrophila, boiga cynodon, boiga dendrophila gemincincta, boiga drapiezii, boiga irregularis, boiga nigriceps and telescopus dhara venoms (10 microg/ml) displayed postsynaptic neuromuscular activity as evidenced by inhibition of indirect (0.1 hz, 0.2 ms, supramaximal v ... | 2004 | 15284016 |
| indirect effects of large herbivores on snakes in an african savanna. | many large mammal species are declining in african savannas, yet we understand relatively little about how these declines influence other species. previous studies have shown that the removal of large herbivorous mammals from large-scale, replicated experimental plots results in a dramatic increase in the density of small mammals, an increase that has been attributed to the relaxation of competition between rodents and large herbivores for food resources. to assess whether the removal of large h ... | 2006 | 17089673 |
| differential evolution and neofunctionalization of snake venom metalloprotease domains. | snake venom metalloproteases (svmp) are composed of five domains: signal peptide, propeptide, metalloprotease, disintegrin, and cysteine-rich. secreted toxins are typically combinatorial variations of the latter three domains. the svmp-encoding genes of psammophis mossambicus venom are unique in containing only the signal and propeptide domains. we show that the psammophis svmp propeptide evolves rapidly and is subject to a high degree of positive selection. unlike psammophis, some species of ec ... | 2013 | 23242553 |