Extreme venom variation in Middle Eastern vipers: A proteomics comparison of Eristicophis macmahonii, Pseudocerastes fieldi and Pseudocerastes persicus

Syed A. Ali, Timothy N.W. Jackson, Nicholas R. Casewell, Dolyce H.W. Low, Sarah Rossi, Kate Baumann, Behzad Fathinia, Jeroen Visser, Amanda Nouwens, Iwan Hendrikx, Alun Jones, Eivind AB Undheim, Bryan G. Fry

Venoms of the viperid sister genera Eristicophis and Pseudocerastes are poorly studied despite their anecdotal reputation for producing severe or even lethal envenomations. This is due in part to the remote and politically unstable regions that they occupy. All species contained are sit and wait ambush feeders. Thus, this study examined their venoms through proteomics techniques in order to establish if this feeding ecology, and putatively low levels of gene flow, have resulted in significant variations in venom profile. The techniques indeed revealed extreme venom variation. This has immediate implications as only one antivenom is made (using the venom of Pseudocerastes persicus) yet the proteomic variation suggests that it would be of only limited use for the other species, even the sister species Pseudocerastes fieldi. The high degree of variation however also points toward these species being rich resources for novel compounds which may have use as lead molecules in drug design and development.