TY - JOUR

T1 - Bacterial Adaptation to Venom in Snakes and Arachnida

AU - Esmaeilishirazifard, Elham

AU - Usher, Louise

AU - Trim, Carol

AU - Sangal, Vartul

AU - Tyson, Gregory F.

AU - Barlow, Axel

AU - Redway, Keith F.

AU - Taylor, John D.

AU - Kremida-Vlachou, Myrto

AU - Davies, Sam

AU - Loftus, Teresa D.

AU - Lock, Mikaella M.G.

AU - Wright, Kstir

AU - Dalby, Andrew

AU - Snyder, Lori A.S.

AU - Wüster, Wolfgang

AU - Trim, Steve

AU - Moschos, Sterghios A.

PY - 2022/6/29

Y1 - 2022/6/29

N2 - Animal venoms are considered sterile sources of antimicrobial compounds with strong membrane-disrupting activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria. However, venomous bite wound infections are common in developing nations. Investigating the envenomation organ and venom microbiota of five snake and two spider species, we observed venom community structures that depend on the host venomous animal spe- cies and evidenced recovery of viable microorganisms from black-necked spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis) and Indian ornamental tarantula (Poecilotheria regalis) venoms. Among the bacterial isolates recovered from N. nigricollis, we identified two venom-resistant, novel sequence types of Enterococcus faecalis whose genomes feature 16 virulence genes, indicating infectious potential, and 45 additional genes, nearly half of which improve bacterial membrane integrity. Our findings challenge the dogma of venom ste- rility and indicate an increased primary infection risk in the clinical management of ven- omous animal bite wounds.

AB - Animal venoms are considered sterile sources of antimicrobial compounds with strong membrane-disrupting activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria. However, venomous bite wound infections are common in developing nations. Investigating the envenomation organ and venom microbiota of five snake and two spider species, we observed venom community structures that depend on the host venomous animal spe- cies and evidenced recovery of viable microorganisms from black-necked spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis) and Indian ornamental tarantula (Poecilotheria regalis) venoms. Among the bacterial isolates recovered from N. nigricollis, we identified two venom-resistant, novel sequence types of Enterococcus faecalis whose genomes feature 16 virulence genes, indicating infectious potential, and 45 additional genes, nearly half of which improve bacterial membrane integrity. Our findings challenge the dogma of venom ste- rility and indicate an increased primary infection risk in the clinical management of ven- omous animal bite wounds.

KW - drug resistance evolution

KW - extremophiles

KW - genome analysis

KW - microbiome

KW - multidrug resistance

KW - venom

U2 - https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02408-21

DO - https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02408-21

M3 - Article

C2 - 35604233

VL - 10

JO - Microbiology Spectrum

JF - Microbiology Spectrum

IS - 3

M1 - e0240821

ER -