Bacterial Adaptation to Venom in Snakes and Arachnida
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In: Microbiology Spectrum, Vol. 10, No. 3, e0240821, 29.06.2022.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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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 - 10.1128/spectrum.02408-21
DO - 10.1128/spectrum.02408-21
M3 - Article
C2 - 35604233
VL - 10
JO - Microbiology Spectrum
JF - Microbiology Spectrum
IS - 3
M1 - e0240821
ER -