TY - JOUR

T1 - Interpopulational variation and ontogenetic shift in the venom composition of Lataste's viper (Vipera latastei, Boscá 1878) from northern Portugal

AU - Avella, Ignazio

AU - Calvete, Juan J.

AU - Sanz, Libia

AU - Wüster, Wolfgang

AU - Licata, Fulvio

AU - Quesada-Bernat, Sarai

AU - Rodriguez, Yania

AU - Martínez-Freiría, Fernando

PY - 2022/7/15

Y1 - 2022/7/15

N2 - Lataste's viper (Vipera latastei) is a venomous European viper endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, recognised as medically important by the World Health Organization. To date, no comprehensive characterisation of this species' venom has been reported. Here, we analysed the venoms of juvenile and adult specimens of V. latastei from two environmentally different populations from northern Portugal. Using bottom-up venomics, we produced six venom proteomes (three per population) from vipers belonging to both age classes (i.e., two juveniles and four adults), and RP-HPLC profiles of 54 venoms collected from wild specimens. Venoms from juveniles and adults differed in their chromatographic profiles and relative abundances of their toxins, suggesting the occurrence of ontogenetic changes in venom composition. Specifically, snake venom metalloproteinase (SVMP) was the most abundant toxin family in juvenile venoms, while snake venom serine proteinases (SVSPs), phospholipases A2 (PLA2s), and C-type lectin-like (CTLs) proteins were the main toxins comprising adult venoms. The RP-HPLC venom profiles were found to vary significantly between the two sampled localities, indicating geographic variability. Furthermore, the presence/absence of certain peaks in the venom chromatographic profiles appeared to be significantly correlated also to factors like body size and sex of the vipers. Our findings show that V. latastei venom is a variable phenotype. The intraspecific differences we detected in its composition likely mirror changes in the feeding ecology of this species, taking place during different life stages and under different environmental pressures.

AB - Lataste's viper (Vipera latastei) is a venomous European viper endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, recognised as medically important by the World Health Organization. To date, no comprehensive characterisation of this species' venom has been reported. Here, we analysed the venoms of juvenile and adult specimens of V. latastei from two environmentally different populations from northern Portugal. Using bottom-up venomics, we produced six venom proteomes (three per population) from vipers belonging to both age classes (i.e., two juveniles and four adults), and RP-HPLC profiles of 54 venoms collected from wild specimens. Venoms from juveniles and adults differed in their chromatographic profiles and relative abundances of their toxins, suggesting the occurrence of ontogenetic changes in venom composition. Specifically, snake venom metalloproteinase (SVMP) was the most abundant toxin family in juvenile venoms, while snake venom serine proteinases (SVSPs), phospholipases A2 (PLA2s), and C-type lectin-like (CTLs) proteins were the main toxins comprising adult venoms. The RP-HPLC venom profiles were found to vary significantly between the two sampled localities, indicating geographic variability. Furthermore, the presence/absence of certain peaks in the venom chromatographic profiles appeared to be significantly correlated also to factors like body size and sex of the vipers. Our findings show that V. latastei venom is a variable phenotype. The intraspecific differences we detected in its composition likely mirror changes in the feeding ecology of this species, taking place during different life stages and under different environmental pressures.

KW - snake venom

KW - toxins

KW - bottom-up proteomics

KW - ontogenetic change

KW - geographic variability

KW - venom variation

U2 - 10.1016/j.jprot.2022.104613

DO - 10.1016/j.jprot.2022.104613

M3 - Article

VL - 263

JO - Journal of Proteomics

JF - Journal of Proteomics

SN - 1874-3919

M1 - 104613

ER -