Animal venoms are complex mixtures of bioactive peptides and proteins with diverse pharmacological effects. These active molecules make up the components of venom toxins responsible for many pathological outcomes in snake envenomation. Although venom toxins can be deadly, they can potentially be lifesaving once their respective pharmacological targets and mechanistic actions are better understood. For example, the discovery of captopril from Brazilian viper, Bothrops jararaca venom which has been shown to antagonise angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) for the treatment of hypertension.
‘Omics’ has allowed for the profiling of proteins that all contribute to the phenotypic properties of venoms, The advancement of the “omics” approach, ranging from venom gland transcriptome to state-of-art proteome levels, has allowed for progress in understanding these phenotypic characteristics of venom proteins and their potentials. These developments have enabled the discovery of ‘hit’ toxins for bio-characterization, identifying their pharmacological potential, and predicting their mechanistic actions. A combination of experimental and computational approaches (including bioinformatics and molecular modeling) has facilitated the identification and validation of molecular targets of these venom proteins.
This Research Topic aims to invite pioneering researchers to disseminate their findings and perspectives on the emerging combinatory approach in venom toxins with significant pharmacological actions for discovery as biotherapeutic candidates. The manuscripts of this thematic topic will have the potential to be used for the biotherapeutic development of venom peptides and proteins.
We invite submissions of research articles, short communication, and reviews including, but not limited to, the following areas:
• Applications of -omics in discovering bioactive peptides and proteins from animal venoms, including snakes, spiders, scorpions, cone snails, etc.
• Bio-characterisation of isolated/ purified venom peptides and proteins with mechanistic actions.
• Bio-characterisation of recombinant expressed venom peptides and proteins (with known identity), the mechanistic actions of the venom peptides and proteins with known molecular targets.
• Pharmacology of bioactive peptides and proteins from snake venom (pharmacokinetics studies are acceptable).
• Identifying and validating molecular targets using experimental and computational approaches, including molecular docking and modelling (solely computational work is not acceptable).
• Structure-activity relationships of venom peptides and proteins.
Animal venoms are complex mixtures of bioactive peptides and proteins with diverse pharmacological effects. These active molecules make up the components of venom toxins responsible for many pathological outcomes in snake envenomation. Although venom toxins can be deadly, they can potentially be lifesaving once their respective pharmacological targets and mechanistic actions are better understood. For example, the discovery of captopril from Brazilian viper, Bothrops jararaca venom which has been shown to antagonise angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) for the treatment of hypertension.
‘Omics’ has allowed for the profiling of proteins that all contribute to the phenotypic properties of venoms, The advancement of the “omics” approach, ranging from venom gland transcriptome to state-of-art proteome levels, has allowed for progress in understanding these phenotypic characteristics of venom proteins and their potentials. These developments have enabled the discovery of ‘hit’ toxins for bio-characterization, identifying their pharmacological potential, and predicting their mechanistic actions. A combination of experimental and computational approaches (including bioinformatics and molecular modeling) has facilitated the identification and validation of molecular targets of these venom proteins.
This Research Topic aims to invite pioneering researchers to disseminate their findings and perspectives on the emerging combinatory approach in venom toxins with significant pharmacological actions for discovery as biotherapeutic candidates. The manuscripts of this thematic topic will have the potential to be used for the biotherapeutic development of venom peptides and proteins.
We invite submissions of research articles, short communication, and reviews including, but not limited to, the following areas:
• Applications of -omics in discovering bioactive peptides and proteins from animal venoms, including snakes, spiders, scorpions, cone snails, etc.
• Bio-characterisation of isolated/ purified venom peptides and proteins with mechanistic actions.
• Bio-characterisation of recombinant expressed venom peptides and proteins (with known identity), the mechanistic actions of the venom peptides and proteins with known molecular targets.
• Pharmacology of bioactive peptides and proteins from snake venom (pharmacokinetics studies are acceptable).
• Identifying and validating molecular targets using experimental and computational approaches, including molecular docking and modelling (solely computational work is not acceptable).
• Structure-activity relationships of venom peptides and proteins.