Abstract
Micrurus clarki is an uncommon coral snake distributed from the Southeastern Pacific of Costa Rica to Western Colombia, for which no information on its venom could be found in the literature. Using a ‘venomics’ approach, proteins of at least nine families were identified, with a moderate predominance of three-finger toxins (3FTx; 48.2%) over phospholipase A2 (PLA2; 36.5%). Comparison of this venom profile with those of other Micrurus species suggests that it may represent a more balanced, ‘intermediate’ type within the dichotomy between 3FTx- and PLA2-predominant venoms. M. clarki venom was strongly cross-recognized and, accordingly, efficiently neutralized by an equine therapeutic antivenom against M. nigrocinctus, revealing their high antigenic similarity. Lethal activity for mice could be reproduced by a PLA2 venom fraction, but, unexpectedly, not by fractions corresponding to 3FTxs. The most abundant venom component, hereby named clarkitoxin-I, was identified as a short-chain (type I) 3FTx, devoid of lethal effect in mice, whose target remains to be defined. Its amino acid sequence of 66 residues shows high similarity with predicted sequences of venom gland transcripts described for M. fulvius, M. browni, and M. diastema.
Highlights
Coral snakes (Elapidae) comprise some 71 species that are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the New World, from Southeastern USA to Central Argentina [1,2,3].Envenomings by these snakes are far less frequent than those inflicted by viperids, but are of medical concern [4,5].Micrurus clarki (Figure 1A) is an uncommon, slender to medially robust coral snake with a reported maximum length of 920 mm, most adults average between 400 and 600 mm
M. clarki has a discontinuous distribution from the Tárcoles basin in Central Pacific Costa Rica southward to the Pacific lowlands of Western Panamá, where it inhabits lowlands of the Canal Zone, to Pacific
The present study shows that the venom of M. clarki clearly departs from this trend, by presenting a strong immunological cross-reactivity with the venom of M. nigrocinctus, which leads to an excellent cross-neutralization by its antivenom
Summary
Coral snakes (Elapidae) comprise some 71 species that are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the New World, from Southeastern USA to Central Argentina [1,2,3].Envenomings by these snakes are far less frequent than those inflicted by viperids, but are of medical concern [4,5].Micrurus clarki (Figure 1A) is an uncommon, slender to medially robust coral snake with a reported maximum length of 920 mm, most adults average between 400 and 600 mm. Coral snakes (Elapidae) comprise some 71 species that are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the New World, from Southeastern USA to Central Argentina [1,2,3]. Envenomings by these snakes are far less frequent than those inflicted by viperids, but are of medical concern [4,5]. Micrurus clarki (Figure 1A) is an uncommon, slender to medially robust coral snake with a reported maximum length of 920 mm, most adults average between 400 and 600 mm This species has a tricolored pattern with narrow yellow bands bordering the black bands followed by single red bands, and a characteristic black head cap that extends over most of the snout and parietals. M. clarki inhabits tropical wet forest, and transitional tropical wet-tropical dry forest, where it is mostly found at low elevations, with some
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