By Christopher Murray - en:Image:Lachesis muta muta.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1120263
Comparative venomics reveals intra, interspecific and ontogenetic changes in the venom composition of Lachesis snakes from Colombia
Author summary
Snakebite envenomation represents a critical public health concern on a global scale, with tropical regions being particularly affected. However, the venoms of Lachesis snakes in Colombia remain a subject of limited scientific understanding. Although Lachesis bites are not commonly reported in the country, when they do occur, they frequently result in severe symptoms and high mortality rates. We applied detailed protein analysis methods to venom samples from fourteen juvenile and adult specimens collected across multiple regions of Colombia. Differences in the relative abundance of several venom components were found. Juveniles of Lachesis acrochorda exhibited higher levels of enzymes that break down blood proteins, while Lachesis muta venom was dominated by enzymes that promote clot formation. Furthermore, male and female venoms differed in the concentration of low molecular weight compounds. These variations could explain the range of clinical symptoms observed after envenomation, the potential impact of the effectiveness of existing antivenoms, and a deeper understanding of Lachesis venom diversity.
Franco-Vásquez AM, Lazcano-Pérez F, Carbajal-Saucedo A, Mejía-Sánchez MA, Meléndez-Martínez D, Corzo G, et al. (2026) Comparative venomics reveals intra, interspecific and ontogenetic changes in the venom composition of Lachesis snakes from Colombia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 20(2): e0014021. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0014021
