Venom composition of the Iberian adder (Vipera seoanei) from northern Portugal reveals limited sex and size variation

  Venom composition of the Iberian adder (Vipera seoanei) from northern Portugal reveals limited sex and size variation Abstract Snake venom is a complex and dynamic ecological trait, with high potential for intraspecific variation. In this study, the venom composition of the Iberian adder ( Vipera seoanei ) from the Peneda Mountains of northern Portugal was investigated to explore whether venom varies with body size and sex. Venom proteomes from six individuals representing juvenile, subadult, and adult males and females were characterised using LC–MS/MS, while individual variation was assessed from SDS–PAGE profiles of 18 snakes. LC–MS/MS identified 144 proteins, dominated by phospholipases A 2 (PLA 2 ), snake venom serine proteases (svSP), and C-type lectin-related proteins (CTL). Descriptive comparisons revealed contrasting individual profiles, particularly between the juvenile male, characterised by high svSP and svMP abundance, and the juvenile female, characterised by high ...

Comparison of two populations of the scorpion Centruroides mascota: venom composition and neutralization by a human recombinant antibody

 


Centruroides mascota scorpion was described in 2011 by Ponce Saavedra's group as a species of medical importance in the state of Jalisco. In this study, we characterized two populations of scorpions collected in the states of Jalisco and Nayarit. Through a morphometric analysis, the determination of the LD50 of the respective venoms, electrophoresis, separation of their components by HPLC, mass spectrometry, and neutralization tests, it has been possible to establish that they correspond to the same species, distributed in different habitats. The scFv 10FG2 antibody fragment, which shows broad cross-neutralization of various scorpion toxins, was evaluated for the first time in the recognition of toxins from this venom and in its neutralization. The recombinant antibody fragment 10FG2 neutralizes 2 LD50 of venom of Centruroides mascota from both localities.

Gómez-Ramírez, I. V., Gonzalez-Santillán, E., Romero-Moreno, J. A., Fernández-Taboada, G., Güereca, L., Zamudio, F., Possani, L. D., Riaño-Umbarila, L., & Becerril, B. (2026). Comparison of two populations of the scorpion Centruroides mascota: Venom composition and neutralization by a human recombinant antibody. Toxicon, 109095. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2026.109095