Venom research is a diverse field that requires equally diverse assay approaches. Many methods widely used for ascertaining coagulotoxicity and neurotoxicity are manually intensive and consequently are low-throughput and error prone. Using high-throughpout, advanced robotics platforms, we have developed a series of assays to remove these bottlenecks.
Coagulotoxicity results using the Stago STA R Max coagulation analysing robot include:
- More Australian snake lineages than previously appreciated are potent activators of prothrombin, and that antivenom efficacy does not follow phylogenetic affinity.
- The procoagulant toxicity of Bothrops is underpinned by differential activation of factor X and prothrombin, with factor X activating toxins poorly neutralised by antivenom.
- Indian antivenoms sold in Africa fail to neutralise saw-scaled viper venoms.
- Australian blue tongue skinks are resistant to the procoagulant effects of sympatric predatory elapid snakes, but varanid lizards do not display resistance to elapid snakes upon which they feed.
Neurotoxicity results using the Octet HTX biomolecular interaction platform include:
- Prey selective alpha-neurotoxic effects of specialist lineages are taxon selective, such upon snakes for king cobra venoms, while showing that generalist species such as death adders display nearly equipotent toxicity across diverse taxon.
- While alpha-neurotoxicity is not a significant feature following envenomations in humans by African spitting cobras, the venoms are highly neurotoxic against prey lineages such as amphibians.
- Determination of the amino acids that confer toxin resistance in predators of venomous snakes such as the honey badger and those of conferring resistance by slow moving snakes such as pythons vulnerable to predation by venomous snakes.
- Elucidation of the neurotoxic mechanisms of stonefish venom upon calcium ion channels and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.
These diverse discoveries underscore the flexibility of these approaches and therefore their broad utility in venom research.