Maintenance of venomous snakes in captivity for venom production at Butantan Institute from 1908 to the present: a scoping history.

Maintenance of snakes at Butantan Institute started in the last century, intending to produce a different antivenom serum to reduce death caused by snakebites. Through a successful campaign coordinated by Vital Brazil, farmers sent venomous snakes to Butantan Institute by the railway lines with no cost. From 1908 to 1962, the snakes were kept in an outdoor serpentarium, where venom extraction was performed every 15 days. During this period, the snake average survival was 15 days. In 1963, the snakes were transferred to an adapted building, currently called Laboratory of Herpetology (LH), to be maintained in an intensive system. Although the periodicity of venom extraction remained the same, animal average survival increased to two months. With the severe serum crisis in 1983, the Ministry of Health financed remodeling for the three public antivenom producers, and with this support, the LH could be improved. Air conditioning and exhausting systems were installed in the rooms, besides the settlement of critical hygienic-sanitary managements to increase the welfare of snakes. In the early 1990s, snake survival was ten months. Over the years to the present day, several improvements have been made in the intensive serpentarium, as the establishment of two quarantines, feeding with thawed rodents, an interval of two months between venom extraction routines, and monitoring of snake health through laboratory tests. With these new protocols, average snake survival increased significantly, being eight years for the genus Bothrops, ten years for genus Crotalus and Lachesis, and four years for the genus Micrurus. Aiming the production of venoms of good quality, respect for good management practices is essential for the maintenance of snakes in captivity. New techniques and efficient management must always be sought to improve animal welfare, the quality of the venom produced, and the safety of those working directly with the venomous snakes.

Maintenance of venomous snakes in captivity for venom production at Butantan Institute from 1908 to the present: a scoping history

Maintenance of snakes at Butantan Institute started in the last century, intending to produce a different antivenom serum to reduce death caused by snakebites. Through a successful campaign coordinated by Vital Brazil, farmers sent venomous snakes to Butantan Institute by the railway lines with no cost. From 1908 to 1962, the snakes were kept in an outdoor serpentarium, where venom extraction was performed every 15 days. During this period, the snake average survival was 15 days. In 1963, the snakes were transferred to an adapted building, currently called Laboratory of Herpetology (LH), to be maintained in an intensive system. Although the periodicity of venom extraction remained the same, animal average survival increased to two months. With the severe serum crisis in 1983, the Ministry of Health financed remodeling for the three public antivenom producers, and with this support, the LH could be improved. Air conditioning and exhausting systems were installed in the rooms, besides the settlement of critical hygienic-sanitary managements to increase the welfare of snakes. In the early 1990s, snake survival was ten months. Over the years to the present day, several improvements have been made in the intensive serpentarium, as the establishment of two quarantines, feeding with thawed rodents, an interval of two months between venom extraction routines, and monitoring of snake health through laboratory tests. With these new protocols, average snake survival increased significantly, being eight years for the genus Bothrops, ten years for genus Crotalus and Lachesis, and four years for the genus Micrurus. Aiming the production of venoms of good quality, respect for good management practices is essential for the maintenance of snakes in captivity. New techniques and efficient management must always be sought to improve animal welfare, the quality of the venom produced, and the safety of those working directly with the venomous snakes.

Maintenance of venomous snakes in captivity for venom production at Butantan Institute from 1908 to the present: a scoping history

Maintenance of snakes at Butantan Institute started in the last century, intending to produce a different antivenom serum to reduce death caused by snakebites. Through a successful campaign coordinated by Vital Brazil, farmers sent venomous snakes to Butantan Institute by the railway lines with no cost. From 1908 to 1962, the snakes were kept in an outdoor serpentarium, where venom extraction was performed every 15 days. During this period, the snake average survival was 15 days. In 1963, the snakes were transferred to an adapted building, currently called Laboratory of Herpetology (LH), to be maintained in an intensive system. Although the periodicity of venom extraction remained the same, animal average survival increased to two months. With the severe serum crisis in 1983, the Ministry of Health financed remodeling for the three public antivenom producers, and with this support, the LH could be improved. Air conditioning and exhausting systems were installed in the rooms, besides the settlement of critical hygienic-sanitary managements to increase the welfare of snakes. In the early 1990s, snake survival was ten months. Over the years to the present day, several improvements have been made in the intensive serpentarium, as the establishment of two quarantines, feeding with thawed rodents, an interval of two months between venom extraction routines, and monitoring of snake health through laboratory tests. With these new protocols, average snake survival increased significantly, being eight years for the genus Bothrops, ten years for genus Crotalus and Lachesis, and four years for the genus Micrurus. Aiming the production of venoms of good quality, respect for good management practices is essential for the maintenance of snakes in captivity. New techniques and efficient management must always be sought to improve animal welfare, the quality of the venom produced, and the safety of those working directly with the venomous snakes.(AU)

Bothrops jararaca venom proteome rearrangement upon neonate to adult transition

The pharmacological activities displayed by Bothrops jararaca venom undergo a significant ontogenetic shift. Similarly, the diet of this species changes from ectothermic prey in early life to endothermic prey in adulthood. In this study we used large and representative newborn and adult venom samples consisting of pools from 694 and 110 specimens, respectively, and demonstrate a significant ontogenetic shift in the venom proteome complexity of B. jararaca. 2‐DE coupled to MS protein identification showed a clear rearrangement of the toxin arsenal both in terms of the total proteome, as of the glycoproteome. N‐glycosylation seems to play a key role in venom protein variability between newborn and adult specimens. Upon the snake development, the subproteome of metalloproteinases undergoes a shift from a P‐III‐rich to a P‐I‐rich profile while the serine proteinase profile does not vary significantly. We also used isobaric tag labeling (iTRAQ) of venom tryptic peptides for the first time to examine the quantitative changes in the venom toxins of B. jararaca upon neonate to adult transition. The iTRAQ analysis showed changes in various toxin classes, especially the proteinases. Our study expands the in‐depth understanding of venom complexity variation particularly with regard to toxin families that have been associated with envenomation pathogenesis.

Sexual dimorphism in development and venom production of the insular threatened pit viper Bothrops insularis (Serpentes Viperidae) of Queimada Grande Island, Brazil

Bothrops insularis is a threatened snake endemic to Queimada Grande Island, southern coast of São Paulo, Brazil, and the occurrence of sexual abnormalities in females (females with functional ovaries and rudimentary hemipenis) has been reported in this population. To date there are few data regarding developmental features of this particular species. The aim of this study was to follow some developmental features in specimens maintained in captivity for seven years in the Herpetology Laboratory at Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil. We verified a pronounced sexual dimorphism in development and venom production in the specimens analyzed. In this regard, females showed greater length, mass and amount of venom in comparison to males. Our results suggest a possible niche partitioning between the sexes that reduces (or minimizes) intraspecific disharmonic interactions (eg. competition) on their small living area (Queimada Grande Island). Taken together, our data suggest that males and females probably are divergent in their diets, with females feeding preferentially on endothermic prey (such as migratory birds), while males maintain the juvenile diet (with the major items being ectothermic prey).

A atuação do Instituto Butantan na amazônia no século XX / The Instituto Butantan's performance in the Amazon in 20th century

Instituto Butantan possui um amplo histórico na amazônia Legal durante sua trajetória. Apresentamos um panorama da participação da instituição na região, seja na ciência ou em serviços prestados a comunidades durante o século passado e o início do século XXI. Historicamente, o desempenho envolveu diversificadas ações: formação de recursos humanos, na forma de cursos e palestras sobre saúde pública, higiene e ofidismo; inspeções sanitárias; expedições científicas para coleta de serpentes em campo; auxilia em coleções zoológicas regionais; remessas de animais por fornecedores privados e institucionais [Instituto Nacional de Pesquisa da amazônia - INPA e Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi - MPEG]; auxílio à Força Armada Brasileira; participação em resgates de herpetofauna durante o processo de construção de barragens de usinas hidrelétricas. Estas atuações resultam em publicações sobre a distribuição geográfica, biologia e descrições sistemáticas da fauna ofídica amazônica. Atualmente a Coleção Herpetológica 'Alphonse Richard Hoge', formada por coletas, permutas e doações, contém importante acervo de serpentes neotropicais da amazônia, imprescindíveis para qualquer estudo a ser realizado sobre este grupo zoológicopor pesquisadores nacionais e internacionais. [AU]

Variability in expression of Bothrops insularis snake venom proteases: An ontogenetic approach

Bothrops insularis is a threatened snake endemic to Queimada Grande Island, southern coast of São Paulo, Brazil, and the occurrence of sexual abnormalities in males, females and intersexes (females with functional ovaries and rudimentary hemipenis) has been reported in this population. The aim of this study was to identify ontogenetic shifts in protease expression of offspring of captive-bred B. insularis. Three neonates from a single litter were maintained at the facilities of Laboratory of Herpetology, Institute Butantan, for 41 months. The snakes were individually milked and venoms were analyzed both by SDS-PAGE, under reducing conditions, and for biochemical activities. The venoms from the mother and from a pool of adult specimens were used as references. In regard to the electrophoretic patterns, common bands were identified mainly between 14 and 50 kDa among snakes. The occurrence of proteolytic activity was noticed predominantly between 27 and 45 kDa in zymograms. Inhibitory assays with 1,10-phenantroline (10 mM) and PMSF (5 mM) showed that venoms possessed both metalloproteases and serine proteases. Venoms of young specimens showed a higher coagulant activity than those of adults, especially upon factors X and II. All venoms presented fibrino(geno)lytic activity, degrading Aα and Bβ chains of fibrinogen, and lysing fibrin plate. These findings can reflect important individual, ontogenetic and sexual differences on venom composition and are likely correlated with diet habits of this species.

Estudo comparativo entre os venenos de serpentes do gênero Bothrops, procedentes do Estado de Säo Paulo e do Estado do Paraná com algumas espécies morfologicamente duvidosas / Comparative study between snakes' venoms of Bothrops class, proceeding of Säo Paulo State and Paraná State with some species morphologic dubious

Os venenos de serpentes Bothrops moojeni, Bothrops neuwied e Bothrops jararacussu procedentes do Estado de Säo Paulo, foram comparados com os venenos das mesmas espécies procedentes da regiäo de Itaipú, Estado do Paraná e de alguns exemplares de serpentes de Itaipú com características morfológicas entre B. moojeni e B. neuwiedi e entre B. moojeni e B. jararacussu. Os parâmetros analisados foram: letalidade, eletroforese em gel de poliacrilamina com SDS, imunodifusäo e imunoeletroforese. Os valores da DL50 dos venenos das espécies B. moojeni e B. neuwiedi, näo apresentam diferenças significativas quanto à letalidade; contudo, os venenos de B. jararacussu apresentam diferenças, sendo que os espécimes de Säo Paulo possuem letalidade mais elevada em relaçäo aos de Itaipu. Os venenos de B. moojeni e B. neuwied procedentes das duas regioes näo apresentaram variaçöes em seus padröes eletroforéticos, já os venenos de B. jararacussu apresentaram algumas diferenças nos eletroferogramas. Os exemplares de serpentes de Itaipu com características morfológicas entre B. moojeni e B. neuwiedi (Bothrops sp1) e entre B. moojeni e B. jararacussu (Bothrops sp2), quanto ao perfil eletroforético, assemelham-se ao veneno da espécie B. moojeni. A análise dos componentes imunogênicos dos venenos das três espécies, através das técnicas de imunodifusäo e imunoeletroforese, näo apresentam variaçöes apreciáveis

Influências sazonal e do processo de extraçäo sobre a produçäo, toxicidade do veneno e sobrevida de Bothrops Jararaca (Wied, 1824) / Seasonable influences and process of extraction about production, venom's toxicity and Bothrops Jararaca's surviving (Wied, 1824)

Foram utilizadas, no presente trabalho, 240 serpentes da espécie Bothrops jararaca: 120 animais foram estudados durante o inverno e 120, durante o veräo. Estes grupos foram submetidos a diferentes tratamentos: 60 serpentes tiveram seus venenos extraídos, numa sequência de quatro operaçöes, pelo processo elétrico, e 60, em igual número de extraçöes, pelo processo manual, no inverno. Outro grupo de 120 ofídios foram submetidos ao mesmo procedimento, porém no veräo. Verificaram que as maiores porcentagens de mortes após quatro extraçöes foram registradas no inverno pelo processo elétrico (35,59%). Quanto à produçäo do veneno, foi constatado que o maior rendimento ocorre no veräo pelo processo manual. A toxicidade foi aferida através da determinaçäo de DL50 em camundongos inoculados pela via intraperitoneal