A snapshot of Bothrops jararaca snake venom gland subcellular proteome

The synthesis of snake venom proteins is subjected to finely regulated processes in the specialized secretory epithelium within the venom gland. Such processes occur within a defined time frame in the cell and at specific cellular locations. Thus, the determination of subcellular proteomes allows the characterization of protein groups for which the site may be relevant to their biological roles, thereby allowing the deconvolution of complex biological circuits into functional information. In the case of snake venom glands, subcellular proteome analysis could help understand the molecular basis of venom variability. Consequently, knowing the functional implications of such phenotypic plasticity could prove relevant in envenoming treatment and biological research. In this regard, we performed subcellular fractionation of proteins from B. jararaca snake venom gland, focusing on nuclear proteins since this cellular compartment comprises key effectors that shape gene expression. Our results provided a snapshot of B. jararaca's subcellular venom gland proteome. They pointed to a 'conserved' proteome core among different life stages (newborn and adult) and between genders (adult male and female).