Snakebite envenoming is a serious neglected tropical disease that affects ~5 million people worldwide annually, leading to ~400,000 amputations and >100,000 deaths. In India nearly 300 snake species inhabit the varying habitats across the country, of which more than 60 are venomous, 40+ mildly venomous. In India alone, the high rural population density combined with the presence of the ‘big four’ deadly snakes, namely the Indian cobra (Naja naja), Russell’s viper (Daboia russelli), saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) and common krait (Bungarus caeruleus), results in >100,000 snakebite-related deaths annually, however the epidemiology is not concrete.

Snake venoms are trophic adaptations that shape polymorphic traits under strong natural selection. Venom compositional variation is substantial within and among venomous snake species. However, the forces shaping this phenotypic complexity, as well as the potential integrated roles of biotic and abiotic factors. Divergent phenotypes characterize major axes of venom variation in this species and are highly dependent on genetic variation of a myotoxin-rich region of the genome.

This discovery underscores the critical need for accurate measurement and comparison of toxin diversity. Understanding this variability is crucial for deciphering the biological, clinical, and evolutionary implications of snake venom composition and structural variation to develop more efficient anti-venome. The Consortium’s research provides a crucial first step in this pursuit, showcasing the remarkable heterogeneity hidden within the venoms of even a single species. Genetic diversity on venom production within the same species is instigating the scientific community to expand the snake genetic research to understand the adaptation of venom diversity under different geographical settings. As India acquered diverse geographical heterogeneity that starts from sea to mountains including tropical forest along with diverse species of snakes, the mapping of snake genome across the diverse geographical area is critically important to address the critical need of the venom industry for the development of accurate therapeutics.

Ref : https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms13107

Ref : https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms13107