Tein-Shun Tsai | National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (original) (raw)

Papers by Tein-Shun Tsai

Research paper thumbnail of Full sequencing and comparison of five venom metalloproteases of Trimeresurus gracilis: The PI-enzyme is most similar to okinalysin but the PIII-enzyme is most similar to Crotalus venom enzymes

Research paper thumbnail of Species Identification of Shed Snake Skins in Taiwan and Adjacent Islands

PubMed, 2017

Tein-Shun Tsai and Jean-Jay Mao (2017) Shed snake skins have many applications for humans and oth... more Tein-Shun Tsai and Jean-Jay Mao (2017) Shed snake skins have many applications for humans and other animals, and can provide much useful information to a field survey. When properly prepared and identified, a shed snake skin can be used as an important voucher; the morphological descriptions of the shed skins may be critical for taxonomic research, as well as studies of snake ecology and conservation. However, few convenient/ expeditious methods or techniques to identify shed snake skins in specific areas have been developed. In this study, we collected and examined a total of 1,260 shed skin samples - including 322 samples from neonates/ juveniles and 938 from subadults/adults - from 53 snake species in Taiwan and adjacent islands, and developed the first guide to identify them. To the naked eye or from scanned images, the sheds of almost all species could be identified if most of the shed was collected. The key features that aided in identification included the patterns on the sheds and scale morphology. Ontogenetic differences and intraspecific variation in the patterns of sheds were evident in some snake species, and the proportion of young snakes with patterned shed skins was larger than that of adults. The retention of markings on the ventral side of the body (especially the ventral head) during sloughing was much lower than that on the dorsal side. We hope that this pioneering work will not only encourage other researchers to develop similar keys for their country, but also promote local schools, organizations, and citizen scientists to conduct snake inventories.

Research paper thumbnail of An Improved Technique for Obtaining Accurate and Precise Morphometric Data on Snakes

Zoological Science, Jun 1, 2018

Morphometric measurements are basic but essential data in morphological and ecological research. ... more Morphometric measurements are basic but essential data in morphological and ecological research. It is thus beneficial to develop a safe, convenient, multipurpose device/technique to determine body length and physical characteristics of living snakes with high accuracy/precision and low stress, and to enable the probing of snakes and collection of tissue samples. To meet these requirements, we developed an improved technique, which we named the Confining-Box Method (CBM). On measuring the body lengths of a total of 72 live snakes, we found significant differences in the accuracy and precision of measurements among the squeeze-box method, the anesthesia method, and the CBM, as well as between vertebral line and the mid-ventral line measurements. Body lengths, as measured along the vertebral line and corrected for perspective errors, using the CBM, did not differ significantly from the standard lengths measured by hand using anesthesia. The squeeze-box method produced substantial negative bias and/or less precision in ventral measurements, especially for large snakes (> 1.2 m in snout-vent length). The differences between measurers were much smaller than among the different techniques. Compared to the anesthesia technique, CBM is a fast and simple method that is also safer for snakes. Unlike the traditional squeeze-box technique, CBM can record both dorsal and ventral body images of snakes simultaneously and enable researchers to measure accurate and/or precise total length (from dorsal images), tail length (from ventral images), and snout-vent length using images from a single photography session. CBM could therefore become a standard to improve measurement consistency, allowing improved data comparison in future studies.

Research paper thumbnail of When Prey Acts as a Lever: Prey-Handling Behavior of the Chinese Green Tree Viper, Trimeresurus stejnegeri stejnegeri (Viperidae: Crotalinae)

Zoological Studies, Sep 1, 2007

Tein-Shun Tsai (2007) When prey acts as a lever: prey-handling behavior of the Chinese green tree... more Tein-Shun Tsai (2007) When prey acts as a lever: prey-handling behavior of the Chinese green tree viper, Trimeresurus stejnegeri stejnegeri (Viperidae: Crotalinae). Zoological Studies 46(5): 631-637. Snakes may use tongue flicking and snout touching to locate the head-end of immobilized prey, but tongue use is limited when snakes are holding prey after a strike. In this condition, how can they differentiate the anterior and posterior ends of the prey so that they still ingest their prey mainly from the anterior end? To answer the question, I analyzed the prey-handling behavior of Trimeresurus stejnegeri stejnegeri (Viperidae: Crotalinae) in the laboratory. Following the capture of a prey, T. s. stejnegeri lifted the prey from the ground. The prey thus hung in the air, with the body tilted, like a lever with the fulcrum at the site of the bite. In most cases, the snake gradually maneuvered its jaw to the higher end of the prey and began ingesting it. As an adaptation for arboreal feeding, the direction of prey ingestion in T. s. stejnegeri depended largely on the location of the initial bite site, under the proposed action of gravity. A significantly greater proportion of frogs (42.1%) were struck in the posterior region than mice (9.6%

Research paper thumbnail of Reproductive cycle of female Chinese green tree vipers, Trimeresurus stejnegeri stejnegeri, in northern Taiwan

Herpetologica, 2001

... RIA). Then, we measured follicle length, ovi-duct, fat body, kidney, and liver mass. The ... ... more ... RIA). Then, we measured follicle length, ovi-duct, fat body, kidney, and liver mass. The ... IV. How-ever, throughout stage V, which lasted about 3 mo, an apparent convolution and blood edema were observed in the ovi-duct. Changes ...

Research paper thumbnail of Specific dynamic action, apparent assimilation efficiency, and digestive rate in an arboreal pitviper, <i>Trimeresurus stejnegeri stejnegeri</i>

Canadian Journal of Zoology, Oct 1, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of Correction to: Development of 21 polymorphic microsatellite markers for the black-banded sea krait, Laticauda semifasciata (Elapidae: Laticaudinae), and cross-species amplification for two other congeneric species

Genes & Genomics, Mar 1, 2018

Unfortunately, one of the co-author's family name has been incorrectly published in the original ... more Unfortunately, one of the co-author's family name has been incorrectly published in the original online publication. The correct family name should be Tsai.

Research paper thumbnail of Case Report: Symptoms and Prognosis of Trimeresurus gracilis Envenomation

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Apr 6, 2022

ABSTRACT. Trimeresurus gracilis is a pit viper inhabiting the high mountains of Taiwan. No specif... more ABSTRACT. Trimeresurus gracilis is a pit viper inhabiting the high mountains of Taiwan. No specific antivenom against T. gracilis is available, and we did not find any prior published case reports on its clinical envenomation. We present two patients with T. gracilis envenomation who were both bitten on the index finger and were administered bivalent hemotoxic antivenom against Trimeresurus stejnegeri and Protobothrops mucrosquamatus. In case 1, the patient was administered seven vials of antivenom within 2 days of envenomation. She received surgical intervention on day 26 and recovered from the wound 3 months after envenomation, but her left index finger was slightly and irreversibly bent. In case 2, the patient was administered 12 vials of antivenom within 10 hours after envenomation, received surgical intervention on day 1, and underwent debridement and reconstruction surgery on day 7 after envenomation. The wounds healed 1.5 months after envenomation, and no deformity occurred. Laboratory data showed elevated D-dimer levels and prothrombin times. The cross-neutralizing ability of bivalent hemotoxic antivenom against T. stejnegeri and P. mucrosquamatus appeared insufficient to treat the local effects of T. gracilis envenomation. The deformity of the finger of the patient in case 1 might have been caused by the lower dose, later administration of antivenins, and a delay in the necessary surgery.

Research paper thumbnail of Species Identification of Shed Snake Skins by Scanning Electron Microscopy, with Verification of Intraspecific Variations and Phylogenetic Comparative Analyses of Microdermatoglyphics

Herpetological Monographs, Dec 11, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Personal Experience of Daboia siamensis Envenomation

Case Reports in Medicine, Dec 24, 2021

Reports of envenomation induced by Daboia siamensis, a medically important venomous snake in Taiw... more Reports of envenomation induced by Daboia siamensis, a medically important venomous snake in Taiwan, are rare, and species identification might not be definitive. is article reports the complete course of a definite D. siamensis bite. e patient in this report was one of the authors who was bitten on the right palm near the base of the index finger by D. siamensis. e patient experienced local effects, neurological manifestations, and acute kidney injury. e laboratory analysis revealed elevated D-dimer and coagulopathy. e patient was administered 8 vials of antivenom and did not undergo surgical intervention or endotracheal tube intubation, but serum sickness occurred 8 days after antivenom administration. e horse immunoglobulin produced by the Centers for Disease Control, R. O. C. (Taiwan), against D. siamensis was effective and safe in the treatment of the patient. However, the best antivenom administration strategy remains unclear and requires further study.

Research paper thumbnail of Oral Bacteria and Their Antibiotic Susceptibilities in Taiwanese Venomous Snakes

Microorganisms, Apr 30, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Venom Proteomics of Trimeresurus gracilis, a Taiwan-Endemic Pitviper, and Comparison of Its Venom Proteome and VEGF and CRISP Sequences with Those of the Most Related Species

Toxins

Trimeresurus gracilis is an endemic alpine pitviper in Taiwan with controversial phylogeny, and i... more Trimeresurus gracilis is an endemic alpine pitviper in Taiwan with controversial phylogeny, and its venom proteome remains unknown. In this study, we conducted a proteomic analysis of T. gracilis venom using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and identified 155 toxin proteoforms that belong to 13 viperid venom toxin families. By searching the sequences of trypsin-digested peptides of the separated HPLC fractions against the NCBI database, T. gracilis venom was found to contain 40.3% metalloproteases (SVMPs), 15.3% serine proteases, 6.6% phospholipases A2, 5.0% L-amino acid oxidase, 4.6% Cys-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs), 3.2% disintegrins, 2.9% vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs), 1.9% C-type lectin-like proteins, and 20.2% of minor toxins, nontoxins, and unidentified peptides or compounds. Sixteen of these proteoforms matched the toxins whose full amino-acid sequences have been deduced from T. gracilis venom gland cDNA sequences. The hemorrha...

Research paper thumbnail of 국내 연안의 바다뱀 출현 현황 및 연구 동향

한국양서ㆍ파충류학회 학술대회, Jul 1, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Classification of an unrecorded sea snake species and determining its originality

한국양서ㆍ파충류학회 학술대회, Jul 1, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Comparisons of the Oral Microbiota from Seven Species of Wild Venomous Snakes in Taiwan Using the High-Throughput Amplicon Sequencing of the Full-Length 16S rRNA Gene

Biology

A venomous snake’s oral cavity may harbor pathogenic microorganisms that cause secondary infectio... more A venomous snake’s oral cavity may harbor pathogenic microorganisms that cause secondary infection at the wound site after being bitten. We collected oral samples from 37 individuals belonging to seven species of wild venomous snakes in Taiwan, including Naja atra (Na), Bungarus multicinctus (Bm), Protobothrops mucrosquamatus (Pm), Trimeresurus stejnegeri (Ts), Daboia siamensis (Ds), Deinagkistrodon acutus (Da), and alpine Trimeresurus gracilis (Tg). Bacterial species were identified using full-length 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing analysis, and this is the first study using this technique to investigate the oral microbiota of multiple Taiwanese snake species. Up to 1064 bacterial species were identified from the snake’s oral cavities, with 24 pathogenic and 24 non-pathogenic species among the most abundant ones. The most abundant oral bacterial species detected in our study were different from those found in previous studies, which varied by snake species, collection sites, sampling ...

Research paper thumbnail of Full sequencing and comparison of five venom metalloproteases of Trimeresurus gracilis: The PI-enzyme is most similar to okinalysin but the PIII-enzyme is most similar to Crotalus venom enzymes

Research paper thumbnail of Cloning and characterization of Trimeresurus gracilis venom phospholipases A2: Comparison with Ovophis okinavensis venom and the systematic implications

Research paper thumbnail of Functional proteomic approach to discover geographic variations of king cobra venoms from Southeast Asia and China

Journal of Proteomics, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of Reproductive Cycle of Male Chinese Green Tree Vipers, Trimeresurus s. stejnegeri, in Northern Taiwan

Journal of Herpetology, 2000

-We studied the reproductive cycle of male Chinese green tree vipers, Trimeresurus s. stejnegeri,... more -We studied the reproductive cycle of male Chinese green tree vipers, Trimeresurus s. stejnegeri, in northern Taiwan by examining seasonal changes in the morphology and histology of their reproductive organs from May 1996 to August 1997. A total of 144 mature males was examined. Based on a histological examination of the seminiferous epithelium, we classified spermatogenesis into five stages: early recrudescence, late recrudescence, spermiogenesis, early regression, and late regression. Testis recrudescence began in the spring. Sperm started to appear in summer and reached a peak in fall. In the winter, testes of most snakes were regressed and sperm disappeared in the lumina of the seminiferous tubules. Throughout the year, sperm were present in the vas deferens. Testis mass peaked in summer, then regressed in winter and early spring. Monthly changes in seminiferous tubule diameter, seminiferous epithelium height, and fat body mass revealed a similar pattern as that of testis. These three parameters were significantly correlated with each other and with temperature and rainfall. Monthly changes in testis and fat body mass were followed by changes in kidney mass. Hypertrophy of the renal sexual segment of T. s. stejnegeri occurred from late summer to winter and might be related to mating activities observed in the same period. As with other viperids, male Chinese green tree vipers exhibited a postnuptial spermatogenesis cycle, which may be confusing when judging from mating activities alone. We proposed another criterion to distinguish postnuptial from prenuptial spermatogenesis. rnal of Herpet logy, Vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 24-43 , 2000 right 2 0 Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles roductive Cycle of Male Chinese Green Tree Vipers, i eresurus s. stejn ger , in Northern Taiwan Reproductive cycles of snakes have been reviewed by many researchers (Fitch, 1970; Aldridge, 1979a; Saint Girons, 1982; Seigel and Ford, 1987; Schuett, 1992). These studies, however, focused primarily on the families Colubridae and Viperidae and mainly on snakes from North America, Europe, and Japan (Slip and Shine, 1988; Schuett, 1992). Seigel and Ford (1987) noted it is inaccurate to suggest that the reproductive patterns of temperate-zones snakes are representative of the world's snakes. However, research on the reproductive cycles of tropical and subtropical snakes are limited. FurCorresponding Author. thermore, previous investigators have typically used museum specimens from various geographic regions and different years (Saint Girons, 1982; Seigel and Fitch, 1985). Only a few studies have used continuous sampling in restricted areas (Seigel and Ford, 1987). Consequently, additional studies are needed to get a better understanding of the reproductive cycles of snakes from tropical and subtropical areas. The Chinese green tree viper, Trimeresurus s. stejnegeri, is distributed widely throughout southeast Asia (Zhao and Adler, 1993), and is one of the most abundant snakes in Taiwan. Nevertheless, there are only a few reports on its life history (Fitch, 1970; Huang et al., 1987, 1991; Lue et al., 1989; Tsai and Tu, 1998). Whether the , revious investigators have typically speci ens from various geoio s and different years (Saint Gi; Seigel and Fitch, 1985). Only a few e used continuous sampling in reeas (Seigel and Ford, 1987). Conse, itional studies are n eded to get a erstanding of the reproductive cycles o tropical and subtropical areas. i se green tr e viper, Trimeresurus s. i, is distributed widely throughout sia (Zhao and Adler, 1 93), and is 424 This content downloaded from 207.46.13.146 on Tue, 23 Aug 2016 05:06:08 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms MALE REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE OF TRIMERESURUS

Research paper thumbnail of Reproductive cycle of female Chinese green tree vipers, Trimeresurus stejnegeri stejnegeri, in northern Taiwan

Herpetologica, 2001

... RIA). Then, we measured follicle length, ovi-duct, fat body, kidney, and liver mass. The ... ... more ... RIA). Then, we measured follicle length, ovi-duct, fat body, kidney, and liver mass. The ... IV. How-ever, throughout stage V, which lasted about 3 mo, an apparent convolution and blood edema were observed in the ovi-duct. Changes ...

Research paper thumbnail of Full sequencing and comparison of five venom metalloproteases of Trimeresurus gracilis: The PI-enzyme is most similar to okinalysin but the PIII-enzyme is most similar to Crotalus venom enzymes

Research paper thumbnail of Species Identification of Shed Snake Skins in Taiwan and Adjacent Islands

PubMed, 2017

Tein-Shun Tsai and Jean-Jay Mao (2017) Shed snake skins have many applications for humans and oth... more Tein-Shun Tsai and Jean-Jay Mao (2017) Shed snake skins have many applications for humans and other animals, and can provide much useful information to a field survey. When properly prepared and identified, a shed snake skin can be used as an important voucher; the morphological descriptions of the shed skins may be critical for taxonomic research, as well as studies of snake ecology and conservation. However, few convenient/ expeditious methods or techniques to identify shed snake skins in specific areas have been developed. In this study, we collected and examined a total of 1,260 shed skin samples - including 322 samples from neonates/ juveniles and 938 from subadults/adults - from 53 snake species in Taiwan and adjacent islands, and developed the first guide to identify them. To the naked eye or from scanned images, the sheds of almost all species could be identified if most of the shed was collected. The key features that aided in identification included the patterns on the sheds and scale morphology. Ontogenetic differences and intraspecific variation in the patterns of sheds were evident in some snake species, and the proportion of young snakes with patterned shed skins was larger than that of adults. The retention of markings on the ventral side of the body (especially the ventral head) during sloughing was much lower than that on the dorsal side. We hope that this pioneering work will not only encourage other researchers to develop similar keys for their country, but also promote local schools, organizations, and citizen scientists to conduct snake inventories.

Research paper thumbnail of An Improved Technique for Obtaining Accurate and Precise Morphometric Data on Snakes

Zoological Science, Jun 1, 2018

Morphometric measurements are basic but essential data in morphological and ecological research. ... more Morphometric measurements are basic but essential data in morphological and ecological research. It is thus beneficial to develop a safe, convenient, multipurpose device/technique to determine body length and physical characteristics of living snakes with high accuracy/precision and low stress, and to enable the probing of snakes and collection of tissue samples. To meet these requirements, we developed an improved technique, which we named the Confining-Box Method (CBM). On measuring the body lengths of a total of 72 live snakes, we found significant differences in the accuracy and precision of measurements among the squeeze-box method, the anesthesia method, and the CBM, as well as between vertebral line and the mid-ventral line measurements. Body lengths, as measured along the vertebral line and corrected for perspective errors, using the CBM, did not differ significantly from the standard lengths measured by hand using anesthesia. The squeeze-box method produced substantial negative bias and/or less precision in ventral measurements, especially for large snakes (> 1.2 m in snout-vent length). The differences between measurers were much smaller than among the different techniques. Compared to the anesthesia technique, CBM is a fast and simple method that is also safer for snakes. Unlike the traditional squeeze-box technique, CBM can record both dorsal and ventral body images of snakes simultaneously and enable researchers to measure accurate and/or precise total length (from dorsal images), tail length (from ventral images), and snout-vent length using images from a single photography session. CBM could therefore become a standard to improve measurement consistency, allowing improved data comparison in future studies.

Research paper thumbnail of When Prey Acts as a Lever: Prey-Handling Behavior of the Chinese Green Tree Viper, Trimeresurus stejnegeri stejnegeri (Viperidae: Crotalinae)

Zoological Studies, Sep 1, 2007

Tein-Shun Tsai (2007) When prey acts as a lever: prey-handling behavior of the Chinese green tree... more Tein-Shun Tsai (2007) When prey acts as a lever: prey-handling behavior of the Chinese green tree viper, Trimeresurus stejnegeri stejnegeri (Viperidae: Crotalinae). Zoological Studies 46(5): 631-637. Snakes may use tongue flicking and snout touching to locate the head-end of immobilized prey, but tongue use is limited when snakes are holding prey after a strike. In this condition, how can they differentiate the anterior and posterior ends of the prey so that they still ingest their prey mainly from the anterior end? To answer the question, I analyzed the prey-handling behavior of Trimeresurus stejnegeri stejnegeri (Viperidae: Crotalinae) in the laboratory. Following the capture of a prey, T. s. stejnegeri lifted the prey from the ground. The prey thus hung in the air, with the body tilted, like a lever with the fulcrum at the site of the bite. In most cases, the snake gradually maneuvered its jaw to the higher end of the prey and began ingesting it. As an adaptation for arboreal feeding, the direction of prey ingestion in T. s. stejnegeri depended largely on the location of the initial bite site, under the proposed action of gravity. A significantly greater proportion of frogs (42.1%) were struck in the posterior region than mice (9.6%

Research paper thumbnail of Reproductive cycle of female Chinese green tree vipers, Trimeresurus stejnegeri stejnegeri, in northern Taiwan

Herpetologica, 2001

... RIA). Then, we measured follicle length, ovi-duct, fat body, kidney, and liver mass. The ... ... more ... RIA). Then, we measured follicle length, ovi-duct, fat body, kidney, and liver mass. The ... IV. How-ever, throughout stage V, which lasted about 3 mo, an apparent convolution and blood edema were observed in the ovi-duct. Changes ...

Research paper thumbnail of Specific dynamic action, apparent assimilation efficiency, and digestive rate in an arboreal pitviper, <i>Trimeresurus stejnegeri stejnegeri</i>

Canadian Journal of Zoology, Oct 1, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of Correction to: Development of 21 polymorphic microsatellite markers for the black-banded sea krait, Laticauda semifasciata (Elapidae: Laticaudinae), and cross-species amplification for two other congeneric species

Genes & Genomics, Mar 1, 2018

Unfortunately, one of the co-author's family name has been incorrectly published in the original ... more Unfortunately, one of the co-author's family name has been incorrectly published in the original online publication. The correct family name should be Tsai.

Research paper thumbnail of Case Report: Symptoms and Prognosis of Trimeresurus gracilis Envenomation

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Apr 6, 2022

ABSTRACT. Trimeresurus gracilis is a pit viper inhabiting the high mountains of Taiwan. No specif... more ABSTRACT. Trimeresurus gracilis is a pit viper inhabiting the high mountains of Taiwan. No specific antivenom against T. gracilis is available, and we did not find any prior published case reports on its clinical envenomation. We present two patients with T. gracilis envenomation who were both bitten on the index finger and were administered bivalent hemotoxic antivenom against Trimeresurus stejnegeri and Protobothrops mucrosquamatus. In case 1, the patient was administered seven vials of antivenom within 2 days of envenomation. She received surgical intervention on day 26 and recovered from the wound 3 months after envenomation, but her left index finger was slightly and irreversibly bent. In case 2, the patient was administered 12 vials of antivenom within 10 hours after envenomation, received surgical intervention on day 1, and underwent debridement and reconstruction surgery on day 7 after envenomation. The wounds healed 1.5 months after envenomation, and no deformity occurred. Laboratory data showed elevated D-dimer levels and prothrombin times. The cross-neutralizing ability of bivalent hemotoxic antivenom against T. stejnegeri and P. mucrosquamatus appeared insufficient to treat the local effects of T. gracilis envenomation. The deformity of the finger of the patient in case 1 might have been caused by the lower dose, later administration of antivenins, and a delay in the necessary surgery.

Research paper thumbnail of Species Identification of Shed Snake Skins by Scanning Electron Microscopy, with Verification of Intraspecific Variations and Phylogenetic Comparative Analyses of Microdermatoglyphics

Herpetological Monographs, Dec 11, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Personal Experience of Daboia siamensis Envenomation

Case Reports in Medicine, Dec 24, 2021

Reports of envenomation induced by Daboia siamensis, a medically important venomous snake in Taiw... more Reports of envenomation induced by Daboia siamensis, a medically important venomous snake in Taiwan, are rare, and species identification might not be definitive. is article reports the complete course of a definite D. siamensis bite. e patient in this report was one of the authors who was bitten on the right palm near the base of the index finger by D. siamensis. e patient experienced local effects, neurological manifestations, and acute kidney injury. e laboratory analysis revealed elevated D-dimer and coagulopathy. e patient was administered 8 vials of antivenom and did not undergo surgical intervention or endotracheal tube intubation, but serum sickness occurred 8 days after antivenom administration. e horse immunoglobulin produced by the Centers for Disease Control, R. O. C. (Taiwan), against D. siamensis was effective and safe in the treatment of the patient. However, the best antivenom administration strategy remains unclear and requires further study.

Research paper thumbnail of Oral Bacteria and Their Antibiotic Susceptibilities in Taiwanese Venomous Snakes

Microorganisms, Apr 30, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Venom Proteomics of Trimeresurus gracilis, a Taiwan-Endemic Pitviper, and Comparison of Its Venom Proteome and VEGF and CRISP Sequences with Those of the Most Related Species

Toxins

Trimeresurus gracilis is an endemic alpine pitviper in Taiwan with controversial phylogeny, and i... more Trimeresurus gracilis is an endemic alpine pitviper in Taiwan with controversial phylogeny, and its venom proteome remains unknown. In this study, we conducted a proteomic analysis of T. gracilis venom using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and identified 155 toxin proteoforms that belong to 13 viperid venom toxin families. By searching the sequences of trypsin-digested peptides of the separated HPLC fractions against the NCBI database, T. gracilis venom was found to contain 40.3% metalloproteases (SVMPs), 15.3% serine proteases, 6.6% phospholipases A2, 5.0% L-amino acid oxidase, 4.6% Cys-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs), 3.2% disintegrins, 2.9% vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs), 1.9% C-type lectin-like proteins, and 20.2% of minor toxins, nontoxins, and unidentified peptides or compounds. Sixteen of these proteoforms matched the toxins whose full amino-acid sequences have been deduced from T. gracilis venom gland cDNA sequences. The hemorrha...

Research paper thumbnail of 국내 연안의 바다뱀 출현 현황 및 연구 동향

한국양서ㆍ파충류학회 학술대회, Jul 1, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Classification of an unrecorded sea snake species and determining its originality

한국양서ㆍ파충류학회 학술대회, Jul 1, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Comparisons of the Oral Microbiota from Seven Species of Wild Venomous Snakes in Taiwan Using the High-Throughput Amplicon Sequencing of the Full-Length 16S rRNA Gene

Biology

A venomous snake’s oral cavity may harbor pathogenic microorganisms that cause secondary infectio... more A venomous snake’s oral cavity may harbor pathogenic microorganisms that cause secondary infection at the wound site after being bitten. We collected oral samples from 37 individuals belonging to seven species of wild venomous snakes in Taiwan, including Naja atra (Na), Bungarus multicinctus (Bm), Protobothrops mucrosquamatus (Pm), Trimeresurus stejnegeri (Ts), Daboia siamensis (Ds), Deinagkistrodon acutus (Da), and alpine Trimeresurus gracilis (Tg). Bacterial species were identified using full-length 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing analysis, and this is the first study using this technique to investigate the oral microbiota of multiple Taiwanese snake species. Up to 1064 bacterial species were identified from the snake’s oral cavities, with 24 pathogenic and 24 non-pathogenic species among the most abundant ones. The most abundant oral bacterial species detected in our study were different from those found in previous studies, which varied by snake species, collection sites, sampling ...

Research paper thumbnail of Full sequencing and comparison of five venom metalloproteases of Trimeresurus gracilis: The PI-enzyme is most similar to okinalysin but the PIII-enzyme is most similar to Crotalus venom enzymes

Research paper thumbnail of Cloning and characterization of Trimeresurus gracilis venom phospholipases A2: Comparison with Ovophis okinavensis venom and the systematic implications

Research paper thumbnail of Functional proteomic approach to discover geographic variations of king cobra venoms from Southeast Asia and China

Journal of Proteomics, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of Reproductive Cycle of Male Chinese Green Tree Vipers, Trimeresurus s. stejnegeri, in Northern Taiwan

Journal of Herpetology, 2000

-We studied the reproductive cycle of male Chinese green tree vipers, Trimeresurus s. stejnegeri,... more -We studied the reproductive cycle of male Chinese green tree vipers, Trimeresurus s. stejnegeri, in northern Taiwan by examining seasonal changes in the morphology and histology of their reproductive organs from May 1996 to August 1997. A total of 144 mature males was examined. Based on a histological examination of the seminiferous epithelium, we classified spermatogenesis into five stages: early recrudescence, late recrudescence, spermiogenesis, early regression, and late regression. Testis recrudescence began in the spring. Sperm started to appear in summer and reached a peak in fall. In the winter, testes of most snakes were regressed and sperm disappeared in the lumina of the seminiferous tubules. Throughout the year, sperm were present in the vas deferens. Testis mass peaked in summer, then regressed in winter and early spring. Monthly changes in seminiferous tubule diameter, seminiferous epithelium height, and fat body mass revealed a similar pattern as that of testis. These three parameters were significantly correlated with each other and with temperature and rainfall. Monthly changes in testis and fat body mass were followed by changes in kidney mass. Hypertrophy of the renal sexual segment of T. s. stejnegeri occurred from late summer to winter and might be related to mating activities observed in the same period. As with other viperids, male Chinese green tree vipers exhibited a postnuptial spermatogenesis cycle, which may be confusing when judging from mating activities alone. We proposed another criterion to distinguish postnuptial from prenuptial spermatogenesis. rnal of Herpet logy, Vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 24-43 , 2000 right 2 0 Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles roductive Cycle of Male Chinese Green Tree Vipers, i eresurus s. stejn ger , in Northern Taiwan Reproductive cycles of snakes have been reviewed by many researchers (Fitch, 1970; Aldridge, 1979a; Saint Girons, 1982; Seigel and Ford, 1987; Schuett, 1992). These studies, however, focused primarily on the families Colubridae and Viperidae and mainly on snakes from North America, Europe, and Japan (Slip and Shine, 1988; Schuett, 1992). Seigel and Ford (1987) noted it is inaccurate to suggest that the reproductive patterns of temperate-zones snakes are representative of the world's snakes. However, research on the reproductive cycles of tropical and subtropical snakes are limited. FurCorresponding Author. thermore, previous investigators have typically used museum specimens from various geographic regions and different years (Saint Girons, 1982; Seigel and Fitch, 1985). Only a few studies have used continuous sampling in restricted areas (Seigel and Ford, 1987). Consequently, additional studies are needed to get a better understanding of the reproductive cycles of snakes from tropical and subtropical areas. The Chinese green tree viper, Trimeresurus s. stejnegeri, is distributed widely throughout southeast Asia (Zhao and Adler, 1993), and is one of the most abundant snakes in Taiwan. Nevertheless, there are only a few reports on its life history (Fitch, 1970; Huang et al., 1987, 1991; Lue et al., 1989; Tsai and Tu, 1998). Whether the , revious investigators have typically speci ens from various geoio s and different years (Saint Gi; Seigel and Fitch, 1985). Only a few e used continuous sampling in reeas (Seigel and Ford, 1987). Conse, itional studies are n eded to get a erstanding of the reproductive cycles o tropical and subtropical areas. i se green tr e viper, Trimeresurus s. i, is distributed widely throughout sia (Zhao and Adler, 1 93), and is 424 This content downloaded from 207.46.13.146 on Tue, 23 Aug 2016 05:06:08 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms MALE REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE OF TRIMERESURUS

Research paper thumbnail of Reproductive cycle of female Chinese green tree vipers, Trimeresurus stejnegeri stejnegeri, in northern Taiwan

Herpetologica, 2001

... RIA). Then, we measured follicle length, ovi-duct, fat body, kidney, and liver mass. The ... ... more ... RIA). Then, we measured follicle length, ovi-duct, fat body, kidney, and liver mass. The ... IV. How-ever, throughout stage V, which lasted about 3 mo, an apparent convolution and blood edema were observed in the ovi-duct. Changes ...