Project title
Characterization of the Platypus Venom Proteome for Novel Proteins and Therapeutic Candidates
Collaborators and funding
Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group, University of Sydney
Contact(s)
- Adele Gonsalvez, Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group, adele.gonsalvez@sydney.edu.au
- Emma Peel, Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group, emma.peel@sydney.edu.au
- Carolyn Hogg, Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group, carolyn.hogg@sydney.edu.au
- Sophie Mazard, Bioplatforms Australia, smazard@bioplatforms.com
- Meena Mikhael, Australian Proteome Analysis Facility, meena.mikhael@mq.edu.au
- Natalie Saez, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, n.saez@imb.uq.edu.au
Project description and aims
This project will employ a comprehensive proteogenomic strategy to identify and evaluate novel therapeutic proteins from platypus venom. We will integrate RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to create a detailed map of the venom’s protein composition. Venom-derived RNA from this study, supplemented with 61 publicly available platypus tissue samples, will be assembled against the high-quality reference genome to generate a custom, tissue-specific protein database. This database will enable high-confidence identification of proteins from LC-MS/MS analysis of venom fluid.
The aims include: 1) Develop a Platypus Proteome Database: To assemble transcript sequences from both novel and publicly available RNA-seq data and generate a comprehensive protein sequence database using the Pawsey Setonix cluster. 2) Identify Venom Proteins: To analyze platypus venom fluid using LC-MS/MS and identify its constituent proteins by searching against the custom-generated proteome database. This proteomic database aims to provide novel insights into platypus venom composition, and our understanding of the platypus venom system. 3) Evaluate Functionality and Therapeutic Potential: To clone, express, and purify the identified venom proteins for use in functional assays, to attribute their functionality, associated envenomation symptoms, and suitability for therapeutic development.
How is ABLeS supporting this work?
This project is supported by the Production Bioinformatics scheme provided by ABLeS, providing access to compute and storage resources at the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre.
Expected outputs enabled by participation in ABLeS
It is expected that novel platypus venom proteins will be identified through this proteogenomic strategy, and results will subsequently be published in a peer-reviewed academic journal.
These details have been provided by project members at project initiation. For more information on the project, please consult the contact(s) or project links above.