Brown spider venom phospholipases D: From molecular biology and structural analyses to potential vaccine and serum therapy applications

In this chapter, we initially elaborate on the identification and characterization of brown spider venom phospholipases D (BSVPLDs) based on “omics” approaches, with an emphasis on transcriptomic and proteomic analyses. Subsequently, we describe the production of recombinant BSVPLDs and the main challenges associated with the purification of these proteins directly from crude venoms. After that, the biophysical and structural aspects are described. We conclude by describing how recombinant BSVPLDs have been engineered to be used in therapeutic applications, such as in vaccine development, as a new generation serum, and as a putative model for the development of drugs.