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Dr. Mackessy's publications

Journal articles

  1. Doley, R., S.P. Mackessy and R.M. Kini. 2009. Role of accelerated segment switch in exons to alter targeting (ASSET) in the molecular evolution of snake venom proteins. BMC Evolutionary Biology 9:146. PDF reprint.
  2. Peichoto, M.E., S.P. Mackessy, P. Teibler, F.L. Tavares, P.L. Burckhardt, M.C. Breno, O. Acosta and M. L. Santoro. 2009. Purification and characterization of a cysteine-rich secretory protein from Philodryas patagoniensis (Dipsadidae) snake venom. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology C Toxicol. Pharmacol. 150:79-84. PDF reprint.
  3. Pawlak, J., S.P. Mackessy, N.M. Sixberry, E.A. Stura, M.H. Le Du, R. Menez, C.S. Foo, A. Menez, S. Nirthanan and R.M. Kini. 2009. Irditoxin, a novel covalently linked heterodimeric three-finger toxin with high taxon-specific neurotoxicity. FASEB Journal 23:534-545. PDF reprint.
  4. Gibbs, L., SP Mackessy. 2009. Functional basis of a molecular adaptation: Prey-specic toxic effects of venom from Sistrurus rattlesnakes. Toxicon, 53: 672-679. PDF reprint.
  5. Pahari, S., S.P. Mackessy and R.M. Kini. 2007. The venom gland transcriptome of the Desert Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus edwardsii): towards an understanding of venom composition among advanced snakes (Superfamily Colubroidea). BMC Molecular Biology 8:115-. PDF reprint
  6. Campbell, S.R., S.P. Mackessy and J.A. Clarke. 2008. Microhabitat use by Brown Treesnakes (Boiga irregularis): effects of moonlight and prey. Journal of Herpetology 42(2):246-250. PDF reprint
  7. Doley, R., S. Pahari, S.P. Mackessy and R.M. Kini. 2008. Accelerated exchange of exon segments in viperid three-finger toxin genes (Sistrurus catenatus edwardsii; Desert Massasauga). BMC Evolutionary Biology 8:196. PDF reprint
  8. Peichoto, M.E., P. Teibler, S. P. Mackessy, L. Leiva, O. Acosta, L. R. C. Gonçalves, A. M. Tanaka-Azevedo and M. L. Santoro. 2007. Purification and biological activities of patagonfibrase, an alpha-fibrinogenase from Philodryas patagoniensis snake venom. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 1770:810-819. PDF reprint
  9. Pawlak, J., S. P. Mackessy, B. G. Fry, M. Bhatia, G. Mourier, C. Fruchart-Gaillard, D. Servent, R. Ménez, E. Stura, A. Ménez and R. M. Kini. 2006. Denmotoxin: a three-finger toxin from colubrid snake Boiga dendrophila (Mangrove Catsnake) with bird-specific activity. Journal of Biological Chemistry 281 (39):29030-29041. PDF reprint
  10. Sanz, L., H.L.Gibbs, S.P. Mackessy and J.J. Calvete. 2006. Venom proteomes of closely related Sistrurus rattlesnakes with divergent diets. Journal of Proteome Research 5:2098-2112. PDF reprint
  11. Seibert, C.S., Tanaka-Azevedo, A. M., Santoro, M. L.,  Mackessy, S. P., Torquato, R. J. S., Lebrun, I. and Tanaka, A. S.  (2006) Purification of a phospholipase A2 from Lonomia obliqua caterpillar bristle extract.  Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 342:1027-1033.  PDF reprint
  12. Mackessy, S.P., Sixberry, N.M., Heyborne, W.H. and Fritts, T.  (2006) Venom of the Brown Treesnake, Boiga irregularis: ontogenetic shifts and taxa-specific toxicity.  Toxicon 47:537-548.  PDF reprint
  13. Mackessy, S.P. and Baxter, L.M. (2006) Bioweapons synthesis and storage: the venom gland of front-fanged snakes.  Zoologischer Anzeiger 25: 147-159. PDF reprint
  14. Mackessy, S.P.  (2005) Desert Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus edwardsii): a technical conservation assessment. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region.  57 p. http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assessments/massasauga.  PDF reprint
  15. Munekiyo, S. M. and Mackessy, S.P. (2005) Presence of peptide inhibitors in rattlesnake venoms and their effects on endogenous metalloproteases. Toxicon 45: 255-263. PDF reprint
  16. Scott, Eugenie C., ... Mackessy, S.P. et al. (2004) The Morphology of Steve. Annals of Improbable Research, July/August. pp. 24-29. PDF reprint
  17. Huang, P. and Mackessy, S.P. (2004) Biochemical characterization of phospholipase A 2 (trimorphin) from the venom of the Sonoran lyre snake Trimorphodon biscutatus lambda (family Colubridae). Toxicon 44 (1): 25-34. PDF reprint | Photo of Trimorphodon extraction
  18. Hobert, J.P., Montgomery, C.E. and Mackessy, S.P. (2004) Natural history of the massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus) in Colorado. Southwestern Naturalist 49 (3): 321-326. PDF reprint
  19. Mackessy, S.P. , Williams, K. and Ashton, K. (2003) Characterization of the venom of the midget faded rattlesnake ( Crotalus oreganus concolor ): a case of venom paedomorphosis? Copeia 2003 (4): 769-782. PDF reprint | Abstract | Photo of C. o. concolor
  20. Montgomery , C.E., Mackessy, S.P. and Moore , J.C. (2003) Body size variation in the Texas horned lizard, Phrynosoma cornutum , from central Mexico to Colorado . Journal of Herpetology 37 (3): 550-553. Abstract | Photo of Phrynosoma cornutum
  21. Montgomery, C.E. and Mackessy, S.P. (2003) Natural history of the Texas horned lizard, Phrynosoma cornutum (Phrynosomatidae), in southeastern Colorado . Southwest Naturalist 48(1): 111-118. Abstract | PDF reprint
  22. Mackessy, S.P. (2002) Biochemistry and pharmacology of colubrid snake venoms. Journal of Toxicology-Toxin Reviews 21(1 & 2):43-83. Abstract | PDF reprint | Photo of colubrid snakes | Photo of venom extraction
  23. Mackessy, S.P. (2002) Toxinology of colubrid snakes: biology, venoms and envenomation. Introduction to the special volume. Journal of Toxicology-Toxin Reviews 21(1 & 2):vii-ix. PDF reprint
  24. Holycross, A. and Mackessy, S.P. (2002) Variation in the diet of Sistrurus catenatus (massasauga), with emphasis on S. c. edwardsii (desert massasauga). J. Herpetology 36(3): 454-464. Abstract | PDF reprint
  25. Montgomery , C.E. and Mackessy, S.P. (2000) Phrynosoma cornutum (Texas Horned Lizard) movement. Herpetological Review 32(4): 258.
  26. Hill, Robert E. and Mackessy, S.P. 2000. Characterization of venom (Duvernoy's secretion) from twelve species of colubrid snakes with partial sequence of four venom proteins. Toxicon 38(12):1663-1687. PDF reprint
  27. Montgomery, Chad and Mackessy, S.P. 1999. Heterodon nasicus nasicus (Plains Hognose Snake). Lack of paralysis following vertebral disjunction. Herpetological Review 30(4): 227-228.
  28. Chiszar, D., Walters, A., Urbaniak, J., Smith, H.M. and Mackessy, S.P. 1999. Discrimination between envenomated and non-envenomated prey by western diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus atrox): chemosensory consequences of venom. Copeia 1999(3): 640-648.
  29. Livo, L.J., Hammerson, G.A., Smith, H.M., Chiszar, D. and Mackessy, S.P. 1998. Status of chorus frogs (genus Pseudacris) in southeastern Colorado. Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society 34 (1): 22-28.
  30. Munekiyo, S.M. and Mackessy, S.P. 1998. Effects of temperature and storage conditions on the electrophoretic, toxic and enzymatic stability of venom components. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 119B (1): 119-127. PDF reprint.
  31. Schuett, G. W., Fernandez, P.J., Gergits, W.F., Casna, N.J., Chiszar, D., Smith, H.M., Mitton, J.B., Mackessy, S.P. and Odum, A.R. and Demlong, M. 1998. Production of offspring in the absence of males: evidence for facultative parthenogenesis in bisexual snakes. Herpetological Natural History 5(1):1-10.
  32. Hill, R.E. and Mackessy, S.P. 1997. Venom yields from several species of colubrid snakes and differential effects of ketamine. Toxicon 35(5):671-678. PDF reprint
  33. Mackessy, S.P. 1996. Characterization of the major metalloprotease isolated from the venom of Crotalus viridis oreganus. Toxicon 34(11/12):1277-1285. PDF reprint
  34. Holzer, M. and Mackessy, S.P. 1996. An aqueous endpoint assay of snake venom phospholipase A2. Toxicon 34 (10): 1149-1155. PDF reprint
  35. Clarke, J.A. Chopko, J.T. and Mackessy, S.P. 1996. The effect of moonlight on activity patterns of adult and juvenile prairie rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis viridis). Journal of Herpetology 30(2): 192-197.
  36. Chiszar, D., Belcher, D., Mackessy, S.P., Petkus, A. and Smith, H.M. 1994. Stimulation of ingestion in solenoglyphous snakes. Herpetological Review 25 (4): 158-159.
  37. Mackessy, S.P. 1993. Kalikrein-like and thrombin-like proteases from the venum of juvenile Northern Pacific rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis oreganus). Journal of Natural Toxins 2(2): 223-239. PDF reprint.
  38. Utaisincharoen, P., Mackessy, S.P., Miller, R.A. and Tu, A.T. 1993. Complete primary structure and biochemical properties of gilatoxin, a serine protease with kallikrein-like and angiotensin-degrading activities. Journal of Biological Chemistry 268 (29): 21975-21983. PDF reprint
  39. Mackessy, S.P. (1991) Morphology and ultrastructure of the venom glands of the northern Pacific rattlesnake Crotalus viridis oreganus. Journal of Morphology 207: 1-20. PDF reprint
  40. Mackessy, S.P. (1988) Venum ontogeny in the Pacific rattlesnakes Crotolus viridus helleri and C.V. oreganus. Copeia, 1: 92-101. PDF reprint.

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Books

  1. Mackessy, S.P., ed. 2009. Handbook of Venoms and Toxins of Reptiles. Twenty-four chapters, 521 p. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, FL.

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Book chapters

  1. Mackessy, S.P. 2009. The field of reptile toxinology: snakes, lizards and their venoms. In Mackessy, S.P. (ed.), Handbook of Venoms and Toxins of Reptiles, p. 3-23. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, FL.
  2. Heyborne, W.H. and S.P. Mackessy. 2009. Cysteine-rich secretory proteins in reptile venoms. In Mackessy, S.P. (ed.), Handbook of Venoms and Toxins of Reptiles, p. 325-336. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, FL.
  3. Mackessy, S.P. 2008. Venom composition in rattlesnakes: trends and biological significance. In W.K. Hayes, K.R. Beaman, M.D. Cardwell, and S.P. Bush (editors), The Biology of Rattlesnakes. Loma Linda University Press, Loma Linda, California. PDF reprint.
  4. Mackessy, S.P. (1998) Phosphodiesterases, DNases and RNases. In: Enzymes from Snake Venoms , Bailey, G.S. (Ed.), p. 361-404. Alaken Press, Inc., Ft. Collins , CO , USA . PDF reprint
  5. Mackessy, S.P. and Tu, A.T. (1993) Biology of the Sea Snakes and Biochemistry of Their Venoms. In: Toxin-Related Diseases: Poisons Originating from Plants, Animals and Spoilage , A.T. Tu (Ed.), Oxford and IBH Publishing Co., New Delhi, p. 305-351. PDF reprint.