Elsevier

Toxicon

Volume 33, Issue 1, January 1995, Pages 19-29
Toxicon

Isolation and characterization of a metalloproteinase with weak hemorrhagic activity from the venom of the snake Bothrops asper (terciopelo)

https://doi.org/10.1016/0041-0101(94)00138-XGet rights and content

Abstract

A metalloproteinase, named BaP1, was purified to homogeneity from the venom of Bothrops asper (Pacific region) of Costa Rica by ion-exchange chromatography on CM-Sephadex and gel filtration on Sephacryl S-200. The enzyme has a mol. wt of 24,000 and contains few Cys and high numbers of Asp, Leu, Ser and Glu. BaP1 hydrolyzes casein, hide powder azure and fibrinogen, having an optimal pH of 8.0. It rapidly digests the Aα-chain of fibrinogen and, later on, the Bβ -chain, leaving the γ-chain unaffected. Chelating agents (EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline) inhibited proteolytic activity, whereas 2-mercaptoethanol and soybean trypsin inhibitor did not affect this activity. BaP1 has a weak hemorrhagic activity, with a minimum hemorrhagic dose of 20 μg; this activity was inhibited by EDTA and was abolished after incubation at 60°C. In addition, BaP1 induces edema and a mild myotoxic effect, lacking coagulant, defibrinating and lethal effects.

References (32)

  • M. Maruyama et al.

    Purification and characterization of two fibrinolytic enzymes from Bothrops jararaca (jararaca) venom

    Toxicon

    (1992)
  • L. Moreira et al.

    Pathological changes induced by BaH1, a hemorrhagic proteinase isolated from Bothrops asper (terciopelo) snake venom, on mouse capillary blood vessels

    Toxicon

    (1994)
  • C.L. Ownby et al.

    A new method for quantitating hemorrhage induced by rattlesnake venom: ability of a polyvalent antivenom to neutralize hemorrhagic activity

    Toxicon

    (1984)
  • F. Aragón et al.

    Some properties of two fibrinolytic enzymes from the venom of Bothrops asper

    Period. Biol.

    (1978)
  • J.B. Bjarnason et al.

    Hemorrhagic toxins from snake venoms

    J. Toxic-Toxin Rev.

    (1988–1989)
  • R. Bolaños

    Las serpientes venenosas de Centroamérica y el problema del ofidismo. Primera parte: aspectos zoológicos, epidemiológicos y biomédicos

    Revta Cost. Cienc. Méd.

    (1982)
  • Cited by (158)

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text