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

JoséMaría Gutiérrez*, Marjorie Romero, Cecilia Díaz, Gadi Borkow, Michael Ovadia

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

159 Scopus citations

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.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)19-29
Number of pages11
JournalToxicon
Volume33
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1995

Funding

FundersFunder number
AIDDHR-5544-6-00-1064-00

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