SEPARATION OF BITIS-GABONICA (GABOON ADDER) VENOM ARGININE ESTERASES INTO KININ-RELEASING, CLOTTING AND FIBRINOLYTIC FACTORS

C. C. Viljoen, C. M. Meehan and D. P. Botes. Separation of Bitis gabonica (Gaboon adder) venom arginine esterases into kinin-releasing, clotting and fibrinolytic factors. Toxicon 17, 145-154, 1979. The arginine ester hydrolysing activity of the venom of Bitis gabonica has been isolated and purified by a combination of Sephadex gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. The esterases were designated E-I, E-II and E-III according to their sequence of elution from DEAE-cellulose. A molecular weight of about 32,000 was calculated for the enzymes which contain 20-25% by weight of carbohydrate. The enzymes appear to be specific for arginine esters, since lysine esters are not hydrolysed, and showed low proteolytic activity against casein. Distinct biological properties were found for the esterases, E-I, EII and E-III showing kinin-releasing, fibrinolytic and clotting activity, respectively. © 1979.