NAJA-MOSSAMBICA-MOSSAMBICA VENOM - PURIFICATION, SOME PROPERTIES AND AMINO-ACID SEQUENCES OF 3 PHOSPHOLIPASES A (CM-I, CM-II AND CM-III)

Three phospholipases A [EC 3.1.1.4], CM-I, CM-II and CM-III, were purified from N. mossambica mossambica venom by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50 followed by ion-exchange chromatography on CM-cellulose. They each comprise 118 amino acid residues and are cross-linked by 7 intrachain disulfide bridges. The complete primary structure of the 3 phospholipases A were elucidated. The sequences and the invariant amino acid residues of CM-I, CM-II and CM-III resemble those of phospholipases A from other snake venoms and also from porcine pancreas. The lethality (LD50 values) of the 3 phospholipases A from N. mossambica mossambica venom, differ among themselves, and are also much higher than the LD100 value encountered for notexin Notechis scutatus scutatus venom.