ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MYOTOXIC PHOSPHOLIPASES A2 FROM CROTALID VENOMS

Phospholipases A2 producing myonecrosis when injected i.m. into mice were isolated from venoms of Trimeresurus flavoviridis, Agkistrodon bilineatus, A. contortrix contortrix, A. contortrix mokenson, A. piscivorus piscivorus and Bothrops asper by gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 followed by ion-exchange chromatography on CM-cellulose. They are basic enzymes with molecular weights between 14,000 and 15,000 containing 120-129 amino acid residues and exhibit relatively low enzymatic activity when tested on egg yolk suspension. Local myonecrosis is induced even at doses of 1.25 .mu.g per mouse.