THE COMPLETE AMINO-ACID-SEQUENCE OF THE HEMORRHAGIC FACTOR LHFII, A METALLOPROTEINASE ISOLATED FROM THE VENOM OF THE BUSHMASTER SNAKE (LACHESIS-MUTA-MUTA)

The complete amino acid sequence the haemorrhagic agent LHFII, a Zn and Ca containing metalloproteinase isolated from the venom of the Bushmaster snake Lachesis muta muta was determined by automated and DABITC/PITC microsequencing of the intact protein, fragments derived by cleavage with cyanogen bromide, and peptides resulting from enzymatic digestions with trypsin and the protease from S. aureus V8. The protein is composed of 200 residues and exhibits considerable sequence homology with the haemorrhagic toxins from a number of other snake venoms, and some metalloproteinases in the region of the putative Zn-binding sites.