Venom from two sub-species of Heloderma horridum (Mexican beaded lizard): general characterization and purification of N-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester hydrolase.

The venom from the lizards Heloderma horridum horridum and Heloderma horridum alvarezi was obtained at a protein concentration of 80 mg/ml with a pH value of 6.9-7.0. The volume of venom obtained is approximately 0.5 ml per extraction. The i.p. LD50 value in mice for both sub-species is 2 mg/kg body weight. The electrophoretic pattern of the venom applied to polyacrylamide gels shows at least 18 protein bands and this pattern is constant for the same animal during all 12 months of the year, although different animals from the same population may present a slightly different pattern. The venom has the following enzymatic activities: phospholipase A, hyaluronidase, and Bz-Arg-OEt and Bz-Tyr-OEt hydrolase. Some of the venom components can be selectively and reversibly precipitated at acidic pH (4.7). The venom is very immunogenic and the sheep anti-sera against both sub-species cross-react quite extensively. A Bz-Arg-OEt hydrolase was purified from the venom of H. h. horridum by column chromatography in Sephadex G-75 followed by two steps on DEAE-cellulose columns at two different pH values (7.55 and 8.6). The last step was chromatography in a phenyl-sepharose column. The molecular weight of this enzyme, as obtained by SDS-gel electrophoresis, is approx. 65,000.

Venom from the snake Bothrops asper Garman. Purification and characterization of three phospholipases A2.

The water-soluble venom of Bothrops asper Garman (San Juan Evangelista, Veracruz, México) showed 15 polypeptide bands on polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. This material exhibited phospholipase, hyaluronidase, N-benzoyl-l-arginine ethyl hydrolase, N-benzoyl-l-tyrosine ethyl hydrolase and phosphodiesterase activity, but no alkaline phosphatase or acid phosphatase activity. Fractionation on Sephadex G-75 afforded seven protein fractions, which were apparently less toxic than the whole venom (LD(50)=4.3mug/g mouse wt.). Subsequent separation of the phospholipase-positive fraction (II) on DEAE-cellulose with potassium phosphate buffers (pH7.55) gave several fractions, two being phospholipase-positive (II.6 and II.8). These fractions were further purified on DEAE-cellulose columns with potassium phosphate buffers (pH8.6). Fraction II.8.4 was rechromatographed in the same DEAE-cellulose column, giving a pure protein designated phospholipase 1. The fraction II.6.3 was further separated by gel disc electrophoresis yielding two more pure proteins designated phospholipase 2 and phospholipase 3. Analysis of phospholipids hydrolysed by these enzymes have shown that all three phospholipases belong to type A(2). Amino acid analysis has shown that phospholipase A(2) (type 1) has 97 residues with a calculated mol.wt. of 10978+/-11. Phospholipase A(2) (type 2) has 96 residues with a mol.wt. of 10959+/-11. Phospholipase A(2) (type 3) has 266 residues with 16 half-cystine residues and a calculated mol.wt of 29042+/-31. Automated Edman degradation showed the N-terminal sequence to be: Asx-Leu-Trp-Glx-Phe-Gly-Glx-Met-Met-Ser-Asx-Val- Met-Arg-Lys-Asx-Val-Val-Phe-Lys-Tyr-Leu- for phospholipase A(2) (type 2).

Purification and characterization of a phospholipase A2 from the venom of the coral snake, Micrurus fulvius microgalbineus (Brown and Smith).

A phospholipase A2 was purified from the Mexican coral snake Micrurus fulvius microgalbieus (Brown and Smith). Gel filtration of the soluble crude venom on Sephadex g-50 resolved five fractions, of which fraction II had 98% of the total phospholipase activity. This fraction was rechromatographed on a CM-cellulose column that resolved eight fractions, four of which had an important phospholipase activity. The first fraction (II-1) was homogeneous by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and displayed a phospholipase specific activity of 920 units/mg of protein. The apparent molecular weight as determined by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis was approx. 14000. The amino acid analysis revealed the presence of 119 amino acid residues, with 12 half-cystines. the N-terminal sequence was shown to be Ser-Leu-Leu-Asx-Phe-Lys-Asx-Met-Ile-Glu-Ser-Thr..., which is homologous with that of phospholipases from other snake venoms.

Comparison of phospholipase activity with direct and indirect lytic effects of animal venoms upon human red cells.

1. The venoms of 22 species of arthropods, saurians, elapids and crotalids were studied concerning the phospholipase activity and the presence of a direct and an indirect lytic effect upon human red cells. 2. The venoms from the spiders Latrodectus and "tarantula", and the venoms from the scorpions of the genus Centruroides are not haemolytic and do not have phospholipase activity. 3. Only the venoms of Apis mellifera and Naja naja siamensis have shown direct lytic effect. 4. All other venoms studied have an indirect haemolytic effect associated to a phospholipase activity, but there is indication that other agents might be implicated in the haemolytic processes.