Abstract
1. 1. Venoms from twenty-six poisonous snakes (twelve Crotalidae, five Viperidae and nine Elapidae) were studied for collagenolytic enzyme activity. 2. 2. A correlation between collagenolytic activities of venom and taxonomy of poisonous snakes at the family level was observed. Viperidae venoms contained less collagenolytic activity than Crotalidae venoms while only three of nine Elapidae venoms contained minimal collagenolytic activity. 3. 3. No correlation between collagenolytic activity and genera of poisonous snakes was observed. 4. 4. Venom-catalyzed viscosity reduction of collagen solutions results from the degradation of collagen β components to altered α chains. Thus, the predominant collagenolytic enzyme mechanism of snake venoms is similar to the collagenolytic activities of chymotrypsin and pepsin.
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