Distribution of elastase-like enzyme activity among snake venoms

Abstract

1. 1. Venoms from 25 poisonous snakes (12 Crotalidac, 5 Viperidac and 8 Elapidae) were studied for elastase-like enzyme activity. 2. 2. A correlation between elastase-like activities of venom and taxonomy of poisonous snakes at the family level was observed. All of the Crotalidae and Viperidae venoms but none of the Elapidae venom tested hydrolyzed the synthetic elastase substrate t- BOC- l-alanine -p- nitrophenol . 3. 3. No correlation between elastase-like activity and genera of poisonous snake was observed. 4. 4. HgCl 2, cysteine, PMSF and EDTA markedly inhibited venom elastinolytic and p-nitrophenyl esterase activities.