Peptidase activity of snake venoms

Abstract

1. 1. Peptidase activities of twenty-one snake venoms were investigated using different dipeptides and tripeptides and tetrapeptide. Venoms used were from seven Elapidae, three Viperidae and eleven Crotalidae. 2. 2. It was found in general that the closer the species of snakes, the more similar were the specificities of the peptidase activities of the venoms. Peptidase specificites of Naja naja samarensis, Naja haje and Naja melanoleuca were exactly identical. Oxyuranus scutellatus and Oxyuranus scutellatus canni venoms also had the same specificities. 3. 3. Peptidase specificity of Vipera russellii venom was very similar to Vipera ammodytes but was different from B. arietabns. 4. 4. The venoms of snakes of North American origin such as Agkintrodon mokasen, Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix, Agkistrodon contortrix laticincus and Agkistrodon contortrix piscivorus were very similar and differed in only one peptide between each other. Venoms of North American rattlesnakes such as Crotalus adamateus, Crotalus atrox and Crotalus viridis oreganus were similar to each other but more different from the Agkistrodon series. 5. 5. Exceptions were Naja naja atra and Agkistrodon acutus of Formosan origin. These venoms were different from those of other snakes in the corresponding genus. 6. None of the venoms investigated contain either carboxypeptidase or aminopeptidase.