Bushmaster Snake Venom Research Articles

Biochemical characterization and molecular cloning of a plasminogen activator proteinase (LV-PA) from bushmaster snake venom

The protein (LV-PA) from bushmaster ( Lachesis muta muta) venom is a serine proteinase which specifically activates the inactive proenzyme plasminogen. LV-PA is a single chain glycoprotein with an apparent molecular mass of 33 kDa that fell to 28 kDa after treatment with N-Glycosidase F (PNGase F). Approximately 93% of its protein sequence was determined by automated Edman degradation of various fragments derived from a digestion with trypsin. A cDNA library of L. m. muta was constructed to generate expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and the plasminogen activator precursor cDNA was sequenced. The complete amino acid sequence of the enzyme was deduced from the cDNA sequence. LV-PA is composed of 234 residues and contains a single asparagine-linked glycosylation site, Asn-X-Ser, bearing sugars that account for ∼ 10% of the enzyme's total molecular mass of 33 kDa. The sequence of LV-PA is highly similar to the plasminogen activators (PAs) TSV-PA from Trimeresurus stejnegeri venom and Haly-PA from Agkistrodon halys. Furthermore, the mature protein sequence of LV-PA exhibits significant similarity with other viperidae venom serine proteinases which affect many steps of hemostasis, ranging from the blood coagulation cascade to platelet function. The Michaelis constant (Km) and the catalytic rate constant (kcat) of LV-PA on four chromogenic substrates were obtained from Lineweaver–Burk plots. In addition, we used an indirect enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) to explore the phylogenetic range of immunological cross-reactivity (using antibodies raised against LV-PA) with analogous serine proteinases from two viperidae venoms and mammals.

Antibodies against synthetic epitopes inhibit the enzymatic activity of mutalysin II, a metalloproteinase from bushmaster snake venom

Mutalysin II (mut-II), a 22.5 kDa zinc endopeptidase isolated from bushmaster ( Lachesis muta muta) snake venom, is a direct acting fibrin(ogen)olytic proteinase. It induces monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies which efficiently neutralize the hemorrhagic effect of L. muta and several Bothrops whole venoms. To characterize epitopes of protective antibodies we have used the Spot method of multiple peptide synthesis to prepare 64 overlapping dodecapeptides frameshifted by three residues, covering the complete amino acid sequence of mut-II. The rabbit anti-mut-II antibodies binding pattern to peptides revealed several continuous antigenic regions: one in the N-terminal part, two in the central region and the other in the C-terminal of mut-II. By using homology modelling, a three-dimensional model of mut-II was built which showed that epitopes are surface exposed. Anti-peptide antibodies were raised against three peptides (one representative of each epitope region) covalently coupled as a mixture to keyhole limpet hemocyanin. Purified IgG from the resulting anti- peptide antibodies cross-reacted with mut-II and induced a dose-dependent inhibition of the mut-II catalyzed proteolysis of fibrinogen.

Biochemical Properties of a Bushmaster Snake Venom Serine Proteinase (LV-Ka), and Its Kinin Releasing Activity Evaluated in Rat Mesenteric Arterial Rings

A serine proteinase with kallikrein-like activity (LV-Ka) has been purified to homogeneity from bushmaster snake (Lachesis muta muta) venom. Physicochemical studies indicated that LV-Ka is a single chain glycoprotein with a molecular mass (Mr) of 33 kDa under reducing conditions which was reduced to 28 kDa after treatment with N-Glycosidase F (PNGase F). LV-Ka can be bounded and neutralized by serum α2-macroglobulin (α2-M), a prevalent mammalian protease inhibitor that is capable of forming a macromolecular complex with LV-Ka (Mr >180 kDa). Cleavage of α2-M by the enzyme resulted in the formation of 90-kDa fragments. The proteolytic activity of LV-Ka against dimethylcasein could be inhibited by α2-M, and the binding ratio of the inhibitor:enzyme complex was found to be 1:1. The Michaelis constant, Km, and catalytic rate constant, kcat, of LV-Ka on four selective chromogenic substrates were obtained from Lineweaver-Burk plots. LV-Ka exhibits substrate specificities not only for the glandular kallikrein H-D-Val-Leu-Arg-pNA (S-2266) but also for the plasmin substrates S-2251 and Tos-Gly-Pro-Lys-pNA. Bovine kininogen incubated with LV-Ka generated a polypeptide that dose dependently contracted mesenteric arterial rings from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) in a similar way as bradykinin (BK) does. As it happens with BK, LV-Ka generated polypeptide was inhibited by HOE-140, a bradykinin B2-receptor antagonist and by indomethacin, a cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor. These results strongly suggest that the polypeptide generated by LV-Ka by cleavage of bovine kininogen is bradykinin. In addition, our studies may help to understand the mechanism of action involved in hypotension produced by envenomation of bushmaster snake.

Resolution of isoforms of mutalysin II, the metalloproteinase from bushmaster snake venom

Mutalysin II, a zinc endopeptidase possessing direct-acting fibrinolytic activity has been previously purified from bushmaster ( Lachesis muta muta) snake venom. We now report a method to isolate two isoforms of natural mutalysin II (mut IIa and mut IIb) using chromatographies on Sephacryl S-200, CM Sepharose CL 6B and Sephadex G-50. The two proteins are monomeric non-glycosylated proteinases with similar molecular masses of 23 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Tryptic peptide mapping of the two native enzymes suggested a large degree of structural similarity. Both isoforms showed high similarity in all enzymatic properties using fibrinogen, fibrin and dimethylcasein as substrates. Thus, the specific fibrinolytic activity was estimated as 12±1.04 and 11.5±1.02 U/μg for mut IIa and mut IIb, respectively. The antigenic cross-reactivity of both isoforms was examined using rabbit hyperimmune serum or immunoglobulin G anti-mut IIa assays on immunodiffusion microscope slides, indirect enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay and western blots. From these experiments it was concluded that the two metalloproteinases mut IIa and mut IIb share identical antigenic structures. Since the stability of mutalysin II is dependent upon the presence of zinc, we examined the EDTA sensitivity of the isoforms of mutalysin II. Thus, the IC 50 values (concentration of EDTA to produce 50% inhibition of dimethylcasein hydrolysis) for mut IIa is 180 μM and 165 μM for mut IIb.

Kallikrein-like proteinase from bushmaster snake venom

A kallikrein-like proteinase of Lachesis muta muta (bushmaster) venom, designated LV-Ka, was purified by gel filtration and anion exchange chromatographies. Physicochemical studies indicated that the purified enzyme is a 33 kDa monomeric glycoprotein, the Mr of which fell to 28 kDa after deglycosylation with PNGase F. Approximately 77% of the protein sequence was determined by sequencing the various fragments derived from digestions with endoproteases. The partial sequence obtained suggests that LV-Ka is of a similar size to other serine proteinases (i.e., approximately 234 amino acid residues). Sequence studies on the NH 2-terminal region of the protein indicate that LV-Ka shares a high degree of sequence homology with the kallikrein-like enzymes EI and EII from Crotalus atrox, with crotalase from Crotalus adamanteus and significant homology with other serine proteinases from snake venoms and vertebrate serum enzymes. LV-Ka showed kallikrein-like activity, releasing bradikinin from kininogen as evidenced by guinea pig bioassay. In addition, intravenous injection of the proteinase (0.8 μg/g) was shown to lower blood pressure in experimental rats. In vitro, the isolated proteinase was shown to have neither fibrin(ogeno)lytic activity nor coagulant effect. LV-Ka was active upon the kallikrein substrates S-2266 and S-2302 (specific activity=13.0 and 31.5 U/mg, respectively; crude venom=0.25 and 6.0 U/mg) but had no proteolytic effect on dimethylcasein and insulin B chain. Its enzymatic activity was inhibited by NPGB and PMSF, indicating that the enzyme is a serine proteinase. Interestingly, one of the other reactions catalyzed by plasma kallikrein, the activation of plasminogen was one of the activities exhibited by LV-Ka.

Inhibition of mutalysin II, a metalloproteinase from bushmaster snake venom by human α2-macroglobulin and rabbit immunoglobulin

Mutalysin II is a 22.5-kDa zinc endopeptidase isolated from Lachesis muta muta snake venom. In order to determine whether the inhibitors human α2-macroglobulin (α2-M) and rabbit antibody to mutalysin II share a common mechanism, we have investigated the inhibition of mutalysin II by these two different glycoproteins. The proteolytic activity of mutalysin II with dimethylcasein as substrate was completely inhibited by human α2-M and by a purified rabbit antibody to mutalysin II. The protection of fibrin(ogen) digestion by α2-M was slightly better than the protection offered by the antibody. In addition, the purified antibody reacted only with the metalloproteinase in bushmaster venom, as demonstrated by immunodiffusion. SDS-PAGE analysis of reduced samples showed that the interaction of mutalysin II with α2-M resulted in the formation of high molecular complex (∼180 000) and M r 90 000 fragments generated by the venom enzyme. Also, fragments at 85 and 23 kDa were detected under non-reducing conditions after incubation of rabbit immunoglobulin with enzyme. Proteolysis of dimethylcasein as substrate revealed that the stoichiometry of inhibition was 1.0 mol of human α2-M and 1.5 mol of rabbit IgG antimutalysin II per mole of enzyme. Furthermore, dimethylcasein hydrolysis indicated that several viperid snake venoms, including Bothrops atrox, B. alternatus and Trimeresurus flavoviridis cross-reacted with the specific rabbit antibody to varying degrees.

Interaction of uranyl ions with snake venom proteins fromLachesis muta muta

The reaction product of uranyl nitrate with whole-protein Bushmaster snake venom in nitrate buffer at pH 3.5 has been studied. The maximum uptake of uranium was 291 μmol U·g−1 of venom. The infrared spectrum of the product showed an asymmetric O−U−O vibration at 921 cm−1 typical of complex formation with the uranyl ion. Stability measurements with the UO 2 2+ -protein complex in neutral medium indicated moderate hydrolytic stability, with 14% dissociation after 16 hours at 0°C. Neutron irradiation and desorption studies with a235U-labelled complex showed that generated fission products such as lanthanides and barium were readily lixiviated at pH 7, whereas Ru and Zr were highly retained by the protein substrate.