Epidermal Growth Factor Domain Research Articles

Six Different Point Mutations in Seven Danish Families with Symptomatic Protein C Deficiency

Six different point mutations of the protein C gene are described in seven Danish families with protein C deficiency associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism. All affected family members are heterozygotes for the mutated protein C genotype. One mutation is a G2992-->A transition at position +5 in the 5' splice site of intron D. The other five mutations affect the protein coding region. One is a C1432-->T transition in exon III converting the highly conserved Arg15 to Trp in the Gla-domain. Another mutation is a G3157-->C transversion in exon V converting the non-conserved Gly72 to Arg in the epidermal growth factor domain. The remaining three mutations are located in non-conserved amino acid positions in exon IX and affect the serine proteinase domain. The first is a G8559-->C transversion converting Gly282 to Arg. The second is a C8571-->T transition (present in two families) converting Arg286 to Cys. The third is a C8695-->T transition converting Pro327 to Leu. In each family the protein C deficiency cosegregates or probably cosegregates (one family, G8559-->C) with the mutation. All affected family members exhibit a reduction of both the antigen and the functional plasma concentration of protein C to approximately 50% of normal indicating that the mutated protein C is not present (type 1 deficiency) or only present in low amounts in plasma. Agarose gel electrophoresis followed by Western blotting shows that the Arg15-->Trp substitution is associated with a normal as well as an abnormal migrating plasma protein C band.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Structure of a nonadecapeptide of the fifth EGF domain of thrombomodulin complexed with thrombin.

The crystallographic structure has been determined of a complex between a nonadecapeptide from the fifth epidermal growth factor (EGF5) domain of human thrombomodulin and human D-PheProArg-alpha-thrombin. The peptide corresponds to amino acid residues Glu408-Glu426 of thrombomodulin and contains the third disulfide loop of EGF5 and its linker to EGF6. The structure was refined at 3.0-A resolution to an R-value of 0.146. There are two thrombin molecules in the asymmetric unit, and the structure in the crystal is a 2:1 thrombin complex. The folding of the peptide corresponds closely to the third disulfide loop of EGF2 of factor Xa (rms delta = 1.0 A). The peptide is squeezed between cofacial electropositive fibrinogen recognition exo sites of the two thrombin molecules. Since the peptide has a total of seven aspartic and glutamic acid residues, the principal binding interaction with thrombin is electrostatic. A major hydrophobic association, which is highly directional in such a pronounced electrostatic environment, involves a TyrIleLeu triplet of the peptide and Phe34, Leu65, Tyr76, and Ile82 (chymotrypsinogen numbering) of one thrombin molecule. The tyrosine of the peptide is sandwiched between the thrombin aromatic rings and is most likely the prime source of the specificity of the thrombomodulin-thrombin interaction.

Consensus repeat domains of E-selectin enhance ligand binding.

To study the structural characteristics of E-selectin necessary for mediating cell adhesion, we examined the role of the consensus repeat (CR) domains in E-selectin function. Soluble constructs containing different numbers of CR domains were stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, purified to homogeneity, and characterized. The minimum functional unit of soluble E-selectin consisted of the lectin (Lec) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) domains alone (Lec-EGF) as indicated by its ability to mediate in vitro HL-60 cell adhesion. However, E-selectin containing all six CR domains (Lec-EGF-CR6) at its COOH terminus was the most potent in blocking neutrophil or HL-60 cell adhesion to either immobilized E-selectin or cytokine-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells. This increased potency of Lec-EGF-CR6 in blocking cell adhesion was not due to CR-mediated oligomerization of the protein. Lec-EGF-CR6 was most likely monomeric in solution, as judged by gel filtration fast protein liquid chromatography, membrane ultrafiltration, and chemical cross-linking analysis. Therefore, although the lectin and EGF domains are necessary and sufficient for mediating cell adhesion, the additional six CR domains, present in native E-selectin, contribute to the enhanced binding of E-selectin to its ligand.

The X-ray crystal structure of the membrane protein prostaglandin H2 synthase-1.

The three-dimensional structure of prostaglandin H2 synthase-1, an integral membrane protein, has been determined at 3.5 A resolution by X-ray crystallography. This bifunctional enzyme comprises three independent folding units: an epidermal growth factor domain, a membrane-binding motif and an enzymatic domain. Two adjacent but spatially distinct active sites were found for its haem-dependent peroxidase and cyclooxygenase activities. The cyclooxygenase active site is created by a long, hydrophobic channel that is the site of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug binding. The conformation of the membrane-binding motif strongly suggests that the enzyme integrates into only one leaflet of the lipid bilayer and is thus a monotopic membrane protein.

組織プラスミノゲンアクチベーター誘導体（Ｅ６０１０）の急速静脈内投与による臨床第１相試験

E6010 is a novel modified human tissue plasminogen activator, in which cysteine 84 inthe epidermal growth factor domain of human tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) isreplaced by serine.The safety, pharmacological activity and pharmacokinetics of E6010 were studied in 6healthy volunteers following a rapid infusion (3-min intravenous infusion) of a dose of 0. 25to 6. 0 mg. No drug related subjective symptoms or objective findings were observed . Noclinically significant change was found in clinical laboratory findings. There was a dosedependent decrease of plasminogen and α2-PI. In the 6. 0 mg dose study, plasminogen andα2-PI decreased maximally by 19% and 40% of the preinfusion value at 2 hours after thestart of infusion, respectively. The half-lives for α-and β-phases of plasma E6010 concentration measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were 22. 85-47. 06 min and7. 39-10. 29 hr, respectively. A one-compartment model was used for the analysis of the plasma E6010 concentration measured by the fibrin plate method since a β-phase for fibrin plate activity could not be defined due to insufficient analytical sensitivity of this assay . The half-lifeof plasma E6010 concentration measured by the fibrin plate method was 25 . 75-33. 12 min.These results suggest that a rapid infusion of E6010 could be effective for clot lysis as E6010 has a long duration of fibrinolytic activity due to its longer half-life than other fibrinolytic agents.

Autoantibodies directed against the epidermal growth factor-like domains of thrombomodulin inhibit protein C activation in vitro.

No consensus has been obtained about the question whether autoantibodies, in particular antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), may cause thrombosis by inhibiting thrombomodulin (TM) mediated protein C activation. In order to clarify the mechanism by which autoantibodies inhibit TM-mediated protein C activation, we have screened 12 patients with autoimmune diseases for the presence of circulating autoantibodies inhibiting TM function. In a cross-sectional study we found that IgG fractions from two patients (who were aPL negative) inhibited TM mediated protein C activation in an assay system using purified components. A longitudinal study of six patients with a history of thrombosis of which two were aPL positive showed that all had at some time circulating antibodies inhibiting TM function, suggesting that the presence of these antibodies is transient. Three different TMs were used to identify the epitope of the antithrombomodulin antibodies (aTM): rabbit TM, which contains the entire TM molecule; Solulin, which contains the extracellular part of TM, and rEGF-TM, which contains the six epidermal growth factor (EGF) domains of TM. We showed that the aTM inhibited protein C activation mediated by all three TMs, indicating that the aTM are directed against the region containing the EGF domains. When TM was incorporated in phospholipid vesicles, no inhibition by these aTM could be demonstrated. In addition, protein C activation mediated by cultured endothelial cells (EC) could not be inhibited by aTM. The lack of inhibition of TM in phospholipid vesicles and EC-TM by a TM suggests that aTM only inhibit soluble TM. In conclusion, we demonstrated the transient presence of circulating autoantibodies directed against the region of TM containing the EGF domains in SLE patients with a history of thrombotic complications. We postulate that the presence of antibodies to soluble TM may be, in addition to aPL, a risk factor for the occurrence of thrombosis in patients with autoimmune diseases.

Molecular analysis of factor VII deficiency in Italy: a frequent mutation (FVII Lazio) in a repeated intronic region.

Molecular defects and polymorphic haplotypes of coagulation factor VII gene were studied in eight unrelated Italian subjects with factor VII deficiency, seven having the factor VII- variant, one the factor VIIR variant. An intron 7 mutation, which alters the consensus donor splice site sequence, was found in six subjects. The presence of the founder effect is suggested by their common geographical origin (a mountain area in the Lazio region) and by the identical polymorphic haplotype underlying the mutation. A different mutation, also located in the 5' monomer of the repeated intron 7 sequence, was found in the heterozygous condition in a subject from Northern Italy. New polymorphic alleles were detected in the repeated intron 7 region in subjects from Eastern Africa. Two missense mutations in codon 97 (Gly-->Cys, Gly-->Ser), the first found in the compound heterozygous condition with the frequent intron 7 mutation, suggest the presence of a hot spot mutation site in the second epidermal growth factor domain. Two neutral dimorphisms at codon 333Ser and 115His were detected, the last in linkage disequilibrium with the 353Arg/Gln polymorphism, and showing differences in frequency in the FVII deficient and control subjects.

Structure of Human Des(1-45) Factor Xa at 2·2 Å Resolution

The structure of a large molecular fragment of factor Xa that lacks only a Gla (γ-carboxyglutamic acid) domain (N-terminal 45 residues) has been solved by X-ray crystallography and refined at 2·2 Å resolution to a crystallographic R-value of 0·168. The fragment identity was clearly established by automated Edman degradation. X-ray structure analysis confirmed the biochemical characterization and also revealed that the N-terminal epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domain is flexibly disordered in crystals. The second EGF module, however, is positionally ordered making contacts with the catalytic domain. The overall folding of the catalytic domain is similar to that of α-thrombin, excluding the insertion loops of the latter with respect to simpler serine proteinases. The C-terminal arginine of the A-chain interacts in a substrate-like manner with the S1 specificity site of the active site of a crystallographically neighboring molecule. Based on this interaction and the structure of D-PheProArg methylene-thrombin, a model of the commonly used dansylGluGlyArg methylene inhibitor-factor Xa interaction is proposed. The region of factor Xa corresponding to the fibrinogen recognition site of thrombin has a reversed electrical polarity to the anion binding fibrinogen recognition site of thrombin but possesses a site similar to the Ca2+ binding site of trypsin and other serine proteinases. The structure of the C-terminal EGF domain of factor Xa is the first to be determined crystallographically. Its folding has been comprehensively compared with similar domains determined by NMR. Although the A-chain makes 44 contacts at less than 3· Å with the catalytic domain, only 16 involve the EGF module. In addition, the A-chain makes 30 intermolecular contacts with a neighboring catalytic domain.

Determinants of binding and internalization of tissue-type plasminogen activator by human vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells

Vascular injury induced by angioplasty is often followed by smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation, migration, and accumulation of extracellular matrix. Since plasminogen activators and their receptors may be important both in cell migration and the clearance of plasminogen activators, we studied the binding, internalization, and degradation of radiolabeled tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) by explant cultures of human vascular SMC. Binding of t-PA to SMC at 4 degrees C was rapid, specific, saturable, and inhibitable by antibodies to plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1). At 37 degrees C, labeled t-PA was internalized and degraded by SMC but not by human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Internalization and degradation was mediated by the low density lipoprotein receptor related protein/alpha 2-macroglobulin receptor (LRP) in that these processes were inhibited by an anti-LRP antibody, recombinant LRP-associated protein, urokinase-type plasminogen activator-PAI-1 complexes, and lactoferrin. The portion of t-PA most important for internalization after complexing with PAI-1 is likely to be in the finger and/or epidermal growth factor domains or in the carbohydrate at amino acid 117, in that the internalization of preformed t-PA.PAI-1 complexes or complexes formed on the cell surface was inhibited by an excess of active site-blocked wild type t-PA, but not by an active site blocked t-PA variant missing these domains. These studies are consistent with a model in which t-PA binds initially to SMC-associated PAI-1 with subsequent t-PA.PAI-1 internalization via LRP. SMC may play an important role in clearing t-PA-PAI-1 complexes from within the vessel wall.

Arginine-79 in the first epidermal growth factor domain of factor VII is essential for the interaction with tissue factor

Arginine-79 in the first epidermal growth factor domain of factor VII is essential for the interaction with tissue factor

Arginine-79 in the first epidermal growth factor domain of factor VII is essential for the interaction with tissue factor

Blood Systems Research Foundation Laboratory, Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131–5301, USA.

Versican gene expression in human articular cartilage and comparison of mRNA splicing variation with aggrecan

The chondrocytes in human articular cartilage from subjects of all ages express mRNAs for both of the aggregating proteoglycans aggrecan and versican, although the level of expression of versican mRNA is much lower than that of aggrecan mRNA. Aggrecan shows alternative splicing of the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domain within its C-terminal globular region, but there is no evidence for a major difference in situ in the relative expression of this domain with age. At all ages studied from birth to the mature adult, a greater proportion of transcripts lacked the EGF domain. The relative proportions of the two transcripts did not change upon culture and passage of isolated chondrocytes. In contrast, the neighbouring complement regulatory protein (CRP)-like domain was predominantly expressed irrespective of age, but cell culture did result in variation of the splicing of this domain. Versican possesses two EGF-like domains and one CRP-like domain, but at all ages the three domains were predominantly present in all transcripts. This situation persisted upon culture and passage of the chondrocytes. Thus, unlike aggrecan, the versican expressed by human articular cartilage does not appear to undergo alternative splicing of its C-terminal globular region, either in cartilage in situ or in chondrocytes in culture.

Analysis of the functions of the first epidermal growth factor-like domain of factor X.

Upon activation, factor X participates in the prothrombin activation complex. Similar to 4-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla)-domainless protein C, the Gla-domainless factor X (GDFX) contains a high affinity Ca(2+)-binding site critical for the function of these molecules. In the case of protein C, we recently demonstrated that the high affinity Ca(2+)-binding site critical for activation is outside the first epidermal growth factor (EGF) homology domain. To examine if this is also true for factor X, we have expressed in human 293 cells a deletion mutant of factor X (E2FX) which lacks the entire Gla region as well as the NH2-terminal EGF homology region of factor X. Direct binding studies by equilibrium dialysis indicate that E2FX contains a single Ca(2+)-binding site with a dissociation constant (Kd) of 154 +/- 48 microM. The functional properties of E2FX are equivalent or improved over those of GDFX. For instance, the factor X coagulant protein of Russell's viper venom activates E2FX three times faster than recombinant GDFX. Kinetic analysis of prothrombin activation in the absence of membranes indicates that activated GDFX and E2FX bind to factor Va with equal affinity (Kd = 4.1 microM). The Ca2+ concentration required for half-maximal prothrombin activation rates in the above activation system shifted from 721 +/- 113 microM for activated GDFX to 193 +/- 64 microM for activated E2FX. GDFX and E2FX activation rates with the soluble tissue factor-factor VIIa complex were identical as was the Ca2+ dependence of the reaction. We conclude that E2FX retains a high affinity Ca(2+)-binding site and that the first EGF homology domain does not appear to have a positive functional role in the GDFX molecule. However, Ca2+ occupancy of the Ca(2+)-binding site in the first EGF domain of intact factor X may be essential for optimal prothrombin activation.

Aberrant expression of epidermal growth factor receptor in aural cholesteatoma

A monoclonal antibody recognizing an epitope of the external domain of the human epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor was used in an alkaline phosphatase-antialkaline phosphatase (APAAP) technique to compare the distribution of this protein in normal human skin and aural cholesteatoma. EGF receptors appear to be highly expressed on the basal layer of the epidermis, in hair follicle apocrine sweat glands, and in the capillary system of normal skin. Cholesteatoma epithelium showed increased positive reactions in the suprabasal layers. A heterogeneity in the expression was found in different parts of the cholesteatoma. These results suggest the presence of an aberrant regulation and persistence of EGF receptors in cholesteatoma and confirm the hyperproliferative character of the cholesteatoma epithelium.

Cumulative effect of double-site mutations of human epidermal growth factor on receptor binding.

Using site-directed mutagenesis, it was previously found that mutation of the individual residues Tyr13, Tyr22, Ile23, or Leu26 in the amino-terminal domain or of the highly conserved Leu47 in the carboxyl-terminal domain of human epidermal growth factor (hEGF), resulted in significantly decreased receptor binding affinity. In the present study, the single-site hEGF mutants Tyr13-->His, Tyr22-->Asp, Ile23-->Thr, and Leu26-->Gly were genetically combined with the Leu47-->Ala hEGF mutant to produce a series of double-site mutant hEGF gene products having alterations simultaneously at two sites, in separate domains, within the same hEGF molecule. Similarly, the combination of the single-site hEGF mutants Tyr13-->His and Ile23-->Thr generated a double-site mutant having two mutations within the same domain. Finally, combination of the hEGF mutation Ile23-->Ala with Leu23-->Ala altered two side chains located in close proximity within the large beta-sheet region of the molecule. Analysis of the relative receptor binding affinities, determined by radioreceptor competition assays of the various single- and double-site hEGF mutants, demonstrated that mutation at any one site does not substantially alter the effect of mutation at the second site in the molecule. The cumulative effect of simultaneous mutations on relative receptor binding affinity confirms the importance of residues, including those in the large amino-terminal beta-sheet, in receptor binding, and indicates that each of the separate sites functions essentially independently in the interaction of the hEGF molecule with its receptor.

Immunohistochemical identification of receptors for epidermal growth factor in tumor endothelium may be affected by cross-reactivity to blood group A antigen.

It has been reported that endothelium in malignant glioma stains with a commercial antibody raised against the receptor for epidermal growth factor (EGFr) on A431 cells (clone 29.1). In this report, this antibody was used to study the immunohistochemical expression of EGFr in benign and malignant ovarian, mid-gut carcinoid, and thyroid neoplasms using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique. Eighteen of the 37 ovarian neoplasms, 4 of the 10 thyroid neoplasms, and 14 of 28 mid-gut carcinoid tumors expressed strong and distinct endothelial staining, whereas staining results of the remaining tumors were negative. The endothelial nature of the staining was verified by staining serial sections with Ulex europaeus agglutinin-I. The staining was independent of that obtained with an antibody raised against a synthetic peptide consisting of residues 985 to 996 from the cytoplasmic domain of EGFr (clone F4). All positive staining occurred in patients determined to be of blood groups A or AB, whereas samples from patients with blood groups B or O were negative. Immunoabsorption of the antibody with centrifuged erythrocytes from a blood group A donor, but not from a blood group B donor, abolished the positive staining. The data indicate that positive staining of tumor endothelium with this antibody is due to cross-reactivity with blood group A antigen. The results obtained challenge the validity of previously performed immunohistochemical studies in which monoclonal antibodies raised against the EGFr of A431 cells have been used, and in which the epitope for the monoclonal antibody has not been determined.

Comparison of the In Vitro Fibrinolytic Activities of Low and High Molecular Weight Single-Chain Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

The fibrinolytic activity of low molecular weight (LMW) single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) lacking the epidermal growth factor domain and the kringle domain was compared with the activity of high molecular weight (HMW) scu-PA. LMW scu-PA was 1-5 times less active than HMW scu-PA in a fibrin plate method, in a purified fibrin clot lysis assay and in a plasma clot lysis assay. Time course experiments in a chromogenic plasminogen activator assay suggested that LMW scu-PA was less sensitive to activation by plasmin than HMW scu-PA. This was confirmed in a scu-PA activation test, which showed that at a concentration of 40 IU/ml LMW scu-PA required a three-fold higher plasmin concentration for 50% activation in 20 min than did HMW scu-PA. Kinetic experiments in the presence of 0.1 M NaCl showed non-standard Michaelis-Menten kinetics for the activation by plasmin of both HMW and LMW scu-PA. In contrast, standard kinetics was observed at 0.15 M NaCl, showing a 2.6-fold lower catalytic efficiency for LMW scu-PA than for HMW scu-PA. It is concluded that the plasmin activation of LMW scu-PA is about three times slower than the activation of HMW scu-PA. This explains, at least partially, the lower fibrinolytic activity of LMW scu-PA in comparison with HMW scu-PA.

The function of calcium in protein C activation by thrombin and the thrombin-thrombomodulin complex can be distinguished by mutational analysis of protein C derivatives.

Protein C activation is catalyzed on endothelium by a complex between thrombin and thrombomodulin. Ca2+ stimulates protein C activation in the presence, and inhibits in the absence, of thrombomodulin. Protein C has Asp residues at the P3 and P3' positions relative to the scissile bond at Arg169-Leu. To determine the contribution of these residues to the Ca2+ effect on activation, we have expressed human 4-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla)-domainless protein C and 3 mutants with Asp-->Gly substitutions at P3, P3', and both positions. Ca2+ interaction with the protein C derivatives was monitored by changes in intrinsic fluorescence, and the Ca2+ dependence of activation by thrombin and a complex of thrombin-thrombomodulin with a soluble thrombomodulin derivative (the fourth through sixth epidermal growth factor domains). The affinity for Ca2+ of the mutants was reduced 3-6-fold, which was reflected by a comparable change in the Ca2+ concentration required for the half-maximal rate of activation by the thrombin-thrombomodulin complex. However, Ca2+ no longer effectively inhibited activation of the mutants by thrombin alone. We conclude that 1) the Asp residues play a specific role in the Ca(2+)-dependent inhibition of protein C activation by thrombin; 2) these mutations alter the affinity of Ca2+ for the high affinity binding site; and 3) the Asp residues in the P3 and P3' sites do not contribute in a positive fashion to rapid activation by the thrombin-thrombomodulin complex.

Evaluation of the role of electrostatic residues in human epidermal growth factor by site-directed mutagenesis and chemical modification.

Four residues in the carboxy-terminal domain of human epidermal growth factor (hEGF), glutamate 40, glutamine 43, arginine 45, and aspartate 46 were targeted for site-directed mutagenesis to evaluate their potential role in epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor-ligand interaction. One or more mutations were generated at each of these sites and the altered recombinant hEGF gene products were purified and evaluated by radioreceptor competition binding assay. Charge-conservative replacement of glutamate 40 with aspartate resulted in a decrease in receptor binding affinity to 30% relative to wild-type hEGF. On the other hand, removal of the electrostatic charge by substitution of glutamate 40 with glutamine or alanine resulted in only a slightly greater decrease in receptor binding to 25% relative receptor affinity. The introduction of a positive charge upon substitution of glutamine 43 with lysine had no effect on receptor binding. The substitution of arginine 45 with lysine also showed no effect on receptor binding, unlike the absolute requirement observed for the arginine side-chain at position 41 [Engler DA, Campion SR, Hauser MR, Cook JS, Niyogi, SK: J Biol Chem 267:2274-2281, 1992]. Subsequent elimination of the positive charge of lysine 45 by reaction with potassium cyanate showed that the electrostatic property of the residue at this site, as well as that at lysine 28 and lysine 48, was not required for receptor-ligand association.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Construction, expression, and characterization of a chimera of factor IX and factor X. The role of the second epidermal growth factor domain and serine protease domain in factor Va binding.

The prothrombinase complex, which catalyzes the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin, consists of activated Factor X, Factor Va, a membrane surface and Ca2+. To examine the structures that support Factor Va binding to Factor X, we used in vitro mutagenesis to construct a chimeric molecule that includes regions of Factor IX and Factor X. This chimera (IXGla,E1XE2,SP) was prepared from cDNA encoding the second epidermal growth factor (EGF) and serine protease domains of Factor X linked downstream from the cDNA encoding the signal peptide, propeptide, Gla domain, and first EGF domain of Factor IX. The cDNAs encoding the Factor IX/X chimera and wild-type Factor X were each expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells and the secreted proteins purified by affinity chromatography using polyclonal anti-Factor X antibodies. The chimera migrated as a single major band corresponding to a molecular weight of 68,000. By Western blotting, the chimeric protein stained with both polyclonal anti-Factor X and anti-Factor IX antibodies. gamma-Carboxyglutamic acid analysis demonstrated near complete carboxylation of both the wild-type Factor X and the Factor IX/X chimera. Compared with Factor X, the rate of zymogen activation of the Factor IX/X chimera was about 50% that of Factor X when activated by Factor IXa, Factor VIIIa, phospholipid, and Ca2+. The enzyme form of the Factor IX/X chimera, activated Factor IX/X, generated using the coagulant protein of Russell's viper venom, expressed full amidolytic activity compared with Factor Xa. The activated Factor IX/X chimera had about 14% of the activity of Factor Xa when employed in a prothrombinase assay; this activity reached 100% with increasing concentrations of Factor Va. A binding assay was employed to test the ability of the active site-inactivated Factor IX/Xa chimera to inhibit the binding of Factor Xa to the Factor Va-phospholipid complex, thus inhibiting the activation of prothrombin to thrombin. In this assay the active site-inactivated form of the chimera competed with Factor Xa completely but with decreased affinity for the Factor Va-phospholipid complex. These data indicate that the second EGF domain and the serine protease domain of Factor Xa are sufficient to interact with Factor Va. The Factor IX/X chimera is a good substrate for the tenase complex; the defective enzymatic activity of the activated Factor IX/X chimera can be accounted for by its decreased affinity for Factor Va relative to Factor Xa.