J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 261, Issue 19, 8830-8835, Jul, 1986
Thrombin-like enzyme from the venom of Bitis gabonica. Purification, properties, and coagulant actions
H Pirkle, I Theodor, D Miyada and G Simmons
Gabonase, an enzyme which acts on fibrinogen and factor XIII in uniquely
thrombin-like ways, was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from the
venom of Bitis gabonica. On sodium dodecyl sulfate- polyacrylamide
electrophoresis, the reduced protein behaved as a single chain with Mr =
30,600. The enzyme contains 20.6% carbohydrate, no free sulfhydryl groups
and hence, from amino acid analysis, five disulfide bonds. Its extinction
coefficient (E1%1cm) at 280 nm is 9.6. Its pI is 5.3. Gabonase has an
active serine residue, is inactivated by phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride,
and has an active histidine which reacts with the chloromethyl ketone of
tosyl-L-lysine. Its NH2-terminal amino acid sequence
(Val-Val-Gly-Gly-Ala-Glu-Cys-Lys-Ile-Asp-Gly-His- Arg-Cys-Leu-Ala-Leu-Leu
-Tyr-) is homologous to the B chain of thrombin. The activity of the enzyme
is stabilized by calcium ion. It exhibits strong N alpha-p-tosyl-L-arginine
methyl esterase activity, hydrolyzes tripeptide nitroanilide derivatives
weakly or not at all, and cleaves no peptide bonds in insulin, glucagon, or
the S peptide of ribonuclease. Gabonase clots fibrinogen with a specific
activity of 45 NIH thrombin-equivalent units/mg, releasing both
fibrinopeptides A and B and showing substrate inhibition at fibrinogen
concentrations of 3 mg/ml or greater. The enzyme also activates factor
XIII. It is not inactivated by either heparin or hirudin.