Purification, characterization, and cDNA cloning of a new fibrinogenlytic venom protein, Agkisacutacin, from Agkistrodon acutus venom

Agkisacutacin is a new fibrinogenlytic protein from Agkistrodon acutus veno m. It consists of two heterologous subunits linked by an intersubunit disul fide bond, The cDNAs encoding the two chains of Agkisacutacin were cloned f rom a lambda gt11 cDNA library of the snake venom gland and sequenced, incl uding the leader peptides (23/23 amino acid residues) and mature subunits ( 129/123 amino acid residues). It is structurally related to the family of I X/X-binding protein (IX/X-bp)-like proteins and shows high similarity (alph a-70%/beta-64%) to habu IX/X-bp from Trimeresurus flavoridis, but displays distinct biological activity with direct action on fibrinogen, (C) 1999 Aca demic Press.