N-terminal amino acid sequences and some characteristics of fibrinolytic/hemorrhagic metalloproteinases purified from Bothrops jararaca venom.

We determined the N-terminal amino acid sequences of the fibrinolytic/hemorrhagic metalloproteinases (jararafibrases I, III and IV) purified from Bothrops jararaca venom. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of jararafibrase I and its degradation products were identical to those of jararhagin, another hemorrhagic metalloproteinase purified from the same snake venom. Together with enzymatic and immunological properties, we concluded that those two enzymes are identical. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of jararafibrase III was quite similar to C-type lectin isolated from Crotalus atrox, and the protein had a hemagglutinating activity on intact rat red blood cells.