title: Comparative study of four arginine ester hydrolases, ME-1, 2, 3 and 4 from the venom of Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus (the Chinese habu snake).
abstract: Four arginine ester hydrolases, ME-1, 2, 3 and 4 from the venom of Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus had been isolated and characterized by Sugihara et al. (1980, 1981, 1982, 1983). Immunologically, ME-1, 2, 3 and 4 are identical. The four enzymes hydrolyzed Pro-Phe-Arg-MCA and z-Phe-Arg-MCA. Furthermore, ME-2 slightly hydrolyzed Boc-Val-Pro-Arg-MCA, Boc-Phe-Ser-Arg-MCA and Boc-Ile-Glu-Gly-Arg-MCA. ME-1 cleaved almost simultaneously the Arg(22)-Gly(23) and Phe(25)-Tyr(26) bond of oxidized insulin B chain. ME-2 and 3 also hydrolyzed the same bond of insulin B chain, but the activity was not as potent as ME-1. ME-4 did not cleave the substrate. The four enzymes hydrolyzed C-terminal of arginine in the biologically active peptides. Four arginine ester hydrolases showed fibrinogenolytic activity. ME-1 and 2 first cleaved B beta-chain and then A alpha-chain. On the contrary, ME-3 and 4 cleaved A alpha- and B beta-chain simultaneously. The four enzymes also hydrolyzed fibrinogen in plasma cleaving B beta- and gamma-chain and slightly digesting A alpha-chain. The various inhibitors affected TAME (tosyl-arginine-methylester) and the fibrinogen hydrolytic activity of the four enzymes. All four enzymes had fibrinolytic activity.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D003435:Crotalid Venoms / Q000378:metabolism*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D007700:Kinetics; D008970:Molecular Weight; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D003435:Crotalid Venoms; D005340:Fibrinogen; C019724:arginine esterase; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases