Thromb Haemost 1999; 81(01): 81-86
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1614423
Review Article
Schattauer GmbH

Crotalase, a Fibrinogen-Clotting Snake Venom Enzyme: Primary Structure and Evidence for a Fibrinogen Recognition Exosite Different from Thrombin

Agnes H. Henschen-Edman
1   From the Departments of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
,
Ida Theodor
1   From the Departments of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
2   From the Departments of Pathology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA and the, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
,
Brian F.P. Edwards
3   From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
,
Hubert Pirkle
2   From the Departments of Pathology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA and the, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Correspondence to:

Dr. Hubert Pirkle
Department of Pathology
Medical Sciences I
University of California, Irvine
California 92697 USA
Fax: +1 949 824 2160   
Phone: +1 949 824 6575   

Publication History

Received26 May 1998

Accepted after revision22 September 1998

Publication Date:
08 December 2017 (online)

 

Summary

Crotalase, a fibrinogen-clotting enzyme isolated from the venom of Crotalus adamanteus, and its overlapping fragments were subjected to Edman degradation. The resulting amino acid sequence, VIGGDEC NINEHRFLVALYDYWSQLFLCGGTLINNEWVLTAAHCDRTHI LIYVGVHDRSVQFDKEQRRFPKEKYFFDCSNNFTKWDKDIM LIRLNKPVSYSEHIAPLSLPSSPPIVGSVCRAMGWGQTTSPQET LPDVPHCANINLLDYEVCRTAHPQFRLPATSRTLCAGVLEG GIDTCNRDSGGPLICNGQFQGIVFWGPDPCAQPDKPGLYTK VFDHLDWIQSIIAGEKTVNCP, is characteristic of a serine protein-ase. Comparison with thrombin, the physiological fibrinogen-clotting enzyme, showed that thrombin’s fibrinogen-recognition exosite (FRE) is poorly represented in crotalase. Hirudin, a FRE-dependent inhibitor, had no effect on crotalase. Spatial modeling of crotalase yielded a possible alternative fibrinogen-recognition site comprised of Arg 60F, Lys 85, Lys 87, and Arg 107 (underlined in the sequence above). Crotalase also lacks thrombin’s YPPW loop, as well as its functionally important ETW 146-148, and its heparin-binding site. The enzyme contains a single asparagine-linked glycosylation site, NFT, bearing neutral and amino sugars that account for 8.3% of the enzyme’s total molecular weight of 29,027. The calculated absorbance of crotalase at 280 nm, 1%, cm-1is 15.2.


 



Correspondence to:

Dr. Hubert Pirkle
Department of Pathology
Medical Sciences I
University of California, Irvine
California 92697 USA
Fax: +1 949 824 2160   
Phone: +1 949 824 6575