A novel alpha-type fibrinogenase from Agkistrodon rhodostoma snake venom

By means of CM-Sephadex C-50 column chromatography, gel-filtration on sephadex G-75 and Sephacryl S-200 columns, a purified fibrinogenase, kistomin, was obtained from venom of Agkistrodon rhodostoma. It was a single peptide-chain with a molecular mass of about 21,800 Da containing about 202 amino-acid residues as revealed by amino acid analysis. Kistomin preferentially cleaved A alpha- and subsequently the gamma-chain of fibrinogen, leaving the B beta-chain unaffected. Its fibrinogenolytic activity was estimated to be 36.6 +/- 4.5 mg/min per mg protein and was inhibited by the pretreatment of EDTA, suggesting that it is a metalloproteinase. Its fibrinogenolytic activity in platelet-poor plasma is much less potent as compared to that in purified fibrinogen solution. It inhibited ristocetin-induced aggregation of human platelets in a dose-dependent manner in the presence of von Willebrand factor.