An investigation of the coagulological potential of the venoms of some Central Asian snakes

The compositions of the proteolytic complexes of the venoms of the crotalid Agkistrodon halys halysand the viperid Echis multisquamatushave been investigated with the aid of a large number of specific natural and model substrates. A comparative analysis of the results obtained has revealed a predominance in the crotalid venom of fibrinogen-hydrolyzing enzymes, while the viperid venom is characterized as a procoagulant of the prothrombin-activating type. Among the fibrinogenases of the crotalid venom, a thrombin-like enzyme and a plasmin-like proteinase have been revealed and obtained in a purified state. A prothrombin-activating enzyme from the viperid venom has been isolated in the purified state and characterized with the aid of specific substrates.     

An investigation of the venom of Renard's viperVipera ursini renardi. III. Isolation of phospholipases A2

Two phospholipases A₂ with molecular weights of 15,600 and 13,200 and pI values of 7.57 and 6.73, respectively, have been isolated from viper venom in the pure state with the aid of gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 followed by ion-exchange chromatography on CM-cellulose and SE-Sephadex C-25.Institute of Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 389–392, May–June, 1980.     

Competitive inhibitors of the angiotensinconverting enzyme from the venom of the viperEchis multisquamatus

The mechanism of the inhibition of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE, E. C. 3.4.15.1) by homogeneous peptides of the venom of the Central Asian viperEchis multisquamatus Ch. has been determined, and the inhibition constants have been measured, by means of an analysis of Lineweaver-Burk graphs.Institute of Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Tashkent fax (3712) 62 32 56. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 368–371, May–June, 1999.     

Purification of nerve growth factor from the venom of the Central Asian cobraNaja oxiana

A highly purified electrophoreticaly homogeneous protein with a NGF activity of 10·10⁵ BU/mg of protein have been isolated from the venom of the Central Asian cobra by gel-filtration and ion-exchange chromatography followed by preparative isolectric focusing in a thin layer of Sephadex. It has been shown that the NGF isolated is characterized by a molecular weight in the range of 20–30 kD and a pI value of about 7.0.Institute of Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii. No. 4, pp. 546–551, July–August, 1985.     

An investigation of the kallikreins and the kininases and proteins bound with them in the venoms of Central Asian snakes

The activities of the kallikreins and the kininases and the peptides bound with them in the venoms of Central Asian snakes have been studied. It has been found that when the whole venoms are used an interference of the enzymes with one another and also with potentiating or inhibiting peptides takes place. Bradykinin-potentiating activity the nature of which is connected with an inhibiting action on kininase II has been found in the low-molecular-mass fractions of cobra and viper venoms. The inhibiting activities of the venoms have been characterized in relation to the angiotension-converting enzyme from bovine kidneys and also purified dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase from karakurt (black widow) venom.Institute of Biochemistry, Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 257–261, March–April, 1992.     

Phospholipase activity of the venom ofEchis multisquamatus

Of the two molecular forms of phospholipase A₂ detected in the venom of the viperEchis multisquamatus, one, with a molecular weight of 15 kD, has been obtained in the pure form.Institute of Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 261–264, March–April, 1985.     

Characteristics of the cholinesterase of the venom of the central Asian cobra

Summary 1. By rechromatography on sulfoethyl-Sephadex C-50, an electrophoretically homogeneous preparation of cholinesterase has been obtained from the venom ofNaja oxiana Eichwald.2. The activity of the cholinesterase isolated depends on the concentration of the enzyme and the time and temperature of incubation, and also on the pH. The following must be considered the optimum conditions: time of incubation of the enzyme with the substrate 20–30 min, pH 8.0–8.5, temperature 37–38°C.3. Diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate (DIPF) in a concentration of 2 µM completely suppresses the activity of the cobra venom cholinesterase.4. The venom cholinesterase hydrolyzes acetylcholine chloride and acetylthiocholine bromide but has no effect on butyrylthiocholine bromide, in which respect it resembles the true cholinesterases.5. Preparations of cobra venom cholinesterase do not possess a lethal action and do not potentiate the activity of the neurotoxins of the same venom.Institute of Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 783–789, November–December, 1972.     

Proteinases and phospholipases A-2 from the venom ofVipera berus berus

With aid of chromatography combining gel filtration and ion-exchange methods, from the venom of the common adderVipera berus berus we have isolated proteinases and phospholipase A-2 and also a component with coagulating properties which, in contrast to the other proteinases of the venom, hydrolyzes casein feebly. According to the results of get fzltrations, the molecular mass of the coagulant isolated was about 100 kDa, pH 6.5-7 0. No phospholipase A-2 activity was found in the coagulant fraction.Institute of Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 700095, Tashkent, fax (3712) 62 32 56. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 479–483, May–June, 1995. Original article submitted September 13, 1994.     

Comparative study of the cytotoxins of the venom of the central asian cobraNaja naja oxiana by the intrinsic-fluorescence method

The intrinsic fluorescence of cytotoxin V_C1 and V_C5 from the venom of the Central Asian cobra due to the tyrosine residues and differing with respect to quantum yield for these two polypeptides because of the nonidentity of the microenvironments of the tyrosyl residues has been measured and characterized. The dependence of the quantum yield on the pH and the temperature also indicate this nonidentity.Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, Tashkent. Institute of Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 226–228, March–April, 1986.     

Inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme by peptides from the venom of the viperEchis multisquamatus

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme [dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase] (ACE, CE 3.4.15.1) isolated in the pure form from ox kidney, has been characterized physicochemically and kinetically. Inhibition of the enzyme by homogeneous peptides from the venom of the Central Asian viperEchis multisquamatus Ch. has been investigated. Institute of Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, fax (371) 62 32 56. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 821–825, November–December, 1998.     

A study of the venom of Renard's viperVipera ursini renardi II. Chemical and biological characterization of the fractions

Of the five fractions obtained as the result of the fractionation of the venom of Renard's viper on Sephadex G-75, the first two possessed a high proteolytic and coagulating activity and had a hemorrhagic and lethal action, and the third fraction has been identified as phospholipase A₂.Institute of Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 73–76, January–February, 1980.     

Hemorrhagic action of the venoms of Central Asian snakes

Collective characteristics of the venoms belonging to various taxons of Central Asian snakes, demonstrating levels of toxicity and efficiency of hemorrhagic action, together with proteolytic, esterase, and phospholipase activities, have been obtained. A comparative analysis of the collective characteristics (portraits) of the venoms and their changes on degradative treatment has shown that the hemorrhagic action of the venoms of viperine and crotalid snakes is connected with metalloproteins. In contrast to the venoms of the elapids (cobras) the toxicity of the venoms of the viperine and crotalid snakes exhibits a dependence on the hemmorhagic effect and the activity of the metalloproteins causing it.Institute of Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 560–564, July–August, 1991.     

Comparative study of the hemolytic action of two cytotoxins from the venom of the Central Asian cobraNaja oxiana Eichwald

It has been shown that cytotoxins isolated from cobra venom differ in hemolytic activity; the greater activity of one of the cytotoxins corresponds to a more pronounced basicity of its molecules, which confirms the significance of a positive charge of a cytotoxin molecule in the mechanism of its lytic action.Institute of Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 82–84, January–February, 1980.     

Isolation, purification, and study of some properties of the lysl-, phenylalanyl-, and aspartyl-tRNA synthetases from the fungus Verticillium dahliae

Conclusions Relatively highly purified preparations of lysyl-, phenylalanyl- and aspartyl-tRNA synthetases have been isolated from the 12-day mycelium of a strongly virulent form of the fungusV. dahliae and some of their physicochemical properties have been studied.Institute of Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 229–233, March–April, 1974.     

Phosphatase activities of fractions of the venom of Renard's viperVipera ursini renardi

The separation of the venom of Renard's viper by filtration through Sephadex G-75 gel has been performed and phosphatase activities have been determined in the fractions and in the course of separation. The bulk of the activity of the phosphatases investigated was concentrated in the high-molecular-weight fractions I and II. A correlation has been found in the distribution of the DNase and ATP-pyrophosphatase activities with the phosphodiesterase activity in the venom fractions. There is no correlation in the distribution of the RNase and phosphodiesterase activity.Institute of Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 783–786, November–December, 1985.     

Bradykinin-potentiating peptides fromEchis multisquamatus venom

Eight bradykinin potentiating peptides have been isolated in the pure form from the low-molecular-mass fraction of the venom of the Central Asian viper Echis multisquamatus Ch. The peptides isolated differed in the efficacy of their bradykinpotentiating activity and their capacity for inhibiting the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE, EC 3.4.15.1); however, complete correlation of the two activities was established for only six of them.Institute of Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, fax (3712) 62 32 56. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 435–440, May–June, 1995.     

Purification and some properties of a protein inhibitor of sucrose synthetase from ripening wheat grain

A heat-stable protein with a molecular mass of 30 kDa inhibiting the reverse reaction of sucrose synthetase has been isolated from ripening wheat grain and purified to the homogeneous state by the methods of gel filtration on Sephacryl S-200, ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose 52, and chromatofocusing in a pH 6–4 gradient. The influence of this protein on K_M for sucrose has been shown which is expressed in a decrease in the affinity of the substrate for the enzyme. An inverse correlation has been found between the activity of sucrose synthetase and the inhibitor in the process of ripening of the wheat grain. On the basis of the results obtained, a hypothesis has been put forward of the participation of the inhibitor protein in the regulation of sucrose synthetase in the ripening of wheat grain.M. A. Aitkhozhin Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Kazakh SSR Academy of Sciences, Alma-Ata. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 381–383, May–June, 1989.     

Analysis of oligospirostanosides in a suspension culture of Dioscorea deltoidea cells by high-performance liquid chromatography

A method has been developed for the quantitative determination of oligospirostanosides in a culture ofDioscorea deltoidea cells with the aid of HPLC on a LiChrosorb RP-18 column. Elution was performed with acetonitrile-water (50–75%) with detection at 207 nm.A. N. Bakh Institute of Biochemistry, Moscow. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 549–551, July–August, 1988.     

Phospholipases a of the venom of the Central Asian cobra

Conclusions Two phospholipases A with molecular weights of 11,000±1000 and 18,000±1000, consisting of individual compounds according to rechromatography and disk electrophoresis, have been isolated by filtration through Sephadex G-75 gel and by ion-exchange chromatography on CM-cellulose from the venom of the Central Asian cobra.V. I. Lenin Tashkent Order of the Red Banner of Labor State University. Institute of Biochemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 387–389, May–June, 1974.