Isolation and characterization of basic myotoxic phospholipases A2 from Bothrops godmani (Godman's pit viper) snake venom

Abstract

Two basic myotoxic phospholipases A2 were purified to homogeneity from the venom of Bothrops godmani from Costa Rica by ion-exchange chromatography on CM-Sephadex. They have molecular weights of 14,300 (myotoxin I) and 13,400 (myotoxin II) and isoelectric points of 8.2 (myotoxin I) and 8.9 (myotoxin II). They behave as amphiphilic proteins in charge-shift electrophoresis and have similar amino acid compositions. Both toxins induce drastic myotoxic effects when injected in the gastrocnemius muscle of mice and induce release of peroxidase trapped in negatively charged liposomes. In addition, myotoxin I has high phospholipase A2 activity and is anticoagulant at doses higher than 0.3 microgram/ml, whereas myotoxin II has a very low phospholipase A2 activity and exerts anticoagulant effect only at concentrations higher than 50 micrograms/ml. Immunochemical data indicate that both toxins are immunologically related to Bothrops asper myotoxins, although B. godmani myotoxin II gives a stronger cross-reactivity when tested with antisera raised against B. asper myotoxins I and II.