Abstract: | It has been found that there are two factors responsible for myolysis in Habu snake venom; heat-labile and heat-stable myolytic factors. As reported previously, the former is a proteinase contained in Habu venom. In this article purification and chemical properties of the heat-stable myolytic factor are presented. Using the method of fractionation with ammonium sulfate and with column chromatography, a heat-stable myolytic factor was obtained ultracentrifugally in a homogeneous state. This factor caused severe myolysis with the aid of both Mg++ ion and phospholipase A. It has been found that heat-stable myolytic factor has no activities such as those of proteinase, esterase or ribonuclease. The relationship between the heat-stable myolytic factor and phospholipase A in myolytic activity is discussed. |