Proteolytic activity of viper venoms

Proteolytic activities of venoms of vipers kept in a serpentarium for three years or captured in various environmental regions were estimated. Gurza venom contained considerable amounts of protein (830-930 μg/mg venom) and displayed a high proteolytic activity by tyrosine (80-140 μg/m in mg protein). The proteolytic activity did not depend on season or the age or physiological state of snakes in the reproductive period. The proteolytic activity of venom in gurza offspring was similar to that in parent specimens. Proteolytic activities (by tyrosine) of venoms produced by Radde’s vipers and common vipers were 77–90 and 18–36 μg/m in mg protein, respectively. The proteolytic activity of venom in common vipers native to the north European part of Russia was 20–30% higher than that in common vipers inhabiting southern European Russia. An inhibition assay found various ratios of metalloendopeptidase and serine endopeptidase activities in venoms of gurza, Radde’s viper, and common viper.