Biomaterial Database

Cerastocytin, a new thrombin-like platelet activator from the venom of the Tunisian viper Cerastes cerastes. 1995

N Marrakchi, and R B Zingali, and H Karoui, and C Bon, and M el Ayeb

Unité des Venins, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.

Cerastocytin, a thrombin-like enzyme from the venom of the desert viper, Cerastes cerastes, has been purified to homogeneity by fast performance liquid chromatography (FPLC) on Mono-Q and Mono-S columns. It is a basic protein (isoelectric point higher than 9) made of a single polypeptide chain of 38 kDa. Its N-terminal polypeptide sequence shows strong similarities with other thrombin-like enzymes from snake venoms. Nanomolar concentrations of cerastocytin induce aggregation of blood platelets. This activity is inhibited by chlorpromazine, theophylline and mepacrine, as in the case of platelet aggregation stimulated by low doses of thrombin. Cerastocytin also possesses an amidolytic activity measured with the thrombin chromogenic substrate S-2238. The platelet aggregating activity and the amidolytic activity of cerastocytin were inhibited by PMSF, TPCK, TLCK and soybean trypsin inhibitors, suggesting that cerastocytin is a serine proteinase. On the other hand, both amidolytic activity and platelet aggregating activity of cerastocytin were unaffected by hirudin or by antithrombin III in the presence of heparin. High concentrations of cerastocytin (1-10 microM) also cleaved prothrombin and Factor X.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008969	Molecular Sequence Data	Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories.	Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
D008970	Molecular Weight	The sum of the weight of all the atoms in a molecule.	Molecular Weights,Weight, Molecular,Weights, Molecular
D011516	Prothrombin	A plasma protein that is the inactive precursor of thrombin. It is converted to thrombin by a prothrombin activator complex consisting of factor Xa, factor V, phospholipid, and calcium ions. Deficiency of prothrombin leads to hypoprothrombinemia.	Coagulation Factor II,Factor II,Blood Coagulation Factor II,Differentiation Reversal Factor,Factor II, Coagulation,Factor, Differentiation Reversal,II, Coagulation Factor
D001777	Blood Coagulation	The process of the interaction of BLOOD COAGULATION FACTORS that results in an insoluble FIBRIN clot.	Blood Clotting,Coagulation, Blood,Blood Clottings,Clotting, Blood
D000595	Amino Acid Sequence	The order of amino acids as they occur in a polypeptide chain. This is referred to as the primary structure of proteins. It is of fundamental importance in determining PROTEIN CONFORMATION.	Protein Structure, Primary,Amino Acid Sequences,Sequence, Amino Acid,Sequences, Amino Acid,Primary Protein Structure,Primary Protein Structures,Protein Structures, Primary,Structure, Primary Protein,Structures, Primary Protein
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012697	Serine Endopeptidases	Any member of the group of ENDOPEPTIDASES containing at the active site a serine residue involved in catalysis.	Serine Endopeptidase,Endopeptidase, Serine,Endopeptidases, Serine
D013917	Thrombin	An enzyme formed from PROTHROMBIN that converts FIBRINOGEN to FIBRIN.	Thrombase,Thrombin JMI,Thrombin-JMI,Thrombinar,Thrombostat,alpha-Thrombin,beta,gamma-Thrombin,beta-Thrombin,gamma-Thrombin,JMI, Thrombin
D014757	Viper Venoms	Venoms from SNAKES of the viperid family. They tend to be less toxic than elapid or hydrophid venoms and act mainly on the vascular system, interfering with coagulation and capillary membrane integrity and are highly cytotoxic. They contain large amounts of several enzymes, other factors, and some toxins.	Russell Viper Venom,Russell Viper Venoms,Russell's Viper Venom,Russell's Viper Venoms,Viperidae Venoms,Cerastes Venom,Cerastes Venoms,Egyptian Sand Viper Venom,Viper Venom,Viperotoxin,Russells Viper Venom,Russells Viper Venoms,Venom, Cerastes,Venom, Russell Viper,Venom, Russell's Viper,Venom, Viper,Venoms, Cerastes,Venoms, Russell Viper,Venoms, Russell's Viper,Venoms, Viper,Venoms, Viperidae,Viper Venom, Russell,Viper Venom, Russell's,Viper Venoms, Russell,Viper Venoms, Russell's
D015539	Platelet Activation	A series of progressive, overlapping events, triggered by exposure of the PLATELETS to subendothelial tissue. These events include shape change, adhesiveness, aggregation, and release reactions. When carried through to completion, these events lead to the formation of a stable hemostatic plug.	Activation, Platelet,Activations, Platelet,Platelet Activations