Molecular cloning of serine proteases from elapid snake venoms.

Serine proteases are widely distributed in viperid snake venoms, but rare in elapid snake venoms. Previously, we have identified a fibrinogenolytic enzyme termed OhS1 from the venom of Ophiophagus hannah. The results indicated that OhS1 might be a serine protease, but there was no structural evidence previously. In the present study, the primary structure of OhS1 was determined by protein sequencing, in combination with RT-PCR and 5'-RACE methods. OhS1 precursor is composed of an 18-amino acid signal peptide, a 6-amino acid putative activation peptide and 236-amino acid mature protein. OhS1 homologues from Naja atra and Bungarus multicinctus were also cloned and reported. These elapid venom serine proteases exhibited approximately 60% sequence identity with serine proteases from the snake venoms of the Viperidae and Colubridae family. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that snake venom serine protease might have a common ancestor.