ELECTROSPRAY MS OF HYALURONIDASE IN SNAKE VENOMS

摘要

Hyaluronidases (hyalase) are ubiquitous enzymes in living tissues and fluids, such as sperm, skin, snake venom, heads of leeches, pneumococci, hemolytic streptococci, staphylococcus aureus, clostridium welchii etc. There are significant variations in the substrate specificity and mechanism of action of hyalase prepared from different sources. It has been suggested that in snake venoms hyalase functions are as a "spreading factor", facilitating toxin diffusion into the tissues of the prey by cleaving glycosaminoglycans in the connective tissues, and potentiating the local hemorrhagic effects of toxins.