Characterization of mocarhagin, a cobra venom metalloproteinase from Naja mocambique mocambique, and related proteins from other Elapidae venoms.

Mocarhagin, a cobra venom metalloproteinase from Naja mocambique mocambique, has previously been shown to cleave selectively two mucin-like substrates on platelets and neutrophils within anionic amino acid sequences containing sulfated tyrosines. We now show that purified mocarhagin has haemagglutinin activity, and a similar profile for inhibition of mocarhagin-dependent haemagglutination and proteolysis suggests that the lectin-like domain may account for its substrate specificity. In addition, immunologically and functionally related proteins were detected in other Elapidae venoms.