Abstract
Of the three kinds of phosphodiesterase fractionated from the venom of Agkistrodon halys blomhoffi BOIE by the combination of diethylaminoethyl- and carboxymethylcellulose, diesterase-I with the largest yield showed marked activity against deoxyoligonucleotides and hydrolyzed ca. 70% of RNA to form the corresponding 5′-mononucleotides and left non-dialyzable oligonucleotide. Activity of diesterase-III to deoxyoligonucleotides is weak but it hydrolyzes RNA completely. Characteristics of diesterase-II are still obscure at present. These three kinds of diesterase show similar behavior to optimal pH, stability, and effect of group reagents but behave differently to the effect of metal ions, Diesterase-I is not affected by magnesium ion, and diesterase-II and -III are activated by it. The nucleotide pyrophosphatase and phosphodiesterase of snake venom are considered to be the same enzyme.
