Prothrombin activator (echarin)

MW(Da) : 56 000 Metalendo-peptidase, single chain, Prothrombin activator, Cleavage of Arg323-Ile324 bond in prothrombin to form meizothrombin. The use of the measurement of the coagulation time by ecarin allows the biological monitoring of the anticoagulant by hirudin. The meizothrombin can then bind stoichiometrically to the hirudin to be assayed. Coagulation only takes place when all of the hirudin is bound to meizothrombin.

The venom proteases offered are highly purified, homogenous preparations with the indicated activities.

Snake venom proteases are useful tools for studying coagulation reactions. Venoms contain more than 20 different compounds, mostly proteins and polypeptides. Some of the proteins in snake venom have very specific effects on various biological functions including blood coagulation, blood pressure regulation, transmission of the nervous or muscular impulse and have been developed for use as diagnostic tools. Plasma coagulation Factors are usually inactive and require proteolytic activation as a first step towards a chronometric or colorimetric assay. It is often advantageous to use specific enzymes from snake venoms to activate coagulation Factors rather than physiological activators. In contrast to other activators, many snake venom enzymes are not dependent from cofactors, phospholipid or calcium ions.