Bovine factor XIIa inhibitor.

Bovine factor XIIa inhibitor was purified by an improved method employing affinity for heparin. N-terminal amino acid sequencing revealed a unique sequence without homology to any other known protein sequences. Peptide sequencing, however, showed that a part of the bovine factor XIIa inhibitor was homologous to human C1-inhibitor with a fraction of identical amino acid residues around 70%. Deglycosylation studies and carbohydrate analysis showed the presence of N- and O-linked carbohydrate. Bovine factor XIIa inhibitor did not inhibit plasma kallikrein and trypsin. The reactive site comprised an Arg-Asn bond, and represents the first example of asparagine as a P1' residue in Serpins with well documented inhibitory activity.