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An expression and secretion system for scytalidopepsin B, an acid protease from Scytalidium lignicolum, was constructed in yeast. Saccharomyces cerevisiae AH22 was transformed with an yeast-E. coli shuttle vector, pAM82, in which an yeast invertase signal segment and the cDNA encoding the pro- and mature enzyme regions were inserted. The transformant was found to secret a pepstatin-insensitive acid protease, when cultured aerobically in a low phosphate (Pi) medium. Amino terminal amino acid sequencing analysis indicated that the recombinant acid protease was accurately processed and secreted as a mature form.

In our recent study on monoclonal antibodies (mAbs AHA-1-5) against glutaraldehyde (GA)-conjugated histamine (HA), we identified one mAb (AHA-2) which can detect neuronal HA in the rat brain with an immunocytochemistry method (ICC) [Fujiwara et al. (1999) J. Biochem. 126, 503-509]. In the present study the specificity of AHA-2 mAb for use for ICC has been examined by means of competitive experiments involving HA and analogs, all of which had been allowed to react with GA followed by sodium borohydride, but not allowed to couple with the carrier protein. It was demonstrated that the antibody distinguished alterations in the chemical structure of the molecule, showing decreased immunoreactivity with all the GA-adducts of (R)-(-)-alpha-methylhistamine, 1- and 3-methylhistamine, L-histidine, and 1- and 3-methyl-L-histidine. On the other hand, AHA-1 mAb only reacted with GA-adducts of 3-MeHA (3-MeHA-GA) and HA (HA-GA), to almost the same degree, in relatively high concentration ranges. AHA-3, 4, and 5 mAbs reacted about 10-times more strongly with 1-MeHA-GA than with HA-GA, but reacted very little or not at all with the other analogs. These results may suggest that AHA-2 mAb recognized both the non-substituted imidazole and alpha-methine groups of a HA molecule in addition to the conjugation site of GA including the part(s) reduced with NaBH(4), and especially the imidazole group more strictly than the other mAbs. This may partly explain why AHA-2, among the five AHA mAbs, can detect neuronal HA with an ICC method. The present ELISA method for GA-hapten adducts should be applicable to other antibodies against GA-conjugated biologically active amines or amino acids, thus allowing the study of antibody specificity for ICC more easily and accurately than was previously possible with hapten-protein conjugates as antigens.

Among five monoclonal antibodies (AHA-1 to 5 mAbs) prepared against glutaraldehyde (GA)-conjugated histamine (HA) in our previous study, only mAb AHA-2 was found to detect HA specifically in rat brain neurons by an immunocytochemistry method (ICC) using GA as a tissue fixative. All the other mAbs, except for AHA-5, reacted with HA in the enterochromaffin-like cells (ECL cells) of rat stomach [Fujiwara et al. (1997) Histochem. Cell Biol. 107, 39-45]. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) binding and inhibition tests demonstrated that AHA-2 is specific for HA, with almost no detectable cross-reaction with any other established or putative amino acid neurotransmitters, LH-RH, TRH, or peptides with N-terminal histidines. ELISA assays also suggested that the AHA-2 mAb recognizes a HA epitope structure different from the one recognized by the AHA-1 mAb. The immunostaining patterns with AHA-2 mAb, as seen in the five subgroups of the tuberomammillary nuclei in the rat posterior hypothalamus, were very similar to those described by Inagaki et al. [(1988) Brain Res. 439, 402-405; (1990) Exp. Brain Res. 80, 374-380] and Panula et al. [(1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81, 2572-2576; (1988) J. Histochem. Cytochem. 36, 259-269] using polyclonal anti-HA serum. However, it was also noted that moderate numbers of immunoreactive nerve fibers projected into the median eminence. The present HA ICC method using AHA-2 mAb allows highly sensitive HA detection in brain, and thus might permit detailed studies of HA localization hitherto impossible using previously available anti-HA polyclonal antibodies produced against carbodiimide-conjugated HA.

A chromosomal DNA of Scytalidium lignicolum was digested with Sau3AI. The digest was self-ligated and amplified by inverse PCR procedure using primers designed based on the nucleotide sequences of up- and down-stream regions of an intron present in the scytalidopepsin B gene. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of PCR product (700 bp) showed that the enzyme is synthesized as a precursor protein consisting of the prepro- and mature enzyme regions. The deduced amino acid sequence was highly similar to those of aspergillopepsin A and recently reported endothiapepsins B and C, but quite different from those of pepstatin-insensitive bacterial acid proteases and the pepstatin-sensitive aspartic protease family.

We have developed three mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAb) of types IgG1 and IgG2b, i.e. anti-acetylspermine (Ac-Spm)-1 and 2 (ACSPM-1 and 2), and anti-acetylspermine (Ac-Spm)-3 (ACSPM-3), respectively, against Ac-Spm conjugated to bovine serum albumin via a heterobifunctional cross-linker, N-(gamma-maleimidobutyryloxy)succinimide (GMBS). Among these mAbs, ACSPM-2 was the most useful for the development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for acetylpolyamines (Ac-PAs) with glutaraldehyde (GA)-conjugated N1,N12-diacetylspermine (2Ac-Spm) or acetylspermine (Ac-Spm) as the solid phase antigen. However, GMBS-conjugated Ac-Spm did not behave as a solid phase antigen in the competitive ELISA. The ELISA is based on the principle of competition between an analyte and the conjugated antigen for the mAb, followed by immunoreaction with biotinylated anti-mouse immunoglobulin and horseradish peroxidase-streptavidin. The ACSPM-2 mAb reacted with 2Ac-Spm to the highest degree, followed by Ac-Spm, N1-acetylspermidine (N1-Ac-Spd), N8,N8-diacetylspermidine (2Ac-Spd), and spermine (Spm), the EC50 values being 0.06, 0.25, 7.0, 10, and 60 microM, respectively, but exhibited almost no cross-reaction with other polyamine-related compounds or amino acids. The method was used to determine the urinary Ac-PA levels in healthy subjects, the average value of 0.36 microg of 2Ac-Spm/g creatinine (n = 16) being obtained. The ACSPM-2 ELISA for 2Ac-Spm, which was the PA most relevant to the analysis of human urine among the five PA analogs mentioned above, might have potential for elucidation of the correlation of urinary 2Ac-Spm levels in cancers.

The role of cysteine residues for structure and function of formaldehyde dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida was analysed by amino acid sequence comparison, homology-based structure modeling, site-directed mutagenesis, and chemical modification. Five out of seven cysteine residues found in the enzyme were concluded to coordinate with an active site zinc (Cys-46) and structural zinc atoms (Cys-97, -100, -103, and -111) from the sequence comparison with other Zn-containing medium-chain alcohol dehydrogenase homologues. The three-dimensional structure model based on the known structure of the horse liver E-type alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) indicated that Cys-257 is located very far from the active site Zn and NAD+ binding region, suggesting that Cys-257 does not participate in the enzyme reaction. The structure also suggested that Cys-166 does not coordinate to active site Zn, but Asp-169 functions as a Zn-ligand, instead.

A chromosomal DNA fragment of Scytalidium lignicolum that encodes the mature enzyme region of acid protease B (Scytalidopepsin B), was cloned and its nucleotides sequenced. The fragment contained a 76-bp intron at the middle of the mature enzyme-coding region. The mature enzyme was composed of 206 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 21,550. There were some discrepancies between the amino acid sequence deduced from these results and that previously established by protein sequencing.

Prolidase (iminodipeptidase, EC 3.4.13.9) was purified from an extract of Xanthomonas maltophilia, by ammonium sulfate fractionation and sequential chromatographies on DEAE-Toyopearl, Toyopearl HW65C, FPLC-Hiload Superdex 200 pg, and FPLC-Hitrap Q columns, which an activity recovery of 2.3%. The enzyme was the most active at pH 7.5 with Leu-Pro as substrate. It was stable between pH 6.0 and 8.5 for 60 min at 37 degrees C and retained half of activity after 60 min at 37 degrees C. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was 3.7. Its molecular weight was estimated to be 100,000 by gel filtration on FPLC-Hiload Superdex 200 and 51,000 by SDS-PAGE, suggesting that it is a dimer. It hydrolyzed dipeptides only if proline is located at the carboxyl terminal position. The enzyme was inhibited by PCMB and o-phenanthroline, and was activated by Mn2+.

Prolylcarboxypeptidase (Angiotensinase C, EC 3.4.16.2) was purified to homogeneity from cell free extracts of Xanthomonas maltophilia by ammonium sulfate fractionation and sequential chromatographies on DEAE-Toyopearl, Sephadex G-150, FPLC-Hiload Superdex 200 pg, and FPLC-Hitrap SP columns, with an activity recovery of 15%. The molecular weight of the enzyme was found to be 330,000 by gel filtration and 83,000 by SDS-PAGE, suggesting a tetrameric form for the native enzyme. It had an optimum pH of 8.5 and stability between pH 8.0 and 11.0. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was 6.6. The enzyme hydrolyzed Pro-X bonds when proline was in the penultimate position from the carboxyl terminal. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP), while phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (PCMB), iodoacetamide, and metal chelators had no effect.

The Aeromonas sobria pap gene encoding prolyl aminopeptidase (PAP) was cloned. It consists of 425 codons and encodes a homotetrameric enzyme of 205 kDa. The purified enzyme showed an almost absolute specificity for amino-terminal proline. Proline and hydroxyproline residues from many peptide and amide substrates could be easily removed, while no activity was detected for substrates having other amino terminals. The enzyme was very similar to that from Bacillus coagulans in many aspects, such as the strong inhibition caused by PCMB and the weak or no inhibition caused by DFP and chelators, respectively. However, these enzymes show only 15% identity in their amino acid sequences. Differences were also observed in their molecular weight, stability and activity toward some peptide substrates. When aligning the deduced amino acid sequence with known sequences from other microorganisms, conserved sequences were found at the amino-terminal region; the significance of these conserved regions is discussed. Based on the results of this work, and on the studies available to date, the occurrence of at least two types of PAPs is postulated. One group would be formed by the Bacillus, Neisseria, and Lactobacillus enzymes, and the other by enzymes such as the Aeromonas PAP.

A strain of Aeromonas hydrophila was found to show prolyl endopeptidase activity. The enzyme gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli JM83. A 12 kbp EcoRI fragment containing the enzyme gene was subcloned at the HincII site of pUC19 to construct plasmid pAPEP-3 with a 3.5 kbp insert. E. coli JM83 transformed with this plasmid showed about 100-fold higher activity than the parent Aeromonas. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the insert revealed that the mature enzyme-encoding sequence starts just after the ATG initiation codon of the open reading frame. The enzyme was a single polypeptide composed of 689 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 76,383. It showed properties very similar to those of Flavobacterium prolyl endopeptidase, except that the isoelectric point was 5.5. The amino acid sequence was 56 and 41% homologous to those of Flavobacterium and porcine brain prolyl endopeptidases, respectively. From a survey of sequence homology with other members of the prolyl endopeptidase family, the amino acid residues involved in the catalytic triad were deduced to be Ser-537, His-656, and Asp-512 (or Asp-621).

The pyroglutamyl peptidase [EC 3.4.11.8] gene from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli DH1. The transformant of E. coli DH1 harboring plasmid pBPG 1 with a 2.1 kb chromosomal DNA fragment showed 80-fold higher activity than B. amyloliquefaciens. The nucleotide sequence of a 0.9 kb fragment that contains the promoter and the mature protein coding region was determined by the dideoxy chain-termination method. An open reading frame of 648 bp starting with an ATG methionine codon was found, which encodes a protein of 215 amino acid residues with a deduced molecular weight of 23,286. The enzyme has two cysteine residues (Cys68 and Cys144) per subunit molecule. Substitution of Cys144 with Ser by site-directed mutagenesis resulted in a complete loss of the activity, while that of Cys68 with Ser did not affect the activity at all. This result and titration with DTNB suggest that Cys144 is concerned in the catalytic action and Cys68 is located inside the enzyme. The expressed enzyme was purified to homogeneity by hydrophobic chromatography on a Toyopearl HW-65C column and crystallization, with an activity recovery of 42.7%. The enzyme was most active at pH 6.5 and stable at pH 7.0-9.0. Its molecular weight was estimated to be 51,000 by gel filtration, suggesting it to be a dimer. Big crystals of the wild and PCMB-modified enzymes were obtained by the hanging drop method.

The active site structure of the Zn-containing neutral protease from Bacillus subtilis var. amylosacchariticus (BANP) was predicted by computer-aided modeling on the basis of the three-dimensional structure of thermolysin (TLN). As expected from the high homology in amino acid sequence of the two enzymes, the overall folding of BANP was very similar to that of TLN. Glu144, Tyr158, and His228 of BANP were located near the active site Zn ion, to which three amino acid residues, His143, His147, and Glu167, were coordinated. This model is supported by the previous results that chemical modifications of Tyr158 and photooxidation of His228 of BANP markedly affect the proteolytic activity of the enzyme. Interestingly, BANP was found to be significantly less sensitive to metalloprotease inhibitors such as phosphoramidon and talopeptin. From a comparison of the enzyme-inhibitor complex models between BANP and thermolysin, it is suggested that replacement of Thr129 in TLN by Phe130 in BANP is related to difference in inhibitor sensitivity between BANP and TLN.

The zinc-containing neutral endopeptidase (neutral protease: BANP) from Bacillus subtilis var. amylosacchariticus was inhibited by the proteinaceous metalloprotease inhibitor isolated from Streptomyces nigrescens (SMPI). The degree of inhibition was, however, significantly less than that for thermolysin (TLN). During incubation of BANP with SMPI, the inhibitor was proteolytically degraded and inactivated. Analysis of the digestion products suggested that a minor diversity in their substrate specificities between TLN and BANP affects the sensitivity to the proteinaceous metalloprotease inhibitor, SMPI.

The prolyl endopeptidase [EC 3.4.21.26] gene of Flavobacterium meningosepticum was cloned in Escherichia coli with the aid of an oligonucleotide probe which was prepared based on the amino acid sequence. The hybrid plasmid, pFPEP1, with a 3.5 kbp insert at the HincII site of pUC19 containing the enzyme gene, was subcloned into pUC19 to construct plasmid pFPEP3. The whole nucleotide sequence of an inserted HincII-BamHI fragment of plasmid pFPEP3 was determined by the dideoxy chain-terminating method. The purified prolyl endopeptidase was labeled with tritium DFP, and the sequence surrounding the reactive serine residue was found to be Ala (551)-Leu-Ser-Gly-Arg-*Ser-Asn(557). Ser-556 was identified as a reactive serine residue. The enzyme consists of 705 amino acid residues as deduced from the nucleotide sequence and has a molecular weight of 78,705, which coincides well with the value estimated by ultra centrifugal analysis. The amino acid sequence was 38.2% homologous to that of the porcine brain prolyl endopeptidase [Rennex et al. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 2195-2203] and 24.5% homologous to E. coli protease II, which has substrate specificity for basic amino acids [Kanatani et al. (1991) J. Biochem. 110, 315-320].

Protease II gene of Escherichia coli HB101 was cloned and expressed in E. coli JM83. The transformant harboring a hybrid plasmid, pPROII-12, with a 2.4 kbp fragment showed 90-fold higher enzyme activity than the host. The whole nucleotide sequence of the inserted fragment of plasmid pPROII-12 was clarified by the dideoxy chain-terminating method. The sequence that encoded the mature enzyme protein was found to start at an ATG codon, as judged by comparison with amino terminal protein sequencing. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 81,858 from the nucleotide sequence. The reactive serine residue of protease II was identified as Ser-532 with tritium DFP. The sequence around the serine residue is coincident with the common sequence of Gly-X-Ser-X-Gly, which has been found in the active site of serine proteases. Except for this region, protease II showed no significant sequence homology with E. coli serine proteases, protease IV and protease La (lon gene), or other known families of serine proteases. However, 25.3% homology was observed between protease II and prolyl endopeptidase from porcine brain. Although the substrate specificities of these two enzymes are quite different, it seems possible to classify protease II as a member of the prolyl endopeptidase family from the structural point of view.

Prolyl endopeptidase [EC 3.4.21.26] was purified to homogeneity from the culture filtrate of Agaricus bisporus by a procedure that comprised ammonium sulfate fractionation, anion-exchange chromatographies on DEAE-Toyopearl and DEAE-Sephadex, hydroxylapatite chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a TSKgel G 2000 SW column. The overall activity recovery was 8.6%. The enzyme was most active at or around pH 7.5 and was stable in the range of pH 5-9 when checked with Z-Gly-Pro-beta-naphthylamide as a substrate. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was about 4.8. The enzyme was a monomeric protein of molecular weight 78,000 +/- 2,000 as judged by gel permeation chromatography on Sephadex G-150 and electrophoresis on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel. The enzyme hydrolyzed Pro-X bonds and at least five subsites (S3, S2, S1, S1', and S2') were found to be involved in enzyme-substrate binding. Among them, S2, S1, and S1' subsites of the enzyme showed high stereospecificity. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP), Z-Gly-Pro-CH2Cl, Z-Pro-prolinal, Z-Pro-pyrrolidine, Z-Thiopro-pyrrolidine, Z-Pro-thiazolidine, Z-Thioprothiazolidine, and p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB), while it was not inhibited by phenyl-methylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), E-64, iodoacetamide, or metal chelators. Although the A. bisporus enzyme showed no immunological cross reaction with anti-bovine prolyl endopeptidase antiserum, the other characteristics were quite similar to those of mammalian and plant enzymes.

The acid protease B (SLB) of Scytalidium lignicolum was reduced and carboxymethylated and then subjected to tryptic digestion. Five fragments were isolated and some of them were further digested with alpha-chymotrypsin, thermolysin, and dilute acetic acid. The sequence analysis of these fragments and the peptides by conventional methods established the complete amino acid sequence of SLB. The enzyme was composed of 204 amino acid residues with threonine and valine as its amino- and carboxyl-termini, respectively. Locations of three disulfide bridges were also established to be Cys47-126, Cys140-163, and Cys192-201 by enzymatic fragmentation of the denatured and unmodified SLB. Only a slight homology was found in the sequences of SLB and other acid proteases hitherto reported.

The interactions of porcine alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2M) with native proteinases, their zymogens and the chemically-modified enzymes were compared. The alpha2M did not bind to chymotrypsinogen, or to most of the chemically modified derivatives of alpha-chymotrypsin, trypsinogen, DIP- and PMS-trypsins, but it could interact with anhydrotrypsin, PMS-subtilisin, and O-acetylated neutral subtilopeptidase. Anhydrotrypsin appeared to bind very tightly to alpha2M, as does native trypsin, whereas the binding of PMS-subtilisin to alpha2M was weaker than that of the native enzyme, judging from exchange experiments with labeled enzyme and from competitive enzyme assay. There are, however, some differences in the mode of interaction with alpha2M between native and anhydrotrypsins. (1) The shape and the magnitude of ultraviolet difference spectra caused by the interaction with alpha2M were significantly different. (2) The interaction of alpha2M with active proteinase led to the formation of new amino-terminal amino acids, while that with anhydrotrypsin did not. (3) In vivo experiments showed that radioactivity of 3H-labeled trypsin-alpha2M complex was rapidly cleared from the plasma of rats, whereas the anhydrotrypsin-alpah2M complex was cleared very slowly. These results suggest that the proteolytic activity of the enzyme is not obligatory for the first phase of alpha2M-proteinase interaction (formation of Michaelis-type complex), but only the proteolytically modified complex is cleared rapidly from the blood circulation system.

A method was developed for purification and crystallization of creatinase [creatine amidinohydrolase, EC 3.5.3.3] from Pseudomonas putida var. naraensis C-83. The purified preparation appeared homogeneous on disc electrophoresis and ultracentrifugation and had a molecular weight of 94,000. It was most active at pH 8 and stable between pH 6 and 8 for 24 hr at 37 degrees. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that the native enzyme was made up of two subunit monomers, the molecular weights of which were estimated to be 47,000. Inhibition experiments suggested that a sulfhydryl group is located in or near the active site of the enzyme.

Formaldehyde dehydrogenase was isolated and purified in an overall yield of 12% from cell-free extract of Pseudomonas putida C-83 by chromatographies on columns of DEAE-cellulose, DEAE-Sephadex A-50, and hydroxyapatite. The purified enzyme was homogeneous as judged by disc gel electrophoresis and was most active at pH 7.8 using formaldehyde as a substrate. The enzyme was also active toward acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, glyoxal, and pyruvaldehyde, though the reaction rates were low. The enzyme was NAD+-linked but did not require the external addition of glutathione, in contrast with the usual formaldehyde dehydrogenase from liver mitochondria, baker's yeast, and some bacteria. The enzyme was markedly inhibited by Ni2+, Pd2+, Hg2+, p-chloromercuribenzoate, and phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 150,000 by the gel filtration method, and analysis by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that the enzyme was composed of two subunit monomers. Kinetic analysis gave Km values of 67 microM for formaldehyde and 56 microM for NAD+, and suggested that the reaction proceeds by a "Ping-pong" mechanism. The enzyme catalyzed the oxidation of formaldehyde accompanied by the stoichiometric reduction of NAD+, but no reverse reaction was observed.

Pyroglutamyl aminopeptidase [pyrrolidone-carboxylate peptidase: EC 3.4.11.8] from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was inactivated rapidly and irreversibly by N alpha-carbobenzoxy-L-pyroglutamyl chloromethyl ketone (Z-PGCK). The second-order rate constant of the inactivation was 1.1 x 10(5) M-1.s-1, a value which is comparable to that of the clostripain-TLCK reaction. The D-isomer of this chloromethyl ketone derivative was almost inert toward the enzyme under the same conditions. The inactivation reaction was prevented by the presence of a poor substrate, pyroglutamyl-valine. The PCMB-inactivated enzyme, that was reversibly reactivated by 2-mercaptoethanol, failed to react with Z-PGCK. These results suggest that this chloromethyl ketone derivative reacts as an affinity label, presumably with the active site cysteinyl residue of the enzyme, as was reported for L-pyroglutamyl chloromethyl ketone.

A post-proline cleaving enzyme [prolyl endopeptidase, EC 3.4.21.26] was purified about 3,700-fold from an extract of bovine brain by a series of column chromatographies on DEAE-Sephadex, hydroxyapatite and PCMB-T-Sepharose, and gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 using N-carbobenzoxy-Gly-Pro-beta-naphthylamide (Z-Gly-Pro-2-NNap), thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) and oxytocin as substrates. The purified enzyme appeared homogeneous as judged by disc gel and SDS gel electrophoreses. The enzyme was most active at pH 7.5 and 7.2 with Z-Gly-Pro-2-NNap and TRH, respectively, and hydrolyzed peptide bonds involving Pro-X (X=amino acid, peptide, ester and amide) bonds of synthetic substrates, oxytocin, vasopressin, neurotensin, substance P, tuftsin, bradykinin, and insulin B chain. However, the enzyme was inert toward collagen, gelatin, and casein. The enzyme was completely inactivated by diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP), Z-Gly-Pro-chloromethyl ketone and p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB), while it was not inhibited by phenylmethane sulfonylfluoride (PMSF) or metal chelators. Determination of the amino acid composition revealed that the enzyme contained 25 half-cystines. Modification of three cysteine residues of the enzyme by PCMB led to complete inactivation. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was 4.8, and the molecular weight was estimated to be 76,000 by ultracentrifugal analysis and 75,000-74,000 by both gel filtration and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel electrophoresis, suggesting that the enzyme is present as a monomer. These results indicate that the post-proline cleaving enzyme from bovine brain is very similar to those previously purified from lamb brain and kidney in its enzymatic properties, substrate specificity and physicochemical properties, in sharp contrast with the results obtained by Tate, who reported that the bovine brain prolyl endopeptidase was inert toward oxytocin, vasopressin and bradykinin.

The NAD+-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida C-83 was found to contain 4 gram atoms of zinc per mol, corresponding to 2 gram atoms of zinc per subunit monomer. Treatment of the enzyme with o-phenanthroline resulted in removal of 1 gram atom of zinc per subunit and caused a complete inactivation of the enzyme. The activity lost was restored by the addition of zinc ions, by which the zinc content was also reversed to almost the same level as that of the native enzyme. Another zinc atom that was resistant to metal chelator-treatment was liberated from the enzyme only after the irreversible denaturation of the enzyme. These results indicate that the formaldehyde dehydrogenase of P. putida is a zinc metalloenzyme and one of two zinc atoms per subunit participates in the catalytic activity of the enzyme, another zinc being presumably involved in maintaining the native conformation of the enzyme. Treatment of the enzyme with bipyridine also caused a reversible inactivation of the enzyme, but the zinc content remained unchanged. The spectrophotometric analysis indicated that the formation of a enzyme-Zn-bipyridine complex took place. Incubation of the enzyme with p-chloromercuribenzoate also resulted in a complete loss of the activity. These results suggest that an intrinsic zinc and sulfhydryl group together with NAD+ participate in the dehydrogenation reaction of substrate by the enzyme.

Using lysozyme-lysate of Micrococcus lysodeikticus cell wall coupled with Sepharose, several bacteriolytic enzymes were purified from crude preparations of animal and microbial origin. Quail egg-white, human milk and salivary lysozymes [EC 3.2.1.17] were adsorbed onto the adsorbent at pH 5-7 and eluted with 2M NaCl at pH 10. By means of these treatments, lysozymes were purified 20-250 fold with activity recoveries of 60-80%, and the quail lysozyme thus purified was shown to be discelectrophoretically homogeneous. Some bacteriolytic enzymes of microbial origin were also highly purified by using this affinity adsorbent. A bacterial lysozyme from Bacillus sp. ML-208 showed high affinity for the ligand and was not eluted under the conditions mentioned above, but was recovered by elution with 2M guanidine-HCl at pH 5.8, resulting in a 500-fold increase in the specific activity. A Pseudomonas-lytic enzyme from Streptomyces sp. P-51 was easily released from the adsorbent by elution with 0.5M NaCl at pH 5.0. A staphylolytic F2 enzyme from S. griseus S-35 and a chitinase [EC 3.2.1.14] from yam, both of which were completely inert toward M. lysodeikticus cell wall, passed through the adsorbent column. A modified ligand, in which muramic acid and glucosamine residues were N,O-acetylated, failed to adsorb any of these animal and bacterial lysozymes. Some of the enzymatic properties and bacteriolytic action spectra of these purified enzymes are also described in this paper in comparison with those of hen egg-white lysozyme.

Prolidase [iminodipeptidase, EC 3.4.13.9] was highly purified from the cytosol fraction of bovine small intestine by a series of column chromatographies on DEAE-Toyopearl, Sephadex G-150, PCMB-T-Sepharose and hydroxyapatite. The purified enzyme appeared homogeneous as judged by disc gel electrophoresis. The enzyme was most active at pH 7.2 with Gly-Pro as substrate. It was stable between pH 5.5 and 8.5 for 30 min at 30 degrees C and retained half of the activity after 15 min at 40 degrees C. It was completely inactivated by p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB) but not inhibited by diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP), phenylmethane sulfonylfluoride (PMSF) and metal chelators. Its amino acid composition was determined. Its molecular weight was estimated to be 116,000 by gel filtration on Sephadex G-150 and 56,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel electrophoresis, suggesting that it is a dimer. It hydrolyzed dipeptides represented as X-Pro (X = amino acid).

A series of N-blocked L-proline-containing compounds and their derivatives were synthesized. Their inhibitory activities for prolyl endopeptidase from bovine brain were examined and compared with that of N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-prolyl-L-prolinal, which is the most effective enzyme inhibitor hitherto reported. Introduction of a sulfur atom into pyrrolidine ring quite effectively increased the inhibitory activity: replacement of pyrrolidine with thiazolidine or thiazolidine aldehyde (thioprolinal) and conversion of L-proline to L-thioproline residue resulted in increase in the inhibitory activity. Thus, N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-thioprolyl-thiazolidine (Z-Thiopro-thiazolidine) and Z-L-Thiopro-L-thioprolinal showed Ki values of 0.36 and 0.01 nM, respectively, for prolyl endopeptidase from bovine brain; both values were significantly lower than that of Z-Pro-prolinal (Ki, 3.7 nM).

Carbobenzoxy-L-phenylalanyl-triethylenetetraminyl-Sepharose (Z-L-Phe-T-Sepharose) was found to be an effective affinity adsorbent for bovine pancreatic alpha-chymotrypsin [EC 3.4.21.1] as well as neutral [EC 3.4.24.4] and alkaline [EC 3.4.21.14] proteases of Bacillus species. These enzymes were adsorbed in the neutral pH range. alpha-Chymotrypsin was recovered by elution with 0.1 A acetic acid while neutral subtilopeptidase was eluted with 0.5 M NaCl at pH 0. Thermolysin and subtilisin were found in eluates with 1.5 and 2.0 M guanidine-HCl at pH 7.2, respectively. The resulting enzymes appeared homogeneous on disc-electrophoresis and showed higher specific activities than those of crystalline or highly purified preparations available commercially. Modifications of the active site serines of alpha-chymotrypsin and subtilisin by treatment with diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) or phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) resulted in loss in their binding abilities to the adsorbent. Complexes of porcine alpha2-macroglobulin with each of these four enzymes and that of Streptomyces-subtilisin inhibitor (S-SI) with subtilisin were also found in nonadsorbed fractions.

A strain of Streptomyces isolated from soil was found to produce a large amount of tyrosinase (monophenol, dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine: oxygen oxidoreductase: EC 1.14.18.1) extracellularly. The enzyme was purified from the culture filtrate about 550-fold by a series of column chromatographies on Duolite A-2 and CM-cellulose and gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The purified enzyme appeared homogeneous as judged by disc gel electrophoresis. The enzyme catalyzed the hydroxylation of monophenols and the oxidation of diphenols and was most active at pH 6.8 with dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (L-DOPA) as the substrate. It was inhibited by kojic acid, diethyldithiocarbamate, and inhibitors obtained from micro-organisms. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was 9.9, and the molecular weight was estimated to be 36,000 by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 and 29,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel electrophoresis, which suggests that the enzyme is a monomer. Metal analysis by atomic absorption spectroscopy indicated that the enzyme contains nearly 1 gram atom of copper per mol.

The inhibitory effects of proline-containing peptides and their derivatives on prolyl endopeptidases from Flavobacterium meningosepticum and bovine brain were compared. Replacement of the carboxyl terminal proline in N-blocked peptides with prolinal resulted in remarkable decreases in Ki values for both prolyl endopeptidases. Further reduction of the prolinal to prolinol led to a decrease in their inhibitory effects. Z-Pro-, Z-Val-, and Suc-Pro-prolinals were similarly inhibitory for both the enzymes with Ki values of nM order. However, the inhibitory effects of Z-Pyr-prolinal and Boc-Pro-prolinal on these enzymes were significantly distinguished: they strongly inhibited the mammalian prolyl endopeptidase with Ki values of nM order, while the Ki values of these compounds for the microbial enzyme were only of microM order. These results suggest that there are some structural differences in the S2 and S3 subsites between the two enzymes, though their substrate specificities are apparently indistinguishable.

High prolyl endopeptidase (post-proline cleaving enzyme) [EC 3.4.21.26] activity was detected in fruit bodies of shakashimeji (Lyophyllum cinerascens), tsukuritake (mushroom: Agaricus bisporus), hirohachichitake (Lactarius hygrophoroides), and yaburebenitake (Russula lepida) which belong to the genus Basidiomycetes. Cell-free extract of shakashimeji showed high activities of proline iminopeptidase and arylamidase as well as prolyl endopeptidase. The prolyl endopeptidase was purified from the extract of shakashimeji by sequential chromatographies on DEAE-Toyopearl, DEAE-Sephadex and hydroxyapatite, and high-performance liquid chromatography with a DEAE-5PW column. The purified enzyme was homogeneous as judged by disc gel electrophoresis. The enzyme was most active at pH 6.8 as checked with Z-Gly-Pro-beta-naphthylamide as a substrate and was stable in the range of pH 5.8-7.4. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was 5.2 and the molecular weight was estimated to be 76,000 by gel filtration on Sephadex G-150 and by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel electrophoresis, suggesting that the enzyme was a monomer. The enzyme was completely inhibited by diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP), Z-Gly-Pro-CH2Cl, and Z-Pro-prolinal, while it was not inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB), phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), or metal chelators. It was estimated that at least five subsites were concerned with the enzyme-substrate binding. Among them, the S1, S2, and S1' sites showed high stereospecificity, as in mammalian, microbial, and plant enzymes. The enzyme hydrolyzed TRH at the carboxyl side of the proline residue. The mushroom enzyme, that was sensitive to DFP, Z-Pro-prolinal, and Z-Gly-Pro-CH2Cl, but not to PCMB, were quite similar in characteristics to the Flavobacterium enzyme.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Commercial preparations of aminopeptidases M split Gly-Pro-beta-naphthylamide (Gly-Pro-2-NNap) into Gly-Pro and beta-naphthylamine, and Ala-Pro into Ala and Pro. The activities on Gly-Pro-2-NNap and Ala-Pro were completely inhibited by diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate (DFP) and p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB), respectively. When the substrate specificity was analyzed with tuftsin, Thr and Lys-Pro-Arg were released, and then Lys-Pro-Arg was split into Lys-Pro and Arg. Thereafter, slow liberation of Lys and Pro from Lys-Pro took place. The DFP-treated enzyme released only Thr from tuftsin and no hydrolysis of Lys-Pro-Arg was observed. With the enzyme treated with PCMB, tuftsin was converted into Thr and Lys-Pro-Arg, followed by the liberation of Arg, but no release of Lys and Pro was observed, contrary to the case of the untreated-enzyme. These results show that commercial aminopeptidase M contains dipeptidyl aminopeptidase IV and prolidase. Contamination by dipeptidyl aminopeptidase IV was confirmed by an immunological method.

Lysozyme [EC 3.2.1.17] was purified from human tears, serum, and urine of acute monocytic leukemia patients, renal disease patients, and residents in cadmium-polluted areas of Tsushima Island using an affinity adsorbent containing lysozyme-lysate of Micrococcus lysodeikticus cell walls as the ligand. By means of this procedure, leukemia lysozyme was purified 100- to 200-fold with an activity recovery of 80%. It was crystallized at pH 10. This purified preparation appeared homogeneous in disc electrophoresis and showed a specific activity 2.5-fold higher than that of crystalline lysozyme from hen egg-white. Tear lysozyme was also purified to a nearly homogeneous state while the enzymes from normal serum and urine of a nephrosis patient and of residents in cadmium-polluted area were still disc electrophoretically heterogeneous and showed low specific activity as compared with purified leukemia lysozyme.

A neutral protease from Bacillus subtilis var. amylosacchariticus was modified with tetranitromethane (TNM) at pH 8.0 for 1 h at 25 degrees C, by which treatment the proteolytic activity toward casein was markedly reduced, whereas activity changes toward N-blocked peptide substrates were variable depending upon the substrate used. The modified enzyme was digested with a Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease at pH 7.9 and the resultant peptides were separated by HPLC. Two peptides which contain nitrotyrosyl residue(s) were purified. One of the peptides was found to have an amino acid sequence of Thr-Ala-Asn-Leu-Ile-Tyr-Glu, which corresponds to residue Nos. 153-159 of the neutral protease, and Tyr-158 was identified as PTH-nitrotyrosine. The other one was the amino-terminal peptide of residue Nos. 1-22, and Tyr-21 was shown to be nitrated. From a comparison with the active site structure of thermolysin, which is a zinc metalloprotease with a high sequence homology to B. subtilis neutral proteases, nitration of Tyr-158 was inferred to be closely related to the activity changes of the neutral protease from B. subtilis var. amylosacchariticus.

A plasmid pAPP1 with a 4 kbp insert at the PstI site of pBR322, encoding aminopeptidase P gene of Escherichia coli HB101 (Yoshimoto et al. (1988) J. Biochem. 104, 730-734), was subcloned into pUC18 and pUC19. The transformant of E. coli JM83 harboring pAPP4 with a 1.9 kbp fragment showed more than 50-fold higher enzyme activity than that of the host, after cultivation at 37 degrees C for 40 h in LB-medium containing ampicillin. When the gene DNA was inserted reversely in pAPP4, the enzyme productivity decreased markedly. The whole nucleotide sequence of the inserted fragment of plasmid pAPP4 was clarified by the dideoxy chain-terminating method. Within this sequence, the mature enzyme protein-encoding sequence was found to start just after an ATG codon, as judged by comparison with amino-terminal protein sequencing. Eleven bases upstream from the proposed initiation codon was an AGGAGA sequence which seemed to be a ribosome binding site. Thirty-four bases upstream from the proposed start codon was the 6-base sequence TACAAA, the so-called -10 region or Pribnow box. Further, the 6-base sequence TTTACT around 77 bases upstream from the start codon was deduced to be a putative -35 region consensus sequence. The inverted repeat at 1334 was tentatively assumed to be a terminator. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 49,650 from the nucleotide sequence. The purified enzyme contained 0.2 gram atom of zinc per subunit. The enzyme activity was inhibited by EDTA and activated 5-fold by Mn2+.

The aminopeptidase P gene in Escherichia coli HB101 was cloned into the plasmid pBR322. Introduction of the hybrid plasmid, pAPP01, into the E. coli DH1 resulted in an 8-fold increase of aminopeptidase P activity as compared with that of the host. The enzyme was purified by series of chromatographies on DEAE-Sephadex, QAE-Sephadex, and hydroxyapatite. The purified enzyme was homogeneous as judged by disc-gel and SDS-gel electrophoreses. the enzyme was inhibited strongly by EDTA and slightly by p-chloromercuribenzoate, but was not affected by diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate, E-64, or iodoacetic acid. The optimum pH of the enzyme was 8.5. The enzyme was stable at pH 8 to 9. After incubation for 30 min at pH 8.0, 50% remaining activity was observed at 50 degrees C. The enzyme was activated 3-fold by the addition of 5 microM Mn2+. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 50,000 and 200,000 by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration, respectively. The amino terminal amino acid was identified to be serine by Edman degradation, indicating that the enzyme is composed of a homo-tetramer. The enzyme hydrolyzed X-Pro bonds (X = amino acid) of peptides. These characteristics suggest that cloned aminopeptidase P is identical to APP-II reported by Yoshimoto et al. (Agric. Biol. Chem. 52(8), in press (1988].

A post-proline cleaving enzyme [post-proline endopeptidase: EC 3.4.21.26] was purified from lamb brain by a series of column chromatographies on DEAE-Sephadex, hydroxyapatite and Sephadex G-150. The purified enzyme appeared homogeneous on disc gel and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel electrophoreses. The enzyme was most active at pH 7.0 with carbobenzoxy-Gly-Pro-beta-naphthylamide (Z-Gly-Pro-2-NNap) as a substrate and catalyzed the hydrolysis of oxytocin, vasopressin, thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH), substance P, luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LH-RH), and angiotensin at the carboxyl side of their proline residues, except for the Pro2-Lys3 bond in substance P. From the results of subsite mapping using synthetic peptides, five subsites, S3 to S2', for substrate interaction with the enzyme were deduced to be present, and high stereospecificity was observed at S2, S1, and S1'. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was at pH 4.9, and the molecular weights estimated by gel filtration and SDS gel electrophoresis were 74,000 and 77,000, respectively. The enzyme was markedly inhibited by diisopropylphosphoro fluoridate (DFP), carbobenzoxy-Gly-Pro-chloromethyl ketone (Z-Gly-Pro-CH2Cl), p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB), Hg2+, and Cu2+ ions. These enzymatic and protein chemical properties of post-proline cleaving enzyme from lamb brain closely resemble those of the lamb kidney enzyme, except for the molecular weight. In the present work, however, we decided that the molecular weight of the enzyme from lamb kidney was also 74,000, which is different from that reported previously (J. Biol. Chem. 251, 7593 (1976) but is in accord with the value of post-proline cleaving enzyme from lamb brain.

An inhibitor of neutral subtilopeptidase [EC 3.4.24.4] was purified from porcine serum by salting out with (NH4)2SO4, chromatography on anion exchange sephadex, gel filtration with Sepharose 6B, and isoelectric focusing. The preparation was homogeneous by electrophoretic and ultracentrifugal criteria, and was shown to be a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 740,000. It inhibited the caseinolytic activities of thermolysin, subtilisin, trypsin [EC 3.4.21.4], and alpha-chymotrypsin [EC 3.4.21.1] as well as that of neutral subtilopeptidase by an equimolar binding to those proteolytic enzymes. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after reduction with beta-mercaptoethanol indicated that the inhibitor was made up of four subunit monomers having a molecular weight of 190,000. From comparisons of its physiocochemical and inhibitory properties with those of well-investigated plasma proteins, the inhibitor was identified as alpha2-macroglobulin. On treatment of the inhibitor with neutral subtilopeptidase, a protein with a molecular weight of 95,000 appeared after treatment with SDS and beta-mercaptoethanol, suggesting that a peptide bond susceptible to the enzyme exists near the mid-point of the subunit chains.

A proline-specific dipeptidyl aminopeptidase was highly purified from cell-free extract of Flavobacterium meningosepticum by a series of column chromatographies on DEAE-Sephadex A-50, Sephadex G-150, hydroxyapatite, and a second gel filtration on Sephadex G-150. The enzyme was most active at pH 7.4-7.8 for both Gly-Pro-beta-naphthylamide (Gly-Pro-2-NNap) and Gly-Pro-p-nitroanilide (Gly-Pro-pNA) and was stable between pH 7 and 9.5. The enzyme was markedly inhibited by diisopropylphosphofluoridate (DFP) and mercury ion but not by sulfhydryl-blocking reagents and metal chelators. The molecular weight of the enzyme was about 160,000 as judged by the gel filtration method and the subunit molecular weight was estimated to be 75,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-gel electrophoresis, suggesting a dimeric form of the native enzyme. The isoelectric point was at pH 9.5. The enzyme hydrolyzed peptides and peptide amides at the carboxyl side of a proline residue penultimate to the amino-terminal amino acid, as did post-proline dipeptidyl aminopeptidases from various mammals. However, antiserum raised against post-proline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase from porcine kidney did not cross-react with the Flavobacterium dipeptidyl aminopeptidase.

Proline iminopeptidase [EC 3.4.11.5] was purified about 2,700-fold from cell-free extract of Bacillus coagulans by a series of column chromatographies on DEAE-Toyopearl, PCMB-T-Sepharose, and hydroxyapatite, and gel filtration on Sephadex G-150. The purified enzyme was homogeneous as judged by disc gel electrophoresis. The enzyme was most active at pH 7.3 with Pro-beta-naphthylamide (Pro-2-NNap) as the substrate, and hydrolyzed Pro-X (X = amino acid including proline, peptide, amide, and arylamide) bonds when the proline residue was at the amino terminus. Pro-D-amino acid bonds were also susceptible to the enzyme. The enzyme was completely inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB) and partially by proline but not by metal chelators, diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP), or phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (PMSF). The enzyme inactivated with PCMB was reactivated by incubation with 2-mercaptoethanol. These results and the chromatographic profile on PCMB-T-Sepharose suggest that the enzyme is a sulfhydryl enzyme. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was 4.0, and the molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 40,000 by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 and 35,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel electrophoresis, indicating that the enzyme exists as a monomer.

The gene encoding subtilisin Amylosacchariticus from Bacillus subtilis var. amylosacchariticus was isolated and the entire nucleotide sequence of the coding sequence was determined. The deduced amino acid sequence revealed an N-terminal signal peptide and pro-peptide of 106 residues followed by the mature protein comprising 275 residues. There were discrepancies in 10 amino acids between the sequence elucidated from the nucleotide sequence and the published protein sequence (Kurihara et al. (1972) J. Biol. Chem. 247, 5619-5631). The nucleotide sequence was highly homologous to that of subtilisin E gene from B. subtilis 168, with discrepancies at 12 nucleotides out of 1,426 nucleotides we sequenced. Ten of them were found in mature subtilisin coding sequence, which resulted in two amino acid changes and another one was in the putative promoter region between two genes. The productivity of subtilisin in culture broth of B. subtilis var. amylosacchariticus was much higher than that of B. subtilis 168. The enzyme gene was inserted in a shuttle vector pHY300PLK, with which B. subtilis ISW1214 was transformed. The proteolytic activity found in the culture broth of the transformed bacterium was 20- and 4-fold higher than those of the host strain and B. subtilis var. amylosacchariticus, respectively. Subtilisin Amylosacchariticus was easily purified to a crystalline form from culture filtrate of cloned B. subtilis, after a single step of chromatography on CM-cellulose.

L-Pyroglutamyl derivatives of p-nitroaniline and 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin were synthesized as new sensitive substrates for pyrrolidonyl peptidase (pyrrolidonecarboxylyl peptidase) from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Their hydrolyses could be followed by conventional colorimetric and fluorometric procedures; i.e., in terms of the increase in absorbance at 410 nm caused by the liberation of p-nitroaniline and the emission at 440 nm after excitation at 370 nm depending on the liberation of 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin. Values of Km were estimated to be 0.69 mM for anilide substrate and 0.33 mM for methylcoumarin substrate in the pyrrolidonyl peptidase reaction at pH 8.0. The methylcoumarin compound was about one thousand fold more sensitive than the anilide substrate.

Microorganisms capable of producing L-pyrrolidonecarboxylate peptidase [L-pyrrolidonyl peptidase, EC 3.4.11.8] were screened and a strain of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was chosen as one of the most potent producers of the enzyme. The enzyme was purified from lysozyme-lysate of the bacterial cells by salting out with ammonium sulfate, adsorption on DEAE-cellulose, covalent chromatography on PCMB-Sepharose and by gel filtration on Sephadex G-150. By these procedures, the enzyme was purified about 800-fold with an activity recovery of 9%, and the preparation was electrophoretically homogenous. The enzyme was most active and stable at pH 7-8. The presence of 2-mercaptoethanol and EDTA was effective for stabilizing the enzyme. The molecular weight was estimated to be 72,000 by the gel filtration method and to be 24,000 by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, suggesting that the enzyme is a subunit oligomer, presumably trimer. The enzyme was inactivated by the addition of PCMB, sodium tetrathionate, Hg2+ and Cu2+, but the activity lost was restored by the addition of 2-mercaptoethanol and EDTA. The purified enzyme split amide and ester linkages in L-pyroglutamyl derivatives of L-alanine, beta-naphthylamine, alpha-naphthol, and 4-methylumbelliferone, but was completely inert towards various peptides and esters used as substrates for usual amino- and carboxy-peptidases, and for endopeptidases such as trypsin, subtilisin and alpha-chymotrypsin.

Proline iminopeptidase [EC 3.4.11.5] was purified about 1,700-fold from cell free extract of Bacillus megaterium by a series of column chromatographies on DEAE-Toyopearl, PCMB-T-Sepharose and hydroxyapatite, and gel filtration on Toyopearl FW-55. The purified enzyme still contained a minor contaminant as judged by disc gel electrophoresis. The enzyme was most active at pH 7.0 with Pro-beta-naphthylamide (Pro-2-NNap) as the substrate, and hydrolyzed Pro-X (X = amino acid, peptide, amide, and arylamide) bonds when the proline residue was at the amino terminal. The enzyme was completely inactivated by p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB), but was not inhibited by metal chelators, diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP) and phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (PMSF). The enzyme inactivated with PCMB was reactivated by adding 2-mercaptoethanol. From this result and the chromatographic profile on PCMB-T-Sepharose, the enzyme seems to be a sulfhydryl enzyme. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was 4.0. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 58,000 by gel filtration on Toyopearl and 60,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel electrophoresis, suggesting that the enzyme is a monomer.

Dipeptidyl aminopeptidase IV [EC 3.4.14.5] was purified from the water extract of porcine pancreas acetone powder by a series of column chromatographies on DEAE-Sephadex and gel filtration on Sephadex G-200, and was finally subjected to gel filtration on Toyo-pearl in the presence of 1% deoxycholate. The purified enzyme was homogeneous as judged by disc gel and SDS gel electrophoreses. The enzyme was most active at pH 8.0 with Gly-Pro-beta-naphthylamide (Gly-Pro-2-NNap) as the substrate and hydrolyzed peptide bonds involving the carboxyl group of prolyl residues penultimate to unprotected termini. The enzyme was completely inactivated by diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate (DFP), but only slightly inhibited by phenylmethane sulfonylfluoride (PMSF), SH-blocking reagents and metal chelators. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was 4.8, and the molecular weight was estimated to be 230,000 by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 and 115,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel electrophoresis, suggesting that the enzyme is composed of two identical subunits.

Scytalidium lignicolum acid protease B, a pepstatin-insensitive acid protease, was modified by 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)propane (EPNP) with the concomitant loss of its enzyme activity, and an EPNP-labeled peptide was isolated from the thermolysin-digest of the modified enzyme by HPLC. The amino acid sequence of the peptide was determined to be Ile-Leu-Glu-Thr-Gly, which corresponds to the sequence of residue Nos. 51-55 of the enzyme. The results of treatment of the labeled peptide with hydroxylamine suggested that the EPNP moiety is ester-linked to Glu53 of the enzyme. The amino acid sequence around Glu53 of the acid protease B showed high homology with those around the active site Asp residues of calf chymosin and porcine pepsin. These results show that it is highly possible that Glu53 of the acid protease B is one of the amino acid residues involved in its catalytic activity.