Differential influence of bacitracin on plant proteolytic enzyme activities.

The effect of bacitracin on the activity of proteases extracted from pollen and sprouts of various plant species and compared to five commercially available proteases was studied. Bacitracin stimulates some pollen proteolytic enzyme activities, contrary to its inhibitory influence on proteases from the other sources. Proteases from maize pollen, inhibited by pepstatin and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, immediately accelerate their activities after addition of bacitracin to the reaction mixture. The stimulating influence of peptide antibiotic on pollen proteases of some plants is unexpected and molecular mechanism of this phenomenon requires a further elucidation. The augmentation of allergenic response caused by pollen enzymes and drugs containing bacitracin is discussed.