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PubMed1987

Staphylococcus aureus V8-protease catalyzed segment exchange reaction of alpha-chain of hemoglobin S: a semisynthetic approach for the preparation of variants of alpha-chain.

The Glu(30)-Arg(31) peptide bond of alpha-chain of hemoglobin is readily and quantitatively hydrolyzed by Staphylococcus Aureus V8-protease at pH 4.0 and 37 degrees C. This region of the alpha-chain represents a 'permissible discontinuity region' of the chain within its tertiary interactions. Protease catalyzed reformation of peptide bonds in such permissible discontinuity regions of fragment complementing systems of proteins appears to be a useful procedure for the preparation of variants of the protein. Therefore, attempts have been now made to 'restitch' the segments alpha 1-30 and alpha 31-141 using V8-protease. The alpha-amino group of alpha 1-30 was selectively dihydroxypropylated (DHP) using [14C]-glyceraldehyde to follow the protease catalyzed reformation of globin. V8-protease catalyzed the condensation of N alpha-DHP-alpha 1-30 and alpha 31-141 to generate N alpha-DHP-alpha 1 141 in the presence of 30% propanol at pH 6.0 and 4 degrees C. The synthetic yield of N alpha-DHP-alpha 1-141 is about 55% in 48 hrs and remained nearly the same even after seven days. Under the same conditions alpha-globin was digested at the Glu(30)-Arg(31) peptide bond to nearly 40%. Thus, the amount of Glu(30)-Arg(31) peptide bond formed in 48 hrs appears to be the result of an equilibrium in the V8-protease catalyzed hydrolytic and synthetic reactions. The reformation of Glu(30)-Arg(31) bond appears to be very selective. V8-protease did not catalyze the peptide bond formation in an equimolar mixture of alpha 31-141 with either alpha 1-23, alpha 1-27, or alpha 28-30 all of which have glutamic acid as the carboxy terminal residue just as in alpha 1-30. The high selectivity in the protease catalyzed formation of Glu(30)-Arg(31) peptide bond suggests that the segment alpha 1-30 of the intact alpha-globin could be exchanged with synthetic analogs of alpha 1-30 using V8-protease without actually isolating the fragment alpha 31-141. Incubation of [14C]-N alpha-DHP-alpha 1-30 with alpha-globin at pH 6.0 and 4 degrees C along with V8-protease in 30% n-propanol indeed resulted in the exchange of the segment alpha 1-30 of alpha-globin with [14C]-N alpha-DHP-alpha 1-30. This V8-protease catalyzed 'segment exchange reaction' should facilitate the preparation of alpha-chains with double mutations from the large number of naturally occurring alpha-chains with single mutation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Catalysis↗
PubMed1996

Fungal fermentation of whey incorporated with certain supplements for the production of proteases.

The pattern and the extent of formation of proteases and secretion varied with the fungus, age and/or the nature of the co-supplement. Addition of yeast extract induced the best yield of proteases from both Aspergillus niger and A. terreus. Proteases from A. niger were highly induced by glutamic acid, alanine or albumin, with minor differences, whereas gelatin, peptone, aspartic acid, casein or acetamide stimulated the accumulation of proteases in the culture medium of A. terreus. Galactose stimulated the yield of the enzyme particularly with A. terreus while most C-supplements inhibited such processes, more prominently in the presence of cellulose or starch. Incorporation of nicotinic acid and wheat bran initiated the maximum productivity of proteases from A. niger and A. terreus, respectively. Co+2 and Cu+2 highly stimulated the output of proteases from A. niger and A. terreus, respectively. Co+2 and Ca+2 stimulated the enzyme activity of alkaline and acid proteases from A. terreus and acid proteases from A. niger. The other six cations and DTT inhibited variably the three proteases particularly alkaline proteases from A. terreus indicating that proteases from various sources even from closely related species showed different properties.

Aspergillus↗
PubMed1997

Pseudomonas deficient in protease IV has significantly reduced corneal virulence.

PURPOSE: The role of protease IV in the pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis was investigated by comparing a mutant strain completely deficient in protease IV activity with its protease IV activity-producing parent. METHODS: A protease IV-deficient Pseudomonas strain PA103-29::Tn9 was generated by mutagenesis of strain PA103-29, which produces protease IV, through transposon insertion. Protease IV activity was determined by a casein agar assay, zymography, and cleavage of the chromogenic substrate, Chromozym PL. Corneal virulence was evaluated by slit lamp examination and bacterial cultures in both a rabbit intrastromal model and a mouse topical model of keratitis. RESULTS: The protease IV-deficient strain PA103-29::Tn9 had significantly reduced corneal virulence relative to its parent strain PA103-29 in both a rabbit intrastromal model and a mouse topical model of infection. In the rabbit model, ocular damage (slit lamp examination score) mediated by the parent strain was severe at 32 hours after infection, whereas damage mediated by the mutant was minimal at both 32 and 55 hours after infection. This difference in virulence was not a result of differences in growth in vivo, because both strains grew equally. In the mouse model, eyes inoculated with the protease IV-producing parent strain had significant corneal damage as early as 24 hours after infection, whereas the protease IV-deficient mutant strain produced no significant corneal damage during 6 days of infection. CONCLUSIONS: The ability to produce active protease IV was the determining factor in the severity of corneal virulence. Protease IV appears to mediate corneal virulence and should be considered as a target in the development of medications designed to minimize corneal damage during Pseudomonas keratitis.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Small dipeptide-based HIV protease inhibitors containing the hydroxymethylcarbonyl isostere as an ideal transition-state mimic.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) codes for an aspartic protease known to be essential for retroviral maturation and replication. HIV protease is formed from two identical 99 amino acid peptides. We synthesized [(NHCH2CH2-S-CH2CO)51-52, Ala67,95]HIV-1 protease using the thioether chemical ligation method, and then prepared the [(NHCH2CH2-S-CH2CO)51-52, Ala67,95, Cys98]HIV-1 protease dimer analogue covalently linked by a disulfide bridge. These HIV-1 protease analogues effectively cleaved the Tyr-Phe-type substrate, but had weak affinity to the Tyr-Pro-type substrate. Consequently, the molecular recognition of the protease analogues differs from that of the wild-type enzyme. Based on the substrate transition state, we designed and synthesized a novel class of HIV protease inhibitors containing an unnatural amino acid, (2S, 3S)-3-amino-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid, named allophenylnorstatine, with a hydroxymethylcarbonyl (HMC) isostere. The stereochemistry of the hydroxyl group was significant for the enzyme inhibition and the HMC group interacted excellently with the aspartic acid carboxyl groups of HIV protease active site in the essentially same hydrogen-bonding mode as the transition state. Small dipeptide-based HIV protease inhibitors containing the HMC isostere were studied as advantageous compounds. Among them, a dipeptide-based HIV protease inhibitor, KNI-577, exhibited potent antiviral activities, low cytotoxicity, and good pharmacokinetic properties.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Human immunodeficiency virus protease ligand specificity conferred by residues outside of the active site cavity.

To gain greater understanding of the structural basis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease ligand specificity, we have crystallized and determined the structures of the HIV-1 protease (Val32Ile, Ile47Val, Val82Ile) triple mutant and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) protease in complex with SB203386, a tripeptide analogue inhibitor containing a C-terminal imidazole substituent as an amide bond isostere. SB203386 is a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 protease (Ki = 18 nM) but shows decreased inhibition of the HIV-1 protease (Val32Ile, Ile47Val, Val82Ile) triple mutant (Ki = 112 nM) and SIV protease (Ki = 960 nM). Although SB203386 binds in the active site cavity of the triple mutant in a similar fashion to its binding to the wild-type HIV-1 protease [Abdel-Meguid et al. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 11671], it binds to SIV protease in an unexpected mode showing two inhibitor molecules each binding to half of the active site. Comparison of these two structures and that of the wild-type HIV-1 protease bound to SB203386 reveals that HIV protease ligand specificity is imparted by residues outside of the catalytic pocket, which causes subtle changes in its shape. Furthermore, this work illustrates the importance of structural studies in order to understand the structure-activity relationship (SAR) between related enzymes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Haloperidol-based irreversible inhibitors of the HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteases.

The proteases expressed by the HIV-1 and HIV-2 viruses process the polyproteins encoded by the viral genomes into the mature proteins required for virion replication and assembly. Eight analogs of haloperidol have been synthesized that cause time-dependent inactivation of the HIV-1 protease and, in six cases, HIV-2 protease. The IC50 values for the analogues are comparable to that of haloperidol itself. Enzyme inactivation is due to the presence of an epoxide in two of the analogues and carbonyl-conjugated double or triple bonds in the others. Irreversible inactivation is confirmed by the failure to recover activity when one of the inhibitors is removed from the medium. At pH 8.0, the agents inactivate the HIV-1 protease 4-80 times more rapidly than the HIV-2 protease. Faster inactivation of the HIV-1 protease is consistent with alkylation of cysteine residues because the HIV-1 protease has four such residues whereas the HIV-2 protease has none. Inactivation of the HIV-2 protease requires modification of non-cysteine residues. The similarities in the rates of inactivation of the HIV-2 protease by six agents that have intrinsically different reactivities toward nucleophiles suggest that the rate-limiting step in the inactivation process is not the alkylation reaction itself. At least five of the agents inhibit polyprotein processing in an ex vivo cell assay system, but they are also toxic to the cells.

Acetates↗
PubMed1995

In vitro selection and characterization of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates with reduced sensitivity to hydroxyethylamino sulfonamide inhibitors of HIV-1 aspartyl protease.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) variants with reduced sensitivity to the hydroxyethylamino sulfonamide protease inhibitors VB-11,328 and VX-478 have been selected in vitro by two independent serial passage protocols with HIV-1 in CEM-SS and MT-4 cell lines. Virus populations with greater than 100-fold-increased resistance to both inhibitors compared with the parental virus have been obtained. DNA sequence analyses of the protease genes from VB-11,328- and VX-478-resistant variants reveal a sequential accumulation of point mutations, with similar resistance patterns occurring for the two inhibitors. The deduced amino acid substitutions in the resistant protease are Leu-10-->Phe, Met-46-->Ile, Ile-47-->Val, and Ile-50-->Val. This is the first observation in HIV protease resistance studies of an Ile-50-->Val mutation, a mutation that appears to arise uniquely against the sulfonamide inhibitor class. When the substitutions observed were introduced as single mutations into an HIV-1 infectious clone (HXB2), only the Ile-50-->Val mutant showed reduced sensitivity (two- to threefold) to VB-11,328 and VX-478. A triple protease mutant infectious clone carrying the mutations Met-46-->Ile, Ile-47-->Val, and Ile-50-->Val, however, showed much greater reduction in sensitivity (14- to 20-fold) to VB-11,328 and VX-478. The same mutations were studied in recombinant HIV protease. The mutant protease Ile-50-->Val displays a much lower affinity for the inhibitors than the parent enzyme (< or = 80-fold). The protease triply mutated at Met-46-->Ile, Ile-47-->Val, and Ile-50-->Val shows an even greater decrease in inhibitor binding (< or = 270-fold). The sulfonamide-resistant HIV protease variants remain sensitive to inhibitors from other chemical classes (Ro 31-8959 and L-735,524), suggesting possibilities for clinical use of HIV protease inhibitors in combination or serially.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus-1 protease.

We have shown that the interaction of pepstatin A with human immunodeficiency virus-1 protease (HIV-1 protease) can be characterized by a high-affinity mode (Ki = 478 +/- 27 nM), resulting in pure competitive inhibition of the hydrolytic activity of HIV-1 protease toward the fluorogenic substrate. Binding of pepstatin in this mode induces a blue shift in the endogenous fluorescence arising from the tryptophan residues in HIV-1 protease. This shift is maximal in the presence of 10 microM pepstatin. Haloperidol, in contrast, interacts with HIV-1 protease with weaker affinity (Ki = 19 +/- 1 microM) in a mode which results in pure noncompetitive inhibition of the hydrolytic activity of HIV-1 protease. Binding of haloperidol in this mode induces a red shift in the endogenous fluorescence arising from the tryptophan residues in HIV-1 protease. This shift is maximal in the presence of 200 microM haloperidol. Addition of both pepstatin and haloperidol at concentrations in the range of their Ki values results in additive inhibition of the hydrolytic activity of HIV-1 protease, as well as an additive effect on the tryptophan fluorescence of protease. However, at saturating concentrations of pepstatin and haloperidol, the effect of haloperidol was predominant, as measured by the changes in the intrinsic fluorescence of HIV-1 protease.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Understanding HIV protease: can it be translated into effective therapy against AIDS?

The protease of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been extensively studied. The structure and function relationships of this protease and its role in HIV life cycle is well known. We have use recombinant HIV protease and mutagenesis technology to study HIV protease and compare it to the eukaryotic aspartic proteases. When putative active-site hydrogen bonds are placed in the HIV protease, the pKa values of two active-site groups are only slightly downshifted. Corresponding removal of these H-bonds from the active sites of pepsin and rhizopuspepsin do not appreciably alter the active-site pKa values. The Kcat values are strongly decreased by these mutations. These observations suggest that the active-site H-bonds in HIV protease and other aspartic proteases control the rigidity of the catalytic apparatus but not the ionization of the active-site groups. A mechanism of catalysis by the HIV protease has been suggested based on kinetic and mutagenesis studies. The strategies involved in the development of HIV protease inhibitors are discussed. In spite of the pitfalls in each approach, it appears probable that a battery of inhibitors can be developed for the treatment of AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1989

Binding of protease nexin-1 to the fibroblast surface alters its target proteinase specificity.

Protease nexin-1 is a protein proteinase inhibitor that is secreted by a variety of cultured cells and rapidly forms complexes with thrombin, urokinase, and plasmin; the complexes then bind back to the cells and are internalized and degraded. In fibroblast cultures, protease nexin-1 is localized to the extracellular matrix. Here we report that protease nexin-1, which is bound to the surface of fibroblasts, forms complexes with thrombin, but not urokinase or plasmin. Experiments were conducted to determine directly if protease nexin-1 binding to the fibroblast surface alters its proteinase specificity. To do this, cell surface protease nexin-1 was inhibited using anti-protease nexin-1 monoclonal antibodies that stoichiometrically block its ability to form complexes with target proteinases. Then, purified protease nexin-1 was added to these cells; the cell-bound molecule formed complexes with thrombin, but not urokinase or plasmin. Similar experiments showed that protease nexin-1 bound to preparations of fibroblast extracellular matrix also formed complexes with thrombin, but not urokinase or plasmin. Components of the extracellular matrix other than heparin-like glycosaminoglycans are required for this regulation since heparin did not block the formation of complexes between protease nexin-1 and urokinase or plasmin. These results suggest that protease nexin-1 is primarily a thrombin inhibitor in interstitial fluids where much of it would be bound to cell surfaces.

Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor↗
PubMed1998

Rapid methods for screening low molecular mass compounds non-covalently bound to proteins using size exclusion and mass spectrometry applied to inhibitors of human cytomegalovirus protease.

General and rapid methods were developed for determining the extent of non-covalent binding between small molecules and proteins, using the model system of human cytomegalovirus protease and several drug candidates which inhibit the protease by non-covalently binding to it. The assay was performed by off-line coupling of size-exclusion methods with mass spectrometry in the following manner. The protease and inhibitor were incubated together under native conditions and then subjected to separation based on size, by use of a spin column (gel permeation chromatography) and/or a microconcentrator (ultrafiltration). The spin column selectively passed the high molecular mass (M(r)) protease and trapped low M(r) molecules. Alternatively, the microconcentrator passed low M(r) molecules and retained the protease. If the inhibitor bound non-covalently to the protease, both the inhibitor and protease passed through the spin column (or were retained by the microconcentrator). Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was used to assay the spin column eluate (or the microconcentrator retentate) and to characterize the amounts of protease and inhibitor based on known standards. An advantage of these techniques is that a mixture containing inhibitors can be analyzed in the presence of the protease, and inhibitors with the greatest binding affinity can be identified. Non-covalent binding specificity was demonstrated using spin columns by comparing the binding affinity of inhibitors using several mutants of cytomegalovirus protease. The techniques described are applicable to the rapid screening of compound libraries for selecting substances which bind non-covalently to a known protein.

Binding, Competitive↗
PubMed1989

Application of an affinity electrophoretic and in situ oxidation method to the study of the equine protease inhibitory proteins.

An affinity method was developed to investigate the interaction between protease and protease inhibitor by incorporating a protease incubation step into a two-dimensional electrophoretic separation of the plasma protease inhibitory proteins. This involved the application of the isoelectric focusing gel to filter paper saturated in the protease of choice before being placed on the second-dimensional polyacrylamide electrophoresis gel. General protein staining or immunoblotting was used to detect the protein or ligand in the complex. An in situ oxidation method was developed using the reagent chloramine T to investigate the effect of this reagent on the complexing abilities and inhibitory activities of the protease inhibitory proteins. Oxidation was performed either after electrophoresis prior to staining for enzyme inhibition or during two-dimensional electrophoresis prior to the aforementioned protease incubation. The latter allowed the effect of oxidation on complex formation to be examined. Whole plasmas were utilized as the sources of protease inhibitory proteins with the human and mouse being used as models. The equine protease inhibitory system was examined by the two methods and shown to consist of three classes of inhibitory proteins based on their susceptibilities to oxidation and abilities to form complexes with various proteases.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Recombinant HIV1 protease secreted by Saccharomyces cerevisiae correctly processes myristylated gag polyprotein.

The protease of the human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV1) was expressed both intracellularly and extracellularly in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Intracellular expression of the protease was achieved by fusing a 179 amino acid precursor form of the protease to human superoxide dismutase (hSOD). Self-processing of the viral enzyme from the hybrid precursor was demonstrated to occur within the yeast host. Secretion of the protease was achieved by fusing the leader sequence of yeast alpha-factor to the precursor form of the protease or to the 99 amino acid mature form of the protease. Authentic and active forms of the retroviral enzyme were detected in yeast supernatants of cells expressing the precursor or the mature form of the protease. A D25E active site variant of the retroviral enzyme exhibited diminished autocatalytic activity when expressed intracellularly or secreted from yeast. The wild-type protease was active in an in vitro assay on the natural substrate, myristylated gag precursor, Pr53gag. Correct processing of Pr53gag at the Tyr 138-Pro 139 junction was confirmed by amino terminal sequence analysis of the resulting capsid protein (CA, p24). The secreted protease was purified to homogeneity from yeast media using preparative isoelectric focusing and reverse-phase HPLC. Amino terminal sequence analysis showed a sequence beginning at amino acid 1 of the mature enzyme (Pro) and another sequence beginning at amino acid 6 (Trp). This shorter sequence may represent a natural autolytic product of the protease.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Haemonchus contortus: identification of proteases with diverse characteristics in adult worm excretory-secretory products.

Host tissue penetration and feeding by helminth parasites may be mediated by both mechanical processes and histolytic products released by the parasites. To investigate potential histolytic products released by adult Haemonchus contortus worms, proteases in excretory-secretory (ES) products were analyzed. The optimum activity of ES proteases was at pH 5.0, although activity was observed over a wide range of pH tested (pH 3.0-9.0). Four protease bands were observed on gelatin-containing polyacrylamide gels, with estimated molecular weights (M(r)) of 32, 35, 38, and 40 kDa. Proteases of 32 and 35 kDa were active at pH 5.0-8.0, while activity of the 38- and 40-kDa proteases was inhibited at pH 8.0. Based on inhibitor studies, the four proteases identified on gelatin-containing polyacrylamide gels were classified as cysteine proteases. Evidence was also obtained that indicated the presence of aspartic and metalloprotease activities in ES products, but these activities were not detected in gels. The diversity of adult H. contortus ES proteases may indicate variable functional requirements for the proteases. Further characterization of ES proteases will facilitate evaluation of their potential application in immunotherapeuti control of disease.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Solution structure and dynamics of the single-chain hepatitis C virus NS3 protease NS4A cofactor complex.

The backbone assignments, secondary structure, topology, and dynamics of the single-chain hepatitis C virus NS3 protease NS4A cofactor complex have been determined by NMR spectroscopy. Residues I34 to S181 of NS3 and the central three residues of the NS4A cofactor were assigned and the secondary structure was verified for these residues. In several X-ray structures of NS4A-bound NS3 protease, residues 1 to 28 are stabilized by crystal packing, which allows for the formation of the A0 strand and alpha0 helix. In solution, these N-terminal residues are largely unassigned and no evidence of a well-structured A0 strand or alpha0 helix was detected. NOEs between residues in the E1-F1 loop (containing D81) and the alpha1 helix (containing H57) together with the detection of a D81-H57 hydrogen bond indicate that in solution the catalytic triad (D81, H57, S139) of the protease is better ordered in the presence of the NS4A cofactor. This is consistent with the earlier crystallographic results and may explain the observed increase in catalytic activity of the enzyme due to NS4A binding. A model-free analysis of our relaxation data indicates substantial exchange rates for residues V51-D81, which comprise the upper part of the N-terminal beta-barrel. A comparison of chemical-shift differences between NS3 protease and the NS3 protease-NS4A complex shows extensive chemical-shift changes for residues V51-D81 indicating that non-local structural changes occur upon NS4A binding to the NS3 protease that are propagated well beyond the protease-cofactor interaction site. This is consistent with crystallographic data that reveal large structural rearrangements of the strand and loop regions formed by residues V51-D81 as a result of NS4A binding. The coincidence of large exchange rates for the NS3 protease-NS4A complex with chemical-shift differences due to NS4A binding suggests that residues V51-D81 of the NS3 protease NS4A complex are in slow exchange with a NS4A-free conformation of NS3 protease.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed2000

Complete nucleotide sequence of the chiba virus genome and functional expression of the 3C-like protease in Escherichia coli.

We cloned the genome RNA of the Chiba virus (ChV; Hu/NLV/Chiba 407/1987/JP) and determined its complete nucleotide sequence. The genome is predicted to be a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA of 7697 bases, excluding a poly(A) tract. Comparison of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences with those of other members of the species Norwalk virus (NV) revealed that ChV belongs to genogroup I NV. The ChV genome contains three open reading frames (ORFs). A large 5'-terminal ORF (ORF1) encodes a polyprotein with 1785 amino acids that are likely processed into functional proteins, including RNA helicase, VPg, protease, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. ORF2 encodes the capsid protein with 544 amino acids, and a small 3'-terminal ORF (ORF3) encodes a basic protein with 208 amino acids. The amino acid sequences of five cleavage sites in ORF1 are highly conserved compared with those of other members of NV. When expressed in Escherichia coli, the glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion protein of the ChV protease connected via a short peptide containing a human rhinovirus 3C protease cleavage site was cleaved into GST and the protease; however, this cleavage did not occur when the Cys mutation was introduced into the putative active site of the protease. Moreover, the ChV protease recognized and cleaved the predicted proteolytic sites between VPg and protease and between protease and RNA polymerase. Therefore, the ChV protease expressed in E. coli retained an enzymatic activity and a substrate specificity similar to that of the human rhinovirus 3C protease.

3C Viral Proteases↗
PubMed2001

A thermostable collagenolytic protease with a very large molecular mass produced by thermophilic Bacillus sp. strain MO-1.

A collagenolytic protease was purified to homogeneity from thermophilic Bacillus sp. strain MO-1. The protease from strain MO-1 showed high activity toward type I and IV collagens and gelatin. However, peptide substrates (4-phenylazobenzyloxycarbonyl-Pro-Leu-Gly-Pro-Arg and 2-furylacryloyl-Leu-Gly-Pro-Ala) for collagenases were inert as substrates. The collagenolytic protease cleaved oxidized insulin B-chain at 11 sites and degraded type I and IV collagens into anonymous small pieces, suggesting that the protease digests collagens at multiple sites. The collagenolytic protease was far more thermostable than a mesophilic Clostridium histolyticum collagenase. The collagenolytic protease possesses two salient features: (1) it has a very large molecular mass, 210 kDa, and consists of two, identical 105-kDa subunits; (2) it belongs to a serine protease group. The high molecular mass is unique among serine proteases but common for collagenases. The features of the enzyme from strain MO-1 suggest that it is a new collagenolytic protease which is distinct from previously reported collagenases and serine proteases.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Characterization of purified metallo- and cysteine proteases from the pathogenic haemoflagellate Cryptobia salmositica Katz 1951.

The purified metalloprotease and the partially purified cysteine protease from pathogenic Cryptobia salmositica were characterized. Using haemoglobin gel electrophoresis, we detected five enzymatic bands in crude parasite lysate; one protease (200 kDa) yielded a metalloprotease band and other four, cysteine protease bands (97, 70, 66 and 49 kDa). Both the metalloprotease and the cysteine protease had high levels of proteolytic activity against azocasein, haemoglobin and fibrinogen. The metalloprotease had high levels of activity against azocoll and gelatin but a low degree of activity against albumin. In contrast, the cysteine protease had extensive activity against albumin but low levels of activity against azocoll and gelatin. The metallo- and cysteine proteases had no activity against Pz-peptide, a specific substrate for bacterial collagenase. The optimal pH for the metalloprotease and the cysteine protease was 7.0 and 5.0, respectively. The metalloprotease was inhibited by metal-chelating agents and excess of zinc ions but was activated by calcium ions. The cysteine protease was inhibited by thiol-blocking agents. The natural antiprotease alpha2-macroglobulin, but not alpha1-protease inhibitor, inhibited the activity of both proteases from C. salmositica. The optimal in vitro temperature for the purified metalloprotease was 30 degrees C.

Animals↗