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PubMed2005

Purification and characterization of Bacillus cereus protease suitable for detergent industry.

An extracellular alkaline protease from an alkalophilic bacterium, Bacillus cereus, was produced in a large amount by the method of extractive fermentation. The protease is thermostable, pH tolerant, and compatible with commercial laundry detergents. The protease purified and characterized in this study was found to be superior to endogenous protease already present in commercial laundry detergents. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation, concentration by ultrafiltration, anion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration. The purified enzyme had a specific activity of 3256.05 U/mg and was found to be a monomeric protein with a molecular mass of 28 and 31 kDa, as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and nondenaturing PAGE, respectively. Its maximum protease activity against casein was found to be at pH 10.5 and 50 degrees C. Proteolytic activity of the enzyme was detected by casein and gelatin zymography, which gave a very clear protease activity zone on gel that corresponded to the band obtained on SDS-PAGE and nondenaturing PAGE with a molecular mass of nearly 31 kDa. The purified enzyme was analyzed through matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and identified as a subtilisin class of protease. Specific serine protease inhibitors, suggesting the presence of serine residues at the active site, inhibited the enzyme significantly.

Bacillus cereus↗
PubMed2004

Role of bacterial proteases in pseudomonal and serratial keratitis.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia marcescens can cause refractory keratitis resulting in corneal perforation and blindness. These bacteria produce various kinds of proteases. In addition to pseudomonal elastase (LasB) and alkaline protease, LasA protease and protease IV have recently been found to be more important virulence factors of P. aeruginosa . S. marcescens produces a cysteine protease in addition to metalloproteases. These bacterial proteases have a number of biological activities, such as degradation of tissue constituents and host defense-oriented proteins, as well as activation of zymogens (Hageman factor, prekallikrein and pro-matrix metalloproteinases) through limited proteolysis. In this article, the properties of these bacterial proteases are reviewed and the pathogenic roles of these proteases in pseudomonal keratitis are discussed.

Bacteria↗
PubMed2003

Characterization of a serine protease activity in Sarcocystis neurona merozoites.

Sarcocystis neurona merozoites were examined for their ability to invade and divide in bovine turbinate (BT) cell cultures after treatment with cysteine (iodoacetamide), aspartic (pepstatin A), metallo-(1,10-phenanthroline and ethylene glycol-bis(aminoethylether)-tetraacetic acid [EGTA]), or serine (4-[2-aminoethyl]-benzenesulfonyl fluoride hydrochloride [AEBSF], phenylmethane sulphonyl fluoride [PMSF], and tosyl lysyl chloramethyl ketone [TLCK]) protease inhibitors. Significant (P < 0.01) inhibition of serine protease activity by PMSF and TLCK led to a reduction of 86 and 78% in merozoites produced in BT cell cultures, respectively, whereas AEBSF (1 mM) led to a 68% reduction in merozoites produced in BT cell cultures and a reduction of 84 and 92% at higher AEBSF concentrations (2 and 3 mM, respectively). Pepstatin A and iodoacetamide failed to cause any inhibition in merozoite production, whereas 1,10-phenanthroline and EGTA caused slight, but not significant, inhibition at 6 and 17%, respectively. In zymograms, 2 bands of protease activity between 65- and 70-kDa molecular weight were seen. The protease activity was inhibited by AEBSF but not by E-64 (cysteine protease inhibitor), EGTA, iodoacetamide, or pepstatin A. In native zymograms, the protease activity was highest between a pH range of 8 and 10. These data suggest that merozoites of S. neurona have serine protease activity with a relative molecular weight range between 65 and 70 kDa and optimal pH range between 8 and 10, which is essential for host cell entry at least in vitro. The protease activity described here could be a potential target for chemotherapy development.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

In situ localization and characterization of active proteases in chronically inflamed and healthy human gingival tissues.

BACKGROUND: Studies have indicated an important role for host-derived proteases in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease. The objectives of this study were: 1) to develop an assay measuring protease activity in situ and 2) to localize and characterize the enzymatic activity in intact inflamed and healthy gingiva. METHODS: Gingival specimens were prepared and over-laid with a quenched fluorescent substrate. Protease activity was visualized by fluorescence microscopy and correlated with histologic features. RESULTS: In inflamed tissues, enzymatic activity was detected mainly in the connective tissue (predominantly matrix metalloproteases) and, to some extent, in the epithelium (predominantly serine proteases). In contrast, clinically healthy tissues failed to exhibit significant amounts of protease activity. Quantitative and qualitative characteristics of protease activity in intact tissues were found to be pH dependent. CONCLUSIONS: The method described here enabled assessment of active proteases in intact tissues where cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions had been maintained. Our results indicate that there are substantial differences in the distribution of specific proteases between clinically healthy and inflamed periodontal tissues.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Structural and functional diversities in lepidopteran serine proteases.

Primary protein-digestion in Lepidopteran larvae relies on serine proteases like trypsin and chymotrypsin. Efforts toward the classification and characterization of digestive proteases have unraveled a considerable diversity in the specificity and mechanistic classes of gut proteases. Though the evolutionary significance of mutations that lead to structural diversity in serine proteases has been well characterized, detailing the resultant functional diversity has continually posed a challenge to researchers. Functional diversity can be correlated to the adaptation of insects to various host-plants as well as to exposure of insects to naturally occurring antagonistic biomolecules such as plant-derived protease inhibitors (PIs) and lectins. Current research is focused on deciphering the changes in protease specificities and activities arising from altered amino acids at the active site, specificity-determining pockets and other regions, which influence activity. Some insight has been gained through in silico modeling and simulation experiments, aided by the limited availability of characterized proteases. We examine the structurally and functionally diverse Lepidopteran serine proteases, and assess their influence on larval digestive processes and on overall insect physiology.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

A modified procedure for simultaneous extraction and subsequent assay of calcium-dependent and lysosomal protease systems from a skeletal muscle biopsy.

An extraction and assay system was developed for quantifying endogenous muscle proteases from a single 5-g sample. A single extraction buffer was developed for simultaneous extraction of both calcium-dependent proteases (CDP) and cathepsins. Protease activity determined by the modified procedure was compared to standard procedures currently used in our laboratory. The successful use of the modified procedure on muscle biopsies was verified. Activities per gram of ovine longissimus muscle of CDP system components for 50-g standard and 5-g modified procedures were not different (P greater than .05) for CDP-I (1.16 vs 1.08), CDP-II (.89 vs 1.03), or CDP inhibitor (2.34 vs 2.32), respectively. Activities of cathepsins per gram of muscle for standard and modified procedures were higher (P less than .05) for the modified procedure (cathepsins B + L, 202.0 vs 309.8), but not different (P greater than .05) for cathepsin B (76.6 vs 98.8). Cystatin-like activity was not different (P greater than .05; 3.4 vs 3.2). To test the effect of location within the longissimus muscle on protease activities, 5 g of longissimus muscle was removed immediately postmortem from each of six locations from each side of three steer carcasses. Location within the longissimus muscle had no effect (P greater than .05) on the protease activities measured. Protease activities determined on bovine longissimus muscle biopsies with the modified procedure were similar to immediate postmortem activities. These data verify that the modified procedure was as able to quantify endogenous muscle proteases as the standard procedures and could be used on muscle biopsies. This procedure should be useful in studying the role of endogenous muscle proteases in muscle growth and postmortem proteolysis.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Protease activity of 80 kDa protein secreted from the apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii.

This study describes the characterization of 80 kDa protease showing gelationlytic property among three proteases in the excretory/secretory proteins (ESP) from Toxoplasma gondii. The protease activity was detected in the ESP but not in the somatic extract of RH tachyzoites. This protease was active only in the presence of calcium ion but not other divalent cationic ions such as Cu(2+), Zn(2+), Mg(2+), and Mn(2+), implying that Ca(2+) is critical factor for the activation of the protease. The 80 kDa protease was optimally active at pH 7.5. Its gelatinolytic activity was maximal at 37 degrees C, and significant level of enzyme activity of the protease remained after heat treatment at 56 degrees C for 30 min or 100 degrees C for 10 min. This thermostable enzyme was strongly inhibited by metal chelators, i.e., EDTA, EGTA, and 1,10- phenanthroline. Thus, the 80 kDa protease in the ESP secreted by T. gondii was classified as a calcium dependent neutral metalloprotease.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

The influences of hinge length and composition on the susceptibility of human IgA to cleavage by diverse bacterial IgA1 proteases.

The influences of IgA hinge length and composition on its susceptibility to cleavage by bacterial IgA1 proteases were examined using a panel of IgA hinge mutants. The IgA1 proteases of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus sanguis strains SK4 and SK49, Neisseria meningitidis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Haemophilus influenzae cleaved IgA2-IgA1 half hinge, an Ab featuring half of the IgA1 hinge incorporated into the equivalent site in IgA1 protease-resistant IgA2, whereas those of Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus oralis, and S. sanguis strain SK1 did not. Hinge length reduction by removal of two of the four C-terminal proline residues rendered IgA2-IgA1 half hinge resistant to all streptococcal IgA1 metalloproteinases but it remained sensitive to cleavage by the serine-type IgA1 proteases of Neisseria and Haemophilus spp. The four C-terminal proline residues could be substituted by alanine residues or transferred to the N-terminal extremity of the hinge without affect on the susceptibility of the Ab to cleavage by serine-type IgA1 proteases. However, their removal rendered the Ab resistant to cleavage by all the IgA1 proteases. We conclude that the serine-type IgA1 proteases of Neisseria and Haemophilus require the Fab and Fc regions to be separated by at least ten (or in the case of N. gonorrhoeae type I protease, nine) amino acids between Val(222) and Cys(241) (IgA1 numbering) for efficient access and cleavage. By contrast, the streptococcal IgA1 metalloproteinases require 12 or more appropriate amino acids between the Fab and Fc to maintain a minimum critical distance between the scissile bond and the start of the Fc.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Cloning of tumor-associated differentially expressed gene-14, a novel serine protease overexpressed by ovarian carcinoma.

The family of enzymes known as serine proteases supports many biological functions for cancer cells, including activation of growth and angiogenic factors and activation of other proteases for invasion and metastasis. In addition, many of these serine proteases are secreted by cells into the extracellular space to serve these functions. Therefore, serine proteases are excellent candidate tumor markers. To examine serine proteases expressed by ovarian carcinoma, we designed degenerate PCR primers corresponding to the conserved regions of these genes and used them in reverse transcriptase-PCR experiments with normal and tumor cDNA as a template. The PCR products were subcloned and sequenced, and one of these clones was found to encode a novel serine protease, named tumor-associated differentially expressed gene-14 (TADG14). Northern blot analysis indicated that the mRNA for TADG14 is 1.4 kb long and that it is highly overexpressed in ovarian carcinoma compared with normal ovary. The entire cDNA has been obtained, and based on sequence homology, it encodes a 260-amino acid serine protease. Semiquantitative PCR indicates that TADG14 is overexpressed in 24 of 40 tumors studied. Northern blot data confirm this overexpression, and immunohistochemical staining suggests that this protein is secreted. As such, the TADG14 protease may be useful as a diagnostic tool or as a molecular target for therapy.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Purification and partial characterization of a toxic serine protease produced by pathogenic Vibrio alginolyticus.

An extracellular lethal toxin produced by Vibrio alginolyticus strain Swy originally isolated from diseased kuruma prawn (Penaeus japonicus) was purified using the AKTA purifier system with hydrophobic interaction chromatography, anion exchange and gel filtration columns. The toxin is an alkaline serine protease, inhibited by phenyl methylsulphonyl fluoride (PMSF), antipain and shows maximal activity at pH 8 to 11, having a pI of 4.3 and a molecular weight of approximately 33 kD. The toxin was completely inhibited by FeCl2 but partially inhibited by 3,4-dichloroisocoumarin (3,4-DCI), ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), ethylene glycol-bis(beta-amino-ethyl ether) N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA), CuCl2 and ZnCl2. The purified protease was lethal for kuruma prawn at an LD50 of 0.29 microgram protein/g body weight. The haemolymph withdrawn from the moribund prawns injected with the toxic protease was unable to clot. The coagulogen in the kuruma prawn plasma showed an increased migration rate after incubation with this serine protease, and a plasma colour change from blue to pink was recorded. The addition of PMSF completely inhibited the lethal toxicity of the purified protease, indicating that this serine protease was a lethal toxin produced by the bacterium. The 33 kD protease was therefore a toxic protease produced by V. alginolyticus strain Swy.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

A Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain isolated from a contact lens-induced acute red eye (CLARE) is protease-deficient.

PURPOSE: Pseudomonas aeruginosa proteases are thought to be important virulence factors in the pathogenesis of corneal disease. This study examined protease production from two strains of P. aeruginosa responsible for two very distinct clinical diseases: strain Paer1, isolated from a Contact Lens-induced Acute Red Eye (CLARE), and strain KEI 1025, isolated from a corneal ulcer. Strains were compared to a laboratory strain (ATCC 19660) known to produce severe keratitis in experimentally infected mice for protease production and for ocular virulence. METHODS: Protease production was examined with colorimetric assays, gelatin zymography and western blots. Elastase A activity was quantitated with a staphylolytic assay. Ocular virulence was examined using a mouse scratch model of keratitis. RESULTS: In contrast to strains KEI 1025 or ATCC 19660, Paer1 was unable to produce enzymatically active elastase A, elastase, and protease IV. All three strains produced active alkaline protease. Strains KEI 1025 and ATCC 19660 produced a fulminant keratitis in mice whereas Paer1 produced a mild transient infection. Restoration of elastase activity in Paer1 via genetic complementation did not result in a virulent phenotype. Co-infection of mouse eyes with strains Paer1 and ATCC 19660 resulted in the eventual loss of Paer1 from corneal tissue. CONCLUSIONS: These studies suggest that P. aeruginosa elastase A and/or protease IV, but not alkaline protease or elastase, contribute to the ocular virulence of this organism.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2000

Purification and characterization of Ak.1 protease, a thermostable subtilisin with a disulphide bond in the substrate-binding cleft.

Ak.1 protease, a thermostable subtilisin isolated originally from Bacillus st. Ak.1, was purified to homogeneity from the Escherichia coli clone PB5517. It is active against substrates containing neutral or hydrophobic branched-chain amino acids at the P(1) site, such as valine, alanine or phenylalanine. The K(m) and k(cat) of the enzyme decrease with decreasing temperature, though not to the same degree with all substrates, suggesting that specificity changes with temperature. The protease is markedly stabilized by Ca(2+) ions. At 70 degrees C, a 10-fold increase in Ca(2+) concentration increases the half-life by three orders of magnitude. Ak.1 protease is stabilized by Ca(2+) to a greater extent than is thermitase. This may be due, in part, to the presence of an extra Ca(2+)-binding site in Ak.1 protease. Other metal ions, such as Sr(2+), increase the thermostability of the enzyme, but to a significantly lower degree than does Ca(2+). The structure of the protease showed the presence of a disulphide bond located within the active-site cleft. This bond influences both enzyme activity and thermostability. The disulphide bond appears to have a dual role: maintaining the integrity of the substrate-binding cleft and increasing the thermostability of the protease. The protease was originally investigated to determine its usefulness in the clean-up of DNA at high temperatures. However, it was found that this protease has a limited substrate specificity, so this application was not explored further.

Disulfides↗
PubMed2000

Use of the complex between prostate specific antigen and alpha 1-protease inhibitor for screening prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: We assess whether the complex between prostate specific antigen (PSA) and alpha1-protease inhibitor in serum can be used to reduce further the number of false-positive PSA screen results independent of total and free PSA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sera from 304 consecutive screen positive subjects, including 78 with and 226 without prostate cancer, and serum PSA of 4 to 10 microg./l. or higher in the Finnish, randomized, population based prostate cancer screening trial were analyzed for PSA-alpha-protease inhibitor, and total and free PSA. Main outcome measures were specificity, sensitivity and area under receiver operating characteristics curve for proportions of free PSA and PSA-alpha 1-protease inhibitor, and for a combination of these among screen positive cases. RESULTS: The proportion of serum PSA-alpha 1-protease inhibitor of total PSA was lower in cancer cases than in controls (0.9% versus 1.6%, p <0.001). Logistic regression analysis of total PSA, free PSA and PSA-alpha 1-protease inhibitor showed that PSA-alpha 1-protease inhibitor in serum was an independent variable for discrimination between subjects with and without prostate cancer (p = 0.006) in the PSA range of 4 to 10 microg./l. The proportion of PSA-alpha 1-protease inhibitor alone improved specificity less than the proportion of free PSA but when these were combined by logistic regression they performed better than the proportion of free PSA alone at sensitivities of 85% to 95% (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Serum PSA-alpha 1-protease inhibitor improves the specificity of total and free PSA in a screening population with total PSA 4 to 10 microg./l.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Molecular cloning and expression of human alveolar macrophage cathepsin S, an elastinolytic cysteine protease.

Human alveolar macrophages (HAM) express an elastase activity of acidic pH optimum inhibitable by cysteine protease inhibitors. Recent studies indicate that the only known eukaryotic elastinolytic cysteine protease, cathepsin L, cannot completely account for this activity. In order to search for additional cysteine proteases with elastinolytic activity, low degeneracy oligonucleotide primers based on regions of strong homology among the known cysteine proteases were used to screen reverse-transcribed HAM RNA for cysteine proteases by the polymerase chain reaction. Among the cDNA sequences generated was a 493-base pair product highly homologous to bovine cathepsin S. Screening of a HAM cDNA eukaryotic expression library with this cDNA yielded a 1.7-kilobase full-length cDNA highly homologous to bovine cathepsin S (approximately 85% identical). This cDNA predicts a 331-amino acid preprocathepsin. Expression of this cDNA in COS cells revealed the active enzyme to be a single chain 28-kDa protease, as judged by active site labeling with a novel iodinated analogue of N-(L-3-trans-carboxyoxirane-2-carbonyl)-L-leucylamido-(4-gua nido)butane (E-64). The recombinant enzyme was found to be elastinolytic toward 3H-labeled elastin (bovine ligamentum nuchae) at pH 5.5 but with 25% of this activity retained at pH 7.0. Labeling of HAM with the active site probe revealed these cells express a 28-kDa cysteine protease, and Northern blot analysis revealed the presence of a approximately 1.7-kilobase cathepsin S mRNA. These data establish that human macrophages express at least two cysteine proteases with elastinolytic activity. The relatively broad pH range of human cathepsin S activity suggests this enzyme may contribute to the contact-dependent elastase activity of live human alveolar macrophages.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Transcriptome overview of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis proteases.

Proteases perform a wide variety of functions inside and outside cells, regulating many biological processes. Infectious microorganisms use proteases, either secreted or attached to their cell surface to weaken and invade their hosts. Therefore, proteases are targets for drugs against a diverse set of diseases. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is the most prevalent fungal pathogen causing systemic mycosis in Latin America. The development of paracoccidioidomycosis depends on interactions between fungal and host components and proteases have been described as important factors implicated in the mechanism of host colonization by fungi. The primary goal for this study is to present an overview of the transcriptome sequences--identified cDNAs that encode proteases. We obtained a total of 53 cDNAs encoding proteases; 15 were classified as ATP-independent, 12 as ATP-dependent, 22 as proteasome subunits, and 4 as deubiquitinating proteases. The mechanisms and biological activity of these proteases differ in substrate specificity and in catalytic mechanisms.

Base Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Comparative study of the properties of serine proteases of lower and higher vertebrates].

Results of the comparative study of trypsin- and chymotrypsin-like serine proteases from pyloric caeca of salmon fishes and trypsin and chymotrypsin of bulls are presented in the paper. The hydrolytic activity of salmon proteases with respect to methyl ethers of N-benzoyl-L-leucine is 2.4 times higher than that of bull chymotrypsin, but with respect to methyl esters of N-benzoyl-L-tyrosine and N-benzoyl-L-arginine the activity of salmon proteases is 6.5 and 80 times lower than that of bull chymotrypsin and trypsin. Salmon proteases in contrast to bull trypsin and chymotrypsin hydrolyze but slightly N-glutaryl-L-phenylalanine para-nitroanilide. It shown that fish proteases are not absolutely specific to synthetic substrates, which is a result of their less pronounced (than in case of bull trypsin and chymotrypsin) differences in structures of binding centres. The study of the salmon protease interaction with some immobilized ligands has confirmed the higher affinity of enzymes to reagents with two space-separated aromatic rings in their composition. It is supposed that salmon proteases interact with such reagents through two sites: hydrophobic "pockets" and probably additional binding site of the active centre. The salmon protease preparation demonstrates higher resistance to inactivating action of formaldehyde within the range of concentrations 2-16% than bull chymotrypsin does.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

RNKP-1, a novel natural killer-associated serine protease gene cloned from RNK-16 cytotoxic lymphocytes.

From an RNK-16 lambda-gt11 library, we have isolated and sequenced a novel cDNA rat NK cell protease 1 (RNKP-1) that has characteristics unique to serine proteases. The cDNA clone is 1102 bp and contains a complete open reading frame with an AUG start codon and a TAA stop codon. The open reading frame translates into a protein of 248 amino acids that has one glycosylation site. The characteristic N-terminal Ile-Ile-Gly-Gly and the His, Asp, and Ser amino acid residues that form the catalytic triad of serine proteases are present. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences have 87 and 80% identity, respectively, with the murine CTL-specific serine protease CCPI. However, there are extensive differences in the substrate binding regions of these proteases. Comparison of hydropathic profiles and amino acid sequences of other proteases indicate that RNKP-1 is distinct and belongs to the subfamily of serine proteases of bone marrow origin. Northern blot analysis of poly A+ RNA from rat splenocytes cultured with Con A showed 1000 and 1400 nucleotide mRNA are detected with RNKP-1 after 1 day of Con A-stimulation. The expression of the two mRNA bands continues through day 5 of culture with the lectin and may represent RNKP-1 mRNA plus related sequences due to cross-hybridization. RNKP-1 is also expressed in RNK-16 cells, but is not expressed in freshly isolated rat splenocytes, brain, lung, or lymph node tissues. The induction of RNKP-1 expression in the Con A-cultured spleen cells is accompanied by increases in both NK and lymphokine-activated killer lymphocyte activities. These data indicate that RNKP-1 is a unique serine protease that may be preferentially expressed in NK cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

Isolation and sequence analyses of cDNA clones for the large subunits of two isozymes of rabbit calcium-dependent protease.

Two sets of cDNA clones were isolated from cDNA libraries prepared from poly(A+) RNA of rabbit lung and spleen by screening with the cDNA probe for the large subunit (80-kDa subunit) of chicken calcium-dependent protease (Ca2+-protease; Ohno, S., Emori, Y., Imajoh, S., Kawasaki, H., Kisaragi, M., and Suzuki, K. (1984) Nature 312, 566-570). The two sets of clones were identified as cDNA clones for two Ca2+-protease isozymes with high (mu-type) and low (m-type) calcium sensitivities from a comparison of the primary structures deduced from the nucleotide sequences with partial amino acid sequences from the two isozymes. The cDNA clones for the 80-kDa subunits of the mu- and m-type Ca2+-proteases contained, in total, about 1.5- and 2.2-kilobase cDNA inserts, respectively, which correspond roughly to the C-terminal halves of the coding regions and the entire 3'-noncoding regions. The two isozymes are encoded by two distinct mRNA species present in all the tissues examined, although the amount of mRNA significantly differs among the various tissues. Four E-F hand structures, typical calcium-binding structures in various calcium-binding proteins such as calmodulin, were detected in the C-terminal regions of both isozymes, as in the case of chicken Ca2+-protease. Comparison of the amino acid sequences of the two rabbit isozymes and the corresponding region of the chicken enzyme revealed marked homology, which indicates that these three enzymes have the same evolutionary origin. Furthermore, we suggest that the mu-type rabbit Ca2+-protease, rather than the m-type, is similar to chicken Ca2+-protease, which is regarded as an m-type enzyme in the C-terminal region. The evolution and molecular basis of the differences in calcium sensitivities of the Ca2+-proteases are discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗