A Protease Inhibitor from Penicillium cyclopium

When the protease inhibitor from Penicillium cyclopium was mixed with the acid protease of the mold at acid pH formed a precipitate consisting of a enzyme-inhibitor complex. The precipitation occurred maximally at pH 3.0 and was interfered with by increasing amounts of salts and other protein. Subsequent incubation of the complex brought about inactivation of the enzyme and the inactivation was found to be accompanied by modification of the enzyme so that less was precipitable with trichloroacetic acid. Paper chromatography revealed that the enzyme on complete inactivation had been degraded to several fragments or polypeptides. The inhibitor acted on the enzyme in a catalytic fashion, bringing about degradation of more than a stoichiometric amount of enzyme. The proposed mechanism of the inhibitor action involved acceleration of auto-digestion of the enzyme which splits the molecule into small fragments and abolishes the activity.     

Rotihibin A,a Novel Plant Growth Regulator,from Streptomyces sp.

A thermophilic Thermoactinomyces sp. E79 producing a highly thermostable alkaline protease was isolated from soil. The protease, produced extracellularly by Thermoactinomyces sp. E79, was purified by DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B and Butyl-Toyopearl 650M column chromatography. The relative molecular mass was estimated to be 31,000 by SDS–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Enzyme activity was inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, suggesting the enzyme to be a serine protease. The optimum temperature for the enzyme activity was 85°C, and about 50% of the original activity remained after incubation at 90°C for 10 min in the presence of Ca^{2 +} . The optimum pH for the enzyme activity was 11.0 and the enzyme was fairly stable from pH 5.0 to 12.0. The gene for this thermostable alkaline protease was cloned in Escherichia coli and the expressed intracellular enzyme was activated by heat treatment. Sequence analysis showed an open reading frame of 1,152 base pairs, coding for a poiypeptide of 384 amino acids. The polypeptide was composed of a signal sequence (25 amino acids), a prosequence (81 amino acids), and a mature protein of 278 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of the mature protease had high similarity with thermitase, a serine protease from Thermoactinomyces vulgaris, and the extent of sequence identity was 76%.     

Overexpression of acid protease of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharomycopsis fibuligera</Emphasis> in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Yarrowia lipolytica</Emphasis> and characterization of the recombinant acid protease for skimmed milk clotting

The gene encoding an acid protease natively produced by Saccharomycopsis fibuligera was cloned and overexpressed in Yarrowia lipolytica and the resultant recombinant acid protease was purified and characterized. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated as 94.8 kDa by gel filtration chromatography. The optimal pH and temperature of the purified acid protease were 3.5 and 33°C, respectively, and the enzyme was very stable over a pH range of 1.0 ∼ 3.0. The recombinant acid protease was activated by Zn²⁺, but was inhibited by Hg²⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, and Mg²⁺, EDTA, EGTA, iodoacetic acid, and pepstatin. The purified recombinant acid protease from the positive transformant 71 had high milk clotting activity, suggesting that it may be used as a rennet substitute in the cheese industry.     

Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of a subtilisin-like serine protease from a deep-sea bacterium, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alkalimonas collagenimarina</Emphasis> AC40<Superscript>T</Superscript>

The acpI gene encoding an alkaline protease (AcpI) from a deep-sea bacterium, Alkalimonas collagenimarina AC40^T, was shotgun-cloned and sequenced. It had a 1,617-bp open reading frame encoding a protein of 538 amino acids. Based on analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence, AcpI is a subtilisin-like serine protease belonging to subtilase family A. It consists of a prepropeptide, a catalytic domain, and a prepeptidase C-terminal domain like other serine proteases from the genera Pseudomonas, Shewanella, Alteromonas, and Xanthomonas. Heterologous expression of the acpI gene in Escherichia coli cells yielded a 28-kDa recombinant AcpI (rAcpI), suggesting that both the prepropeptide and prepeptidase C-terminal domains were cleaved off to give the mature form. Analysis of N-terminal and C-terminal amino acid sequences of purified rAcpI showed that the mature enzyme would be composed of 273 amino acids. The optimal pH and temperature for the caseinolytic activity of the purified rAcpI were 9.0–9.5 and 45°C in 100 mM glycine–NaOH buffer. Calcium ions slightly enhanced the enzyme activity and stability. The enzyme favorably hydrolyzed gelatin, collagen, and casein. AcpI from A. collagenimarina AC40^T was also purified from culture broth, and its molecular mass was around 28 kDa, indicating that the cleavage manner of the enzyme is similar to that in E. coli cells.     

Purification and Characterization of a Thermostable Alkaline Protease from Alkalophilic Thermoactinomyces sp. H8682

Protease secreted into the culture medium by alkalophilic Thermoactinomyces sp. HS682 was purified to an electrophoretically homogeneous state through only two chromatograhies using Butyl-Toyopearl 650M and SP-Toyopearl 650S columns. The purified enzyme has an apparent relative molecular mass of 25, 000 according to gel filtration on a Sephadex G-75 column and SDS-PAGE and an isoelectric point above 11.0.

Its proteolytic activity was inhibited by active-site inhibitors of serine protease, DFP and PMSF, and metal ions, Cu²⁺ and Hg²⁺. The enzyme was stable toward some detergents, sodium perborate, sodium triphosphate, sodium-n-dodecylbenzenesulfonate, and sodium dodecyl sulfate, at a concentration of 0.1% and pH 11.5 and 37°C for 60 min. The optimum pH was pH 11.5–13.0 at 37°C and the optimum temperature was 70°C at pH 11.5. Calcium divalent cation raised the pH and heat stabilities of the enzyme. In the presence of 5 mM CaCl₂, it showed maximum proteolytic activity at 80°C and stability from pH 4–12.5 at 60°C and below 75°C at pH 11.5. The stabilization by Ca²⁺ was observed in secondary conformation deduced from the circular dichroic spectrum of the enzyme. The protease hydrolyzed the ester bond of benzoyl leucine ester well. The amino acid terminal sequence of the enzyme showed high homology with those of Microbiol serine protease, although alanine of the NH₂-terminal amino acid was deleted.     

Characterization,Gene Cloning,and Sequencing of a Fungal Phytase,PhyA, From Penicillium oxalicum PJ3

A phytase from Penicillium oxalicum PJ3, PhyA, was purified near to homogeneity with 427-fold increase in specific phytase activity by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration, and ion-exchange chromatographies. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and zymogram analysis of the purified enzyme indicated an estimated molecular mass of 65 kD. The optimal pH and temperature of the purified enzyme were pH 4.5 and 55°C, respectively. The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF). The K_m value for sodium phytate was 0.545 mM with a V_max of 600 U/mg of protein. The phyA gene was cloned, and it contains an open reading frame of 1,383 with a single intron (118 bp), and encodes a protein of 461 amino acids.     

Purification and Properties of Two Galactanases from Penicillium citrinum

Two galactanases (I and II) were purified to homogeneous states from water extracts of a wheat bran culture of Penicillium citrinum. Although these enzymes were separable by affinity chromatography and distinct on Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, they were similar in physical and enzymatic nature. They had almost the same molecular weight (3.5 } 10⁴) and isoelectric point (pH 4.2), and similar amino acid compositions and carbohydrate contents (3%). Alanine and leucine were detected for both enzymes as the N- and C-terminal amino acids, respectively.

These enzymes were most active at pH 4.5 and 55%C, and were stable between pH 4 and 10 (at 15%C for 24hr), and below 55%C (at pH 5.5 for 10min). The enzymes hydrolyzed soybean arabinogalactan to produce galactose and several galac-tooligosaccharides, but did not attack coffee bean arabinogalactan. Therefore, these enzymes were suggested to be endo-l,4-²-D-galactanases.

The enzymes also attacked ONPG and PNPG, and lag phases were observed at the beginning of the reactions.

Among the compounds examined, Hg²⁺ and Fe³⁺ inhibited the enzyme actions. ONPG-hydrolyzing activities of the enzymes were inhibited by some sugars such as lactose, galactose, arabinose, glucose and xylose.

Galactobiose, -triose and -tetraose prepared from soybean arabinogalactan with purified galactanase I were found to be further hydrolyzed by the enzymes. A lag phase was also observed in the time course of hydrolysis of galactobiose.     

Molecular and biochemical characterization of an extracellular serine-protease from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vibrio metschnikovii</Emphasis> J1

A protease-producing bacterium was isolated from an alkaline wastewater of the soap industry and identified as Vibrio metschnikovii J1 on the basis of the 16S rRNA gene sequencing and biochemical properties. The strain was found to over-produce proteases when it was grown at 30°C in media containing casein as carbon source (14,000 U ml⁻¹). J1 enzyme, the major protease produced by V. metschnikovii J1, was purified by a three-step procedure, with a 2.1-fold increase in specific activity and 33.3% recovery. The molecular weight of the purified protease was estimated to be 30 kDa by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the first 20 amino acids of the purified J1 protease was AQQTPYGIRMVQADQLSDVY. The enzyme was highly active over a wide range of pH from 9.0 to 12.0, with an optimum at pH 11.0. The optimum temperature for the purified enzyme was 60°C. The activity of the enzyme was totally lost in the presence of PMSF, suggesting that the purified enzyme is a serine protease. The kinetic constants K _m and K _cat of the purified enzyme using N-succinyl-l-Ala-l-Ala-l-Pro-l-Phe-p-nitroanilide were 0.158 mM and 1.14 × 10⁵ min⁻¹, respectively. The catalytic efficiency (K _cat /K _m) was 7.23 × 10⁸ min⁻¹ M⁻¹. The enzyme showed extreme stability toward non-ionic surfactants and oxidizing agents. In addition, it showed high stability and compatibility with some commercial liquid and solid detergents. The aprJ1 gene, which encodes the alkaline protease from V. metschnikovii J1, was isolated, and its DNA sequence was determined. The deduced amino acid sequence of the preproenzyme differs from that of V. metschnikovii RH530 detergent-stable protease by 12 amino acids, 7 located in the propeptide and 5 in the mature enzyme.     

Isolation and Some Properties of Acid Phosphatase-11 from Tomato Leaves

An isozyme of acid phosphatase-1, acid phosphatase-1¹, was purified from the leaves of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) to homogeneity and characterized. The purified enzyme was homogeneous on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with or without sodium dodecyl sulfate. The gel filtration analysis showed that the native molecule had a relative molecular mass of about 61 kilodaltons (kDa). The relative molecular mass of the subunit on gel electrophoresis with sodium dodecyl sulfate was about 32 kDa, indicating that the native form of the enzyme was a homodimer. It was suggested by periodic acid-Schiff staining on the gel that the enzyme was a glycoprotein. The Km for p-nitrophenylphosphate was 2.9 × 10^?3 m. The enzyme had a pH optimum of 4.5 in 0.15 m potassium acetate buffer with p-nitrophenylphosphate as a substrate. This enzyme was activated by divalent metal ions, such as Zn²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Mn²⁺. The N-terminal amino acids were sequenced after the purified enzyme was treated with pyroglutamylpeptidase. It was suggested that the N-terminal amino acid was pyroglutamate.     

Recombinant Human Cytomegalovirus Protease with a C-Terminal (His)6Extension: Purification, Autocatalytic Release of the Mature Enzyme, and Biochemical Characterization

Human cytomegalovirus protease (CMV PR) is a target for the development of antiviral therapeutics. To obtain large amounts of native protease, a 268-amino-acid polypeptide with a hexahistidinyl tag at the C terminus was expressed inEscherichia coli.The first 262 amino acids of the recombinant protein were identical to the amino acid sequence of native CMV PR, except for mutations introduced at the internal cleavage site to eliminate autoproteolysis at that site. The hexahistidinyl tag was placed downstream of amino acid 262 of the native CMV PR sequence. In this design, the Ala-Ser bond at amino acids 256–257 constitutes a site naturally cleaved by the protease during capsid maturation. The 268-amino-acid polypeptide with the (His)₆tag was expressed at high levels inE. colias inclusion bodies. After solubilization of the inclusion bodies, the protease was purified to homogeneity by a single step using Ni²⁺affinity chromatography. The protease was refolded to an active enzyme using dialysis which leads to effective autocleavage of the Ala-Ser bond at amino acids 256–257 to remove 12 amino acids including the (His)₆tag from the C terminus of the protein. This strategy yielded large amounts of highly purified CMV PR with the native N terminus and C terminus. Approximately 40 mg of purified CMV PR was obtained per liter of cell culture using this strategy. The enzymatic activity of CMV PR purified from inclusion bodies and refolded to an active enzyme was similar to the enzymatic activity of CMV PR expressed as a soluble protein inE. coli.In addition, the refolded CMV PR could be crystallized for X-ray diffraction.     

Purification and characterization of the cold-active alkaline protease from marine cold-adaptive <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penicillium chrysogenum</Emphasis> FS010

An extracellular cold-active alkaline serine protease from Penicillium chrysogenum FS010 has been purified. The purification procedure involved: ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE ion-exchange chromatography and sephadex G-100 gel chromatography. SDS–PAGE of the purified enzyme indicated a molecular weight of 41,000 ± 1,000 Da. The protease is stable in a pH range of 7.0–9.0 and has a maximum activity at pH 9.0. Compared with other industrial proteases, the enzyme shows a high hydrolytic activities at lower temperatures and a high sensitivity at a temperature over 50°C. The isoelectric point of the enzyme is approximate to 6.0. Enzymatic activity is enhanced by the addition of divalent cations such as Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ and inhibited by addition of Cu²⁺and Co²⁺. PMSF and DFP are its specific inhibitors. The application of the cold-active alkaline protease is extremely extensive, and widely used in detergents, feed, food, leather and many other industries.     

Studies on Mold Protease

An acid protease of Rhizopus chinensis was purified by sequential chromatographies on columns of Duolite A-2, Sephadex G-100 and CM-cellulose, and crystallized from aqueous acetone solution. The preparation was shown to be monodisperse on column chromatography of ion-exchange sephadex and on ultracentrifugal analysis. The enzyme was most active at pH values between 2.9 and 3.3 and was stable over the range of pH 2.8 to 6.5. The protease was markedly inactivated by ferric ions and sodium lauryl sulfate, whereas it was affected by neither sulfhydryl reagents nor metal-chelating agents. In milk-clotting activity, the acid protease was shown to be one of the most potent enzymes among those of fungal origin. Substrate specificity experiments on several synthetic peptides indicated that the peptide bonds susceptible to the action of the enzyme were mainly those involving amino group of aromatic amino acids.     

Purification and Characterization of a Fibrinolytic Protease from a Culture Supernatant of Flammulina velutipes Mycelia

In this study we purified a fibrinolytic enzyme from the culture supernatant of Flammulina velutipes mycelia by ion exchange and gel filtration chromatographies, it was designated as F. velutipes protease (FVP-I). This purification protocol resulted in 18.52-fold purification of the enzyme at a final yield of 0.69%. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 37 kDa by SDS–PAGE, fibrin-zymography and size exclusion by FPLC. This protease effectively hydrolyzed fibrin, preferentially digesting α-chain over β-and γ–γ chain. Optimal protease activity was found to occur at a pH of 6.0 and a temperature of 20 to 30 °C. The protease activity was inhibited by Cu²⁺, Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ ions, but was found to be enhanced by Mn²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions. Furthermore, FVP-I activity was potently inhibited by EDTA and EGTA, and it was found to exhibit a higher specificity for chromogenic substrate S-2586 for chymotrypsin, indicating that the enzyme is a chymotrypsin-like metalloprotease. The first 20 amino acid residues of the N-terminal sequence of FVP-I were LTYRVIPITKQAVTEGTELL. They had a high degree of homology with hypothetical protein CC1G_11771, GeneBank Accession no. EAU86463.     

An alkaline protease from Bacillus circulans BM15, newly isolated from a mangrove station: characterization and application in laundry detergent formulations

An investigation on the properties of an alkaline protease secreted by Bacillus circulans BM15 strain isolated from a mangrove sediment sample was carried out in order to characterize the enzyme and to test its potency as a detergent additive. The protease was purified to apparent homogeneity by ammonium sulphate precipitation and was a 30-kDa protease as shown by SDS-PAGE and its proteolytic activity was detected by casein zymography. It had optimum activity at pH 7, was stable at alkaline pH range (7 to 11), had optimum temperature of activity 40°C and was stable up to a temperature of 55°C after incubation for one hour. Hg²⁺, Zn²⁺, Co²⁺, and Cu²⁺completely inhibited the enzyme activity, while Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺ and Fe³⁺ were enhancing the same. The serine protease inhibitor PMSF and metal chelator EDTA inhibited the activity of this protease while the classic metalloprotease inhibitor 1, 10 phenanthroline did not show inhibition. The enzyme was stable in SDS, Triton-X-100 and H₂ O₂ as well as in various commercial detergents after incubation for one hour. The extracellular production of the enzyme, the pH and temperature stability and stability in presence of oxidants, surfactants and commercial detergents suggest its possible use as a detergent additive.     

An activated by cobalt alkaline aminopeptidase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus mycoides</Emphasis>

An intracellular arginine—specific aminopeptidase synthesized by Bacillus mycoides was purified and characterized. The purification procedure for studied aminopeptidase consisted of ammonium sulphate precipitation and three chromatographic steps: anion exchange chromatography and gel permeation chromatography. A molecular weight of ∼50 kDa was estimated for the aminopeptidase by gel permeation chromatography and SDS-PAGE. The optimal activity of the enzyme on arginyl-β-naphthylamide as a substrate was at 37°C and pH 9.0. The enzyme showed maximum specificity for basic amino acids: such as Arg and Lys but was also able to hydrolyze aromatic amino acids: Trp, Tyr, and Phe. Co²⁺ ions activated the enzyme, while Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, Hg²⁺ and Mn²⁺ inhibited it. The enzyme is a metalloaminopeptidase whose activity is inhibited by typical metalloaminopeptidase inhibitors: EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline. Analysis of fragments of the amino acid sequence of the purified enzyme demonstrated high similarity to Amp S of Bacillus cereus and APII of B. thuringensis.     

Purification and partial characterization of serine protease from thermostable alkalophilic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus laterosporus</Emphasis>-AK1

An extracellular thermostable alkaline protease isolated from Bacillus laterosporus-AK1 was purified by sephadex G-200 gel filtration and DEAE cellulose ion-exchange chromatography techniques. The purified protease showed a maximum relative activity of 100% on casein substrate and appeared as a single band on SDS-PAGE with the molecular mass of 86.29 kDa. The protease was purified to 11.1-folds with a yield of 34.3%. Gelatin zymogram also revealed a clear hydrolytic zone due to proteolytic activity, which corresponded to the band obtained with SDS-PAGE. The protease enzyme had on optimum pH of 9.0 and exhibited highest activity at 75°C. The enzyme activity was highly susceptible to the specific serine protease inhibitor PMSF, suggesting the presence of serine residues at the active sites. Enzyme activity strongly enhanced by the metal ions Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ and this enzyme compatible with aril detergent stability retained 75% even 1-h incubation. The purified protease remove bloodstain completely when used with Wheel detergent.     

Purification and biochemical characterization of a broad substrate specificity thermostable alkaline protease from Aspergillus nidulans

Aspergillus nidulans PW1 produces an extracellular carboxylesterase activity that acts on several lipid esters when cultured in liquid media containing olive oil as a carbon source. The enzyme was purified by gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography. It has an apparent MW and pI of 37 kDa and 4.5, respectively. The enzyme efficiently hydrolyzed all assayed glycerides, but showed preference toward short- and medium-length chain fatty acid esters. Maximum activity was obtained at pH 8.5 at 40°C. The enzyme retained activity after incubation at pHs ranging from 8 to11 for 12 h at 37°C and 6 to 8 for 24 h at 37°C. It retained 80% of its activity after incubation at 30 to 70°C for 30 min and lost 50% of its activity after incubation for 15 min at 80°C. Noticeable activation of the enzyme is observed when Fe²⁺ ion is present at a concentration of 1 mM. Inhibition of the enzyme is observed in the presence of Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺, Hg²⁺, and Zn²⁺ ions. Even though the enzyme showed strong carboxylesterase activity, the deduced N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified protein corresponded to the protease encoded by prtA gene.     

Quantitative physiology of Penicillium cyclopium grown on whey for production of microbial protein

Summary A filamentous fungus Penicillium cyclopium, capable of growing on deproteinized whey was isolated and characterized for the purpose of production of microbial protein.This organism has a maximum specific growth rate of 0.2 h^–1 at pH 3.0 to 4.5 and 28°C in a medium containing only ammonium nitrogen and deproteinized whey. The yield coefficients are 0.68 g biomass/g lactose, 12.0 g biomass/g nitrogen, and 2.10 g biomass/g oxygen, respectively.Crude protein and total nucleic acid contents of this organism are 47.5% and 7.4% (dry cell weight basis), respectively. The profile of essential amino acids shows that it could be a good source of animal feed or food protein.     

Purification and characterization of secreted acid phosphatase under phosphate-deficient condition inPholiota nameko

Activity of acid phosphatase secreted by mycelia ofPholiota nameko on cultivation for 30d in Pi-depleted medium was 88-fold higher than the corresponding activity in the Pi-supplied medium. One isozyme of the secreted acid phosphatases was purified from the culture filtrate of Pi-depleted medium by ammonium sulfate fractionation and cation exchange chromatography. The purified enzyme was homogeneous on electrophoresis. Gel filtration analysis showed change chromatography. The purified enzyme was homogeneous on electrophoresis. Gel filtration analysis showed that the native molecule had a molecular weight of 117,000. The molecular weight on gel electrophoresis with SDS was 52,000, indicating that the native form of the enzyme was a homodimer. The optimum pH and temperature of the enzyme were, 5.5 and 45°C, respectively, and the isoelectric point of the enzyme was pH 6.9. Adsorption on Con A-Sepharose and periodic-Schiff stain suggested that the enzyme is a glycoprotein. The enzyme hydrolyzed a wide variety of phosphate esters, nucleoside phosphates, sugar phosphates, and phosphorylated amino acids. Cu²⁺, Fe²⁺, Hg²⁺, iodoacetate, molybdate, tartaric acid, and SDS inhibited the enzyme activity. Fe³⁺ (1 mM), Triton X-100, methanol, and ethanol activated it. Fifteen residues of the N-terminal amino acid sequence were determined.     

Purification and characterization of fibrinolytic metalloprotease from Perenniporia fraxinea mycelia

In this study we purified and characterized a fibrinolytic protease from the mycelia of Perenniporia fraxinea. The apparent molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 42 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), fibrin zymography and size exclusion using fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). The first 20 amino acid residues of the N-terminal sequence were ASYRVLPITKELLPPEFFVA, which shows a high degree of similarity with a fungalysin metallopeptidase from Coprinopsis cinerea. The optimal reaction pH value and temperature were pH 6.0 and 35–40 °C, respectively. Results for the fibrinolysis pattern showed that the protease rapidly hydrolyzed the fibrin α-chain followed by the β-chain. The γ–γ chains were also hydrolyzed, but more slowly. The purified protease effectively hydrolyzed fibrinogen, preferentially digesting the Aα-chains of fibrinogen, followed by Bβ- and γ-chains. We found that protease activity was inhibited by Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺, and Zn²⁺, but enhanced by the additions of Mn²⁺, Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ metal ions. Furthermore, the protease activity was inhibited by EDTA, and it was found to exhibit a higher specificity for the chromogenic substrate S-2586 for chymotrypsin, indicating that the enzyme is a chymotrypsin-like metalloprotease. The mycelia of P. fraxinea may thus represent a source of new therapeutic agents to treat thrombosis.