Recombinant cathepsin E has no proteolytic activity at neutral pH

Cathepsin E (CatE) is a major intracellular aspartic protease reported to be involved in cellular protein degradation and several pathological processes. Distinct cleavage specificities of CatE at neutral and acidic pH have been reported previously in studies using CatE purified from human gastric mucosa. Here, in contrast, we have analyzed the proteolytic activity of recombinant CatE at acidic and neutral pH using two separate approaches, RP-HPLC and FRET-based proteinase assays. Our data clearly indicate that recombinant CatE does not possess any proteolytic activity at all at neutral pH and was unable to cleave the peptides glucagon, neurotensin, and dynorphin A that were previously reported to be cleaved by CatE at neutral pH. Even in the presence of ATP, which is known to stabilize CatE, no proteolytic activity was observed. These discrepant results might be due to some contaminating factor present in the enzyme preparations used in previous studies or may reflect differences between recombinant CatE and the native enzyme.     

Carboxypeptidase T--intracellular carboxypeptidase of Thermoactinomycetes--a distant analog of animal carboxypeptidase

Carboxypeptidase T, an extracellular carboxypeptidase from Thermoactinomyces sp. was isolated and purified by affinity chromatography on bacitracin adsorbents. The enzyme homogeneity was established by SDS electrophoresis (Mr = 38 000) and isoelectrofocusing in PAAG (pI 5.3). Carboxypeptidase T reveals a mixed specificity in comparison with pancreatic carboxypeptidases A and B and cleaves with nearly the same efficiency the peptide bonds formed by the C-terminal residues of basic and neutral hydrophobic amino acids. The enzyme is insensitive to serine and thiol proteinase inhibitors but is completely inhibited by EDTA and o-phenanthroline. The maximal enzyme activity is observed at pH 7-8. With an increase of temperature from 20 to 70 degrees C the enzyme activity is enhanced approximately 10-fold. In the presence of 1 mM Ca2+ the enzyme thermostability is also increased. In terms of some properties, e.g. substrate specificity carboxypeptidase T is similar to metallocarboxypeptidase secreted by Streptomyces griseus. The N-terminal sequence of carboxypeptidase T: Asp-Phe-Pro-Ser-Tyr-Asp-Ser-Gly- Tyr-His-Asn-Tyr-Asn-Glu-Met-Val-Asn-Lys-Ile-Asn-Thr-Val-Ala-Ser-Asn-Tyr- Pro-Asn - Ile-Val-Lys-Thr-Phe-Ser-Ile-Gly-Lys-Val-Tyr-Glu-Gly-Xaa-Gly-Leu- coincides by 21% with that of pancreatic carboxypeptidases A and B. Thus, it may be concluded that these enzymes originate from a common precursor.     

Carboxypeptidase H. A regulatory peptide-processing enzyme produced by human hepatoma Hep G2 cells

Human hepatoma (Hep G2) cells have been shown to secrete nanogram quantities of carboxypeptidase N (Grimwood, B. G., Plummer, T. H., Jr., and Tarentino, A. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 14397-14401). A second carboxypeptidase with an acidic pH optimum (pH 5.5) is also secreted at levels 2-3-fold greater than carboxypeptidase N. This enzyme was partially purified from the conditioned medium and compared with pure bovine pituitary carboxypeptidase H. The two enzymes behaved in a similar fashion in DE52 ion-exchange chromatography and on gel filtration, with the Hep G2 enzyme being slightly larger than the bovine pituitary enzyme (52-54 versus 50-52 kDa). Both enzymes hydrolyzed COOH-terminal basic amino acids from typical synthetic substrates as well as from natural leuenkephalin peptides and were identical based on pH activity profiles, inhibition by EDTA or guanidinoethyl mercaptosuccinic acid, and stimulation by Co2+ ions. Inhibition of enzyme secretion from Hep G2 cells by tunicamycin indicated that the Hep G2 enzyme was glycosylated. This finding was confirmed by a parallel deglycosylation of the Hep G2 and bovine pituitary carboxypeptidase H enzymes with peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase F. Immunoblots using mouse antiserum to bovine pituitary carboxypeptidase H revealed that the Hep G2 enzyme was immunocross-reactive with the bovine enzyme but was slightly larger in size (54 versus 52 kDa). Continuous [35S]methionine labeling and purification to near homogeneity using an affinity matrix corroborated the observations that the secreted Hep G2 carboxypeptidase H was slightly larger than bovine pituitary carboxypeptidase H. The Hep G2-secreted enzyme in pulse-chase experiments was initially detected intracellularly after a 15-min pulse as a single protein of about 54 kDa and was present in the 30-min chase medium with no evidence for pre- or postsecretion proteolytic processing. The human adrenergic cell line IMR-32 continuously labeled with [35S]methionine also secreted carboxypeptidase H of the same size as the Hep G2 enzyme.     

Immobilized carboxypeptidase A as a probe for studying the thermally induced unfolding of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease.

A method for the preparation of Sephadex-immobilized carboxypeptidase A is presented. This form of the enzyme has the same specific activity as the soluble enzyme at room temperature, but retains its activity at higher temperatures (60-70 degrees). This preparation of immobilized carboxypeptidase A was used, as a proteolytic probe, to investigate the thermally induced unfolding of the C-terminus of ribonuclease A. This technique indicates that the C-terminal residues of ribonuclease A do not unfold until the high-temperature region of the thermal transition (as determined by ultraviolet difference spectrophotometry and optical rotation).     

Purification and characterization of a new arginine carboxypeptidase in human serum

A carboxypeptidase capable of cleaving basic amino acids from synthetic peptide substrates is present in fresh human serum, and not in human heparinized plasma. Its activity is generated during the process of coagulation. Because of its unstability at room temperature and at 37 degrees C, we named it unstable carboxypeptidase (carboxypeptidase U). Carboxypeptidase U was partially purified from fresh human serum by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and Mono-Q sepharose and was found to be a 435 kDa protein. We compared this enzyme with carboxypeptidase N, purified from human serum by a two-step affinity chromatography on arginine-Sepharose 4B, followed by ion-exchange chromatography on Mono-Q sepharose. Carboxypeptidase U cleaves hippuryl-L-arginine and hippuryl-L-lysine, but at a different relative rate than carboxypeptidase N, and has no esterase activity on hippuryl-L-argininic acid. Its activity was inhibited by o-phenanthroline, DL-2-mercaptomethyl-3-guanidinoethylthiopropanoic acid, CoCl2, 2-mercaptoethanol, dithiothreitol and 4-chloromercuribenzoic acid. These characteristics differentiate carboxypeptidase U from carboxypeptidase N and other known carboxypeptidases.     

Isolation and purification of an extracellular protease from a new strain of Bacillus subtilis, viz.NCIM 2711

A new extracellular protease having a prospective application in the food industry was isolated from Bacillus sUbtilis NCIM 2711 by (NH4)2SO4 precipitation from the cell broth. It was purified using DEAE-Cellulose and CM-Sephadex C-50 ion-exchange chromatography. With casein as a substrate, the proteolytic activity of the purified protease was found to be optimal at pH 7.0 and temperature 55 degrees C with Km 1.06 mg/ml. The enzyme was stable over a pH range 6.5-8.0 at 30 degrees C for 1 hr in presence of CaCl2 x 2H2O. At 55 degrees C, the enzyme retained 60% activity up to 15 min in presence of CaCl2 x 2H2O. EDTA and o-phenanthroline (OP) completely inhibited the enzyme activity while DFP, PMSF and iodoacetamide were ineffective. The enzyme was completely inhibited by Hg2+ and partially by Cd2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Pb2+ and Fe2+. The OP inhibited enzyme could be reactivated by Zn2+ and Co2+ up to 75% and 69% respectively. It is a neutral metalloprotease showing a single band of 43 kDa on SDS-PAGE.     

Human carboxypeptidase M. Purification and characterization of a membrane-bound carboxypeptidase that cleaves peptide hormones

A membrane-bound neutral carboxypeptidase B-like enzyme was solubilized from human placental microvilli with 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS) and purified to homogeneity by ion-exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography on arginine-Sepharose. It gave a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with an apparent Mr of 62,000 with or without reduction. The enzyme is a glycoprotein as shown by its high affinity for concanavalin A-Sepharose and reduction in mass to 47,600 daltons after chemical deglycosylation. It has a neutral pH optimum, is activated by CoCl2, and inhibited by o-phenanthroline, 2-mercaptomethyl-3-guanidinoethylthiopropanoic acid, or cadmium acetate, indicating it is a metallopeptidase. The enzyme cleaves arginine or lysine from the COOH terminus of synthetic peptides (e.g. Bz-Gly-Arg, Bz-Gly-Lys, Bz-Ala-Lys, dansyl-Ala-Arg, where Bz is benzoyl and dansyl is 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl) as well as from several biologically active substrates: dynorphin A(1-13), Met5-Arg6-enkephalin (Km = 46 microM, kcat = 934 min-1), bradykinin (Km = 16 microM, kcat = 147 min-1), Met5-Lys6-enkephalin (Km = 375 microM, kcat = 663 min-1), and Leu5-Arg6-enkephalin (Km = 63 microM, kcat = 106 min-1). Although the enzyme shares some properties with other carboxypeptidase B-like enzymes, it is structurally, catalytically, and immunologically distinct from pancreatic carboxypeptidase A or B, human plasma carboxypeptidase N, and carboxypeptidase H ("enkephalin convertase"). To denote that the enzyme is membrane-bound, and to distinguish it from other known carboxypeptidases, we propose the name "carboxypeptidase M." Because of its localization on the plasma membrane and optimal activity at neutral pH, carboxypeptidase M could inactivate or modulate the activity of peptide hormones either before or after their interaction with plasma membrane receptors.     

Purification and characterization of carboxypeptidase from terminally differentiated rat epidermal cells

A tissue carboxypeptidase-A-like enzyme was purified to apparent homogeneity from terminally differentiated epidermal cells of 2-day-old rats by potato inhibitor affinity chromatography followed by FPLC Mono Q column chromatography. The enzyme has an Mr of 35,000 as determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and HPLC gel filtration. It has a pH optimum of 8.5 for hydrolysis of benzyloxycarbonyl-Phe-Leu (Km = 0.22 mM, kcat = 57.9 s-1). The enzyme does not hydrolyze substrates with Arg, Lys and Pro at the C-terminal and Pro at the penultimate position. Angiotensin I was effectively hydrolyzed (Km = 0.06 mM, kcat = 6.48 s-1) and produced both des-Leu10-angiotensin I and angiotensin II. The enzyme activity, relatively stable at 4 degrees C and pH 8.0-10.5, was inactivated at pH values higher than 12.0 and lower than 5.0 or at 65 degrees C for 10 min. Inhibitor profiles of the epidermal enzyme also differed slightly from those of tissue carboxypeptidase A of pancreatic or mast cell origin.     

Properties of a beta-D-mannosidase from Aspergillus niger

The beta-D-mannosidase (beta-D-mannoside mannohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.25) from culture filtrate of Aspergillus niger has been purified in large amounts by fractionation with (NH4)2SO4 and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The removal of traces of alpha-D-galactosidase was performed on a Sepharose-epsilon-aminocaproyl-galactosylamine column. The final enzyme preparation (specific activity 188 units) has no other glycosidase activity and is judged homogeneous. The enzyme has a molecular weight of 130 000 +/- 5000 and an isoelectric point of 4.7. The amino acid composition of the enzyme is characterized by high proportion of acidic amino acids and no cysteine residues and a single chain structure of the enzyme is suggested. The enzyme shows maximum activity on p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-mannopyrano-side at pH 3.5 and at 55 degrees C. The presence of 80% of beta-sheet structure in the protein and 20.8% of monosaccharides (Gal : 1.3; Man : 7; GlcNAc : 1) could explain this relative high heat stability (up to 2 h at 55 degrees C). Enzyme activity is inhibited by mannose (Ki = 7.85 mM) and the specificity is examined.     

Crayfish carboxypeptidase. Affinity chromatography, characterization and amino-terminal sequence.

In an effort to trace the evolutionary history of the pancreatic metalloexopeptidases, carboxypeptidase has been isolated from the cardia of the crayfish Astacus fluviatilis. The isolation procedure included affinity chromatography on a column of potato carboxypeptidase inhibitor covalently linked to Sepharose. Approximately 25 mg of pure enzyme can be obtained by the present procedure from 50 ml of cardia fluid. The pure enzyme resembles bovine carboxypeptidase B in specificity and is inhibited both by 3-phenyllactate and by 6-aminohexanoate. The pH optimum of activity is about pH 6.5, and the isoelectric point,pH 4.0. Inhibition by typical metal chelating agents (i.e. ethylenediamine tetraacetate and 1,10-phenanthroline) and neutron activation analysis indicate that, like the mammalian enzyme, crayfish carboxypepetidase is a zinc metalloenzyme. The purified enzyme migrates as a single band in cellulose acetate, disc gel and sodium dodecylsulfate gel electrophoresis. The amino acid composition is similar to that of pancreatic carboxypeptidases except for a higher content of acidic amino acid residues. The amino acid sequence of the first 19 amino-terminal residues reveals significant homology to that of pancreatic carboxypeptidases A and B.     

A fibrinolytic metalloprotease from the fruiting bodies of an edible mushroom, Armillariella mellea

A fibrinolytic metalloprotease has been purified from the fruiting bodies of the edible honey mushroom (Armillariella mellea). The enzyme has a molecular weight of 18538.1508, as measured by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and includes Zn2+ ion as found by ICP/MS. The N-terminal amino acid sequence, XXYNGXTXSRQTTLV, do not match any known protein or open reading frame. It hydrolyzes fibrinogen as well as fibrin, but does not show any proteolytic activity for other blood proteins such as thrombin, human albumin, bovine albumin, human IgG, hemoglobin, or urokinase. This protease hydrolyzes both A alpha and B beta subunits of human fibrinogen with equal efficiency. The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline, indicating that the enzyme is a metalloprotease. No inhibition was found with PMSF, E-64, pepstatin, and 2-mercaptoethanol. The activity of the purified enzyme was slightly increased by Mg2+, Zn2+, and Co2+, but the enzyme was totally inhibited by Hg2+. It has broad substrate specificity for synthetic peptides, and a pH optimum at 7, suggested that the purified enzyme was a neutral protease. It was thermally stable up to 60 degrees C and the maximum fibrinolytic activity was at 55 degrees C.     

Proteinases in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Purification and characterization of an enzyme which cleaves denatured collagen and a synthetic peptide with a Gly-Ile sequence

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes have been shown to contain proteolytic enzymes which are capable of degrading connective tissue proteins such as native collagen. In this study, proteolytic enzymes were extracted from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes and a neutral proteinase was extensively purified and characterized. The activity of this enzyme was monitored by degradation of denatured [ 3H ]proline-labeled type I collagen or by cleavage of a synthetic dinitrophenylated peptide with a Gly-Ile sequence. The enzyme was readily separated from leukocyte collagenase by concanavalin-A--Sepharose affinity chromatography and further purified by QAE-Sephadex ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration on Sephacryl S-200. The purified enzyme had a molecular weight of approximately 105000, its pH optimum was about 7.8, and it was inhibited by Na2EDTA and dithiothreitol, but not by fetal calf serum. The enzyme degraded genetically distinct type I, II, III, IV and V collagens, when in a non-helical form, but not when in native triple-helical conformation. Dansyl-monitored end-group analyses, combined with digestion by carboxypeptidase A, indicated that the enzyme cleaved denaturated type I collagen at Gly-Xaa sequences, in which Xaa can be leucine, isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine, lysine, or methionine. Thus, the purified enzyme referred to here as Gly-Xaa proteinase, is a neutral proteinase, which may be of importance in inflammatory disease processes by degrading further collagen peptides which have been rendered non-helical as a result of collagenase cleavage.     

Purification and characterization of a thermostable carboxypeptidase from the extreme thermophilic archaebacterium Sulfolobus solfataricus.

A carboxypeptidase was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from the thermoacidophilic archaebacterium Sulfolobus solfataricus. Molecular masses assessed by SDS/PAGE and gel filtration were 42 kDa and 170 kDa, respectively, which points to a tetrameric structure for the molecule. An isoelectric point of 5.9 was also determined. The enzyme was proven to be a metalloprotease, as shown by the inhibitory effects exerted by EDTA and o-phenanthroline; furthermore, dialysis against EDTA led to a complete loss of activity, which could be restored by addition of Zn2+ in the micromolar range, and, to a lesser extent, by Co2+. The enzyme was endowed with a broad substrate specificity, as shown by its ability to release basic, acidic and aromatic amino acids from the respective benzoylglycylated and benzyloxycarbonylated amino acids. An esterase activity of the carboxypeptidase was also demonstrated on different esterified amino acids and dipeptides blocked at the N-terminus. The enzyme displayed broad pH optima ranging over 5.5-7.0, or 5.5-9.0, when using an acidic or a basic benzyloxycarbonylated amino acid, respectively. With regard to thermostability, it was proven to be completely stable on incubation for 15 min at 85 degrees C. Furthermore, thanks to its relatively low activation energy, i.e. 31.0 kJ/mol, it was still significantly active at room temperature. At 40 degrees C, the enzyme could withstand 0.1% SDS and different organic solvents: particularly ethanol up to 99%. Amino acid and N-terminal sequence analyses did not evidence any similarity to carboxypeptidases A nor thermolysin. A weak similarity was only found with bovine carboxypeptidase B.     

Processing of adrenocorticotropin by two proteases in bovine intermediate lobe secretory vesicle membranes. A distinct acidic, tetrabasic residue-specific calcium-activated serine protease and a PC2-like enzyme.

Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) is cleaved at the tetrabasic residue site, in pituitary intermediate lobe secretory vesicles, to yield ACTH1-17 and corticotropin-like intermediate lobe peptide (CLIP). ACTH1-17 is then converted to alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (N-AcACTH1-13NH2) by first removing the Lys15-Lys16-Arg17 residues, followed by amidation of the COOH terminus and acetylation of the NH2 terminus. Bovine intermediate lobe secretory vesicle membranes were screened for proteolytic enzyme activity that will cleave the tetrabasic residues of ACTH. Two activities with pH optima of 5.0-6.0 and 7.5-8.0 were detected. The acidic, ACTH-converting enzyme cleaved ACTH1-39 at the tetrabasic residues between the Arg17-Arg18 bond to yield ACTH1-17 and CLIP, but did not cleave paired basic residues of pro-opiomelanocortin. This enzyme activity was characterized as a Ca(2+)-activated serine protease with unique specificity for the tetrabasic residues of ACTH1-39. The neutral activity preferentially generated ACTH1-17 and to a small extent ACTH1-16 from ACTH1-39 and ACTH1-24. This enzyme activity was Ca(2+)-dependent but was not inhibited by serine or aspartic protease inhibitors. The neutral activity was significantly immunodepleted by antiserum raised against bovine PC2/PC3, and together with specificity studies, suggests that the enzyme is a PC2-like serine protease. The pH optimum, distinct specificity for tetrabasic residues, and subcellular localization of the acidic ACTH-converting enzyme indicate a function of this enzyme in the in vivo conversion of ACTH1-39 to alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone in intermediate lobe secretory vesicles which have an acidic internal pH.     

Purification and characterization of a thermostable alkaline protease from alkalophilic Thermoactinomyces sp. HS682.

Protease secreted into the culture medium by alkalophilic Thermoactinomyces sp. HS682 was purified to an electrophoretically homogeneous state through only two chromatographies 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 degrees C for 60 min. The optimum pH was pH 11.5-13.0 at 37 degrees C and the optimum temperature was 70 degrees 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 degrees C and stability from pH 4-12.5 at 60 degrees C and below 75 degrees 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 microbial serine protease, although alanine of the NH2-terminal amino acid was deleted.     

Isolation and some properties of an arylamidase from Flavobacterium IIb

A constitutive L-leucylarylamidase (EC 3.4.11) hydrolase able to cleave L-aminoacyl-beta naphthylamide and L-aminoacyl-4 nitroanilide substrates, was isolated from sonicated cells of Flavobacterium IIb and partially purified with a 0.9% yield and a 159-fold recovery. Its molecular weight was estimated to be about 170,000 +/- 10%. This arylamidase exhibited optimum activity at pH 7.0 and 28 degrees C for the hydrolysis of L-leucine-4NA and is inhibited strongly by metal chelating agents, and to a weaker extent, by some sulfhydryl and reducing agents. Heavy metal ions: Cd2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Hg2+ and Co2+, markedly inhibit it, and Zn2+ is a competitive inhibitor. This metalloenzyme, free of carboxypeptidase, proteinase and L-leucine aminopeptidase (L-leucylglycine substrate) activities, hydrolyzes aminoacyl-beta NA, aminoacyl-4NA and some dipeptides with unsubstituted amino groups of the L-configuration. The lowest Km values are associated with substrates having neutral or basic residues, with large side chains.     

Purification and partial characterization of an intracellular aminopeptidase from Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus strain ACA-DC 114.

An intracellular aminopeptidase from Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus strain ACA-DC 114, isolated from traditional Greek yoghurt, was purified by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex G-100. The enzyme had a molecular weight of 89,000. It was active over a pH range 4.5-9.5 and had optimum activity on L-lysyl-4-nitroanilide at pH 6.5 and 35 degrees C with Km = 1.80 mmol/l; above 55 degrees C the enzyme activity declined rapidly. The aminopeptidase was capable of degrading substrates by hydrolysis of the N-terminal amino acid; it had very low endopeptidase and no carboxypeptidase activity. The enzyme was strongly inactivated by EDTA. Serine and sulphydryl group reagents had no effect on enzyme activity.     

Purification and characterization of goose type lysozyme from cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) egg white

A novel goose-type lysozyme was purified from egg white of cassowary bird (Casuarius casuarius). The purification step was composed of two fractionation steps: pH treatment steps followed by a cation exchange column chromatography. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 20.8 kDa by SDS-PAGE. This enzyme was composed of 186 amino acid residues and showed similar amino acid composition to reported goose-type lysozymes. The N-terminal amino acid sequencing from transblotted protein found that this protein had no N-terminal. This enzyme showed either lytic or chitinase activities and had some different properties from those reported for goose lysozyme. The optimum pH and temperature on lytic activity of this lysozyme were pH 5 and 30 degrees C at ionic strength of 0.1, respectively. This lysozyme was stable up to 30 degrees C for lytic activity and the activity was completely abolished at 80 degrees C. The chitinase activity against glycol chitin showed dual optimum pH around 4.5 and 11. The optimum temperature for chitinase activity was at 50 degrees C and the enzyme was stable up to 40 degrees C.     

Purification, characterization, and heterologous expression in Fusarium venenatum of a novel serine carboxypeptidase from Aspergillus oryzae.

A novel serine carboxypeptidase (EC 3.4.16.1) was found in an Aspergillus oryzae fermentation broth and was purified to homogeneity. This enzyme has a molecular weight of ca. 67,000, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and its specific activity is 21 U/mg for carbobenzoxy (Z)-Ala-Glu at pH 4.5 and 25 degrees C. It has a ratio of bimolecular constants for Z-Ala-Lys and Z-Ala-Phe of 3.75. Optimal enzyme activity occurs at pH 4 to 4.5 and 58 to 60 degrees C for Z-Ala-Ile. The N terminus of this carboxypeptidase is blocked. Internal fragments, obtained by cyanogen bromide digestion, were sequenced. PCR primers were then made based on the peptide sequence information, and the full-length gene sequence was obtained. An expression vector that contained the recombinant carboxypeptidase gene was used to transform a Fusarium venenatum host strain. The transformed strain of F. venenatum expressed an active recombinant carboxypeptidase. In F. venenatum, the recombinant carboxypeptidase produced two bands which had molecular weights greater than the molecular weight of the native carboxypeptidase from A. oryzae. Although the molecular weights of the native and recombinant enzymes differ, these enzymes have very similar kinetic parameters.     

Purification of a human urinary carboxypeptidase (kininase) distinct from carboxypeptidases A, B, or N

A carboxypeptidase which cleaves basic C-terminal amino acids from peptides was purified from concentrated human urine by a three-step procedure: chromatography on Affi-Gel Blue, arginine-Sepharose affinity chromatography, and gel filtration by HPLC on a TSK-G3000SW column. Urinary carboxypeptidase was purified 406-fold with an 11% yield and a specific activity of 49 mumol/min/mg with benzoylglycylargininic acid as substrate. It migrated as a single band of Mr 75,700 in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with sodium dodecyl sulfate. It cleaved benzoylglycylarginine, benzoylglycyllysine, benzoylglycylargininic acid, benzoylalanyllysine, and benzoylphenylalanyllysine at different relative rates than human plasma carboxypeptidase N, the Mr 48,000 active subunit of carboxypeptidase N or human pancreatic carboxypeptidase B. Urinary carboxypeptidase did not hydrolyze benzoylglycylphenylalanine, a substrate of carboxypeptidase A, but readily cleaved bradykinin with a Km of 46 microM and a Kcat of 32 min-1. Its activity was enhanced by CoCl2 and inhibited by cadmium acetate, o-phenanthroline, or DL-2-mercaptomethyl-3-guanidinoethylthiopropanoic acid. The enzyme had a pH optimum of 7.0 and its activity dropped at pH 6.0 by 60%. It was stable for at least 2 h at 37 degrees C (pH 8.0) but was unstable at room temperature below pH 4.5. The molecular weight, electrophoretic mobility, and activity of urinary carboxypeptidase was not affected by trypsin. The effect of pH and stability further distinguished the urinary carboxypeptidase from other human carboxypeptidases. Urinary carboxypeptidase was immunologically distinct from carboxypeptidase N when analyzed by the "Western blot" technique. Thus, human urine contains a basic carboxypeptidase, different from known carboxypeptidases, which may be released into the urine by the kidney. Here it could inactivate kinins and other peptides containing a basic C-terminal amino acid.