高分子量和低分子量尿激酶的分离纯化及动力学性质研究

人尿激酶粗品经苯甲脒亲和柱纯化和Protein-PahSP柱分离后,得到两种分子量的尿激酶（UK）,即高分子量尿激酶（HUK）和低分子量尿激酶（LUK）．采用考马斯亮蓝法测定蛋白质浓度,纤维蛋白平板法测定活力,测得HUK比活为2.9×105IU／mg蛋白,LUK为3.5×105IU／mg蛋白,活力回收为70％以上．经SDS-PAGE鉴定,HUK和LUK均是单一条带,分子量分别为54kD和33kD．HUK和LUK水解显色底物S2444的动力学常数,分别测得HUK的Km为64μmol/L,Kcat为15s-1,LUK的Km为49μmol／L,kcat为13s-1,LUK的催化效率（Kcat／Km）稍高于HUK．     

Purification and characterization of a novel inhibitor of urokinase from human urine. Quantitation and preliminary characterization in plasma

Urokinase-related proteins in human urine occur mainly as a 1:1 complex of urokinase with an inhibitor (Stump, D. C., Thienpont, M., and Collen, D. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 1267-1273). BALB/c mice were immunized with this urokinase-urokinase inhibitor complex and spleen cells fused with mouse myeloma cells, resulting in hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies. Three antibodies reacting with the complex but not with urokinase were utilized to develop a sensitive (0.5 ng/ml) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the urokinase inhibitor, which was used for monitoring its purification by chromatography on zinc chelate-Sepharose, concanavalin A-Sepharose, SP-Sephadex C-50, and Sephadex G-100. A homogenous glycoprotein of apparent Mr 50,000 was obtained with a yield of 40 micrograms/liter urine and a purification factor of 320. One mg of the purified protein inhibited 35,000 IU of urokinase within 30 min at 37 degrees C. This protein was immunologically related to both the purified urokinase-urokinase inhibitor complex and to the inhibitor portion dissociated from it by nucleophilic dissociation. It was immunologically distinct from all known protease inhibitors, including the endothelial cell-derived fast-acting inhibitor of tissue-type plasminogen activator, the placental inhibitor of urokinase and protease nexin. In electrophoresis the protein migrated with beta-mobility. Inhibition of urokinase occurred with a second order rate constant (k) of 8 X 10(3) M-1 s-1 in the absence and of 9 X 10(4) M-1 s-1 in the presence of 50 IU of heparin/ml. The urokinase inhibitor was inactive towards single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator and plasmin, but it inhibited two-chain tissue-type plasminogen activator with a k below 10(3) M-1 s-1 and thrombin with a k of 4 X 10(4) M-1 s-1 in the absence and 2 X 10(5) M-1 s-1 in the presence of heparin. The concentration of this urokinase inhibitor in plasma from normal subjects determined by immunoassay was 2 +/- 0.7 micrograms/ml (mean +/- S.D., n = 25). The protein purified from plasma by immunoabsorption had the same Mr, amino acid composition, and immunoreactivity as the urinary protein. Furthermore, when urokinase was added to plasma, time-dependent urokinase-urokinase inhibitor complex formation was observed at a rate similar to that observed for the inhibition of urokinase by the purified inhibitor from urine. This urokinase inhibitor, purified from human urine, most probably represents a new plasma protease inhibitor.     

Further studies on proteinases and alpha 2-macroglobulin activity in diabetic plasma.

Loss of chymotrypsin binding capacity of alpha 2-macroglobulin in diabetic plasma on in vitro incubation, could be partially prevented by phenylmethyl sulphonyl fluoride and pepstatin A. Prior ten-fold dilution of plasma with 0.02 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) completely arrested the process. The phenomenon could not be reactivated by Ca2+, lecithin or bovine serum albumin. Diabetic plasma, like normal plasma, exhibited maximal hydrolytic activities on H-D-Pro-Phe-Arg-p-nitroanilide, H-D-Val-Leu-Arg-p-nitroanilide and H-D-Ile-Pro-Arg-p-nitroanilide. The hydrolytic activities were not significantly diminished on incubation of plasma at 37 degrees C for 12 hr, unlike alpha 2-macroglobulin activity. On gel chromatography on Sephadex G-200, part of the proteolytic activity in diabetic plasma coeluted with alpha 2-macroglobulin in the VO region. A second activity peak (absent in normal plasma) was eluted with a Ve/V0 value of 1.40. Possible role of free proteinases in diabetic plasma in the inactivation of alpha 2-macroglobulin is discussed.     

组织型纤溶酶原激活剂A链与尿激酶原B链嵌合分子的构建与表达

利用 Ｄ Ｎ Ａ 重组技术和定位删除技术,将组织型纤溶酶原激活剂（ｔ Ｐ Ａ）的 Ａ 链（ Ｓｅｒｌ Ｔｈｒ２６３）基因与尿激酶原（ｐｒｏ Ｕ Ｋ）的 Ｂ链（ Ｓｅｒ１３８ Ｌｅｕ４１１）基因相连,得到嵌合分子基因ｔｕ ｐａ,并在昆虫杆状病毒系统中进行表达,表达量可达 ５００ Ｉ Ｕ／ｍ ｌ．经单克隆抗体免疫亲和层析纯化细胞表达上清液,得到ｔｕ Ｐ Ａ 嵌合分子,其比活为 ２００ ０００ Ｉ Ｕ／ｍ ｇ 蛋白． Ｓ Ｄ Ｓ Ｐ Ａ Ｇ Ｅ 及 Ｗ ｅｓｔｅｒｎ ｂｌｏｔ 鉴定证明此表达产物分子量约为 ６０ ｋ Ｄ,与预期值相符．纤维蛋白平板测活及纤维蛋白亲和性分析初步证明,此嵌合分子的溶纤活性与ｐｒｏ Ｕ Ｋ 相近,而纤维蛋白亲和性高于 ｐｒｏ Ｕ Ｋ．     

Fibrinolytic activity of acyl-urokinase

Urokinase was acylated at the active site serine hydroxyl using p-amidinophenyl benzoate or p-nitrophenyl p'-guanidinobenzoate. The enzymatically inactive acyl-urokinase was reactivated in buffer (pH 7.5) or plasma at 37 degrees C with a half-life of 11 min (benzoyl-urokinase) or 10 h (p-guanidinobenzoyl-urokinase). Upon administration (50,000 IU/kg) to rabbits, urokinase was more rapidly eliminated than either acyl-enzyme. The results suggest that urokinase is eliminated via the binding to plasma inhibitors.     

Purification of a metalloproteinase inhibitor from human rheumatoid synovial fluid.

A metalloproteinase inhibitor present in human rheumatoid synovial fluid was purified by a combination of heparin-Sepharose chromatography, concanavalin A-Sepharose chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The Mr of the purified inhibitor was 28000 by SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and 30000 by gel filtration. The inhibitor blocked the activity of the metalloproteinases collagenase, gelatinase and proteoglycanase, but not thermolysin or bacterial collagenase. The serine proteinase trypsin was not inhibited. The inhibitory activity was lost after treatment with trypsin (0.5 micrograms/ml) at 37 degrees C for 30 min, 4-aminophenylmercuric acetate (1 mM) at 37 degrees C for 3 h, after incubation for 30 min at 90 degrees C and by reduction and alkylation. These properties suggest that the inhibitor closely resembles the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases ('TIMP') recently purified from connective-tissue culture medium.     

Plasma fibrinolysis after intraduodenal administration of urokinase in rats

Plasma fibrinolysis in rats rose above the level of physiological fluctuations in a curve with two peaks at 1 and 6 h, following intraduodenal administration of high-molecular-weight urokinase (HMW-UK; MW 53,000; 124,000 IU/mg protein). Activation of plasma fibrinolysis was also confirmed with insolubilized enzyme (glass-coupled UK), but lacked the first activity peak. Plasma fibrinolytic enzyme isolated by affinity chromatography revealed strong fibrinolytic (1,120 IU/dl), pyro-Glu-Gly-Arg-pNA amidolytic (3,200 nmol/dl) and Glu-plasminogen activating (24.5 IU/dl) activities. Using specific UK antibody, it appeared that the first peak originated from the administered UK, while the second one derived from endogenous plasminogen activator. Dose response of UK was not observed, and the maximal effect was at about 5,000 IU/kg body weight.     

Kinetic analysis of the interactions between plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 and both urokinase and tissue plasminogen activator

Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) was purified from medium conditioned by cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells by successive chromatography on concanavalin A Sepharose, Sephacryl S-200, Blue B agarose, and Bio-Gel P-60. As shown previously for conditioned media (C. M. Hekman and D. J. Loskutoff (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 11581-11587) the purified PAI-1 preparation contained latent inhibitory activity which could be stimulated 9.4-fold by sodium dodecyl sulfate and 45-fold by guanidine-HCl. The specific activity of the preparation following treatment with 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate was 2.5 X 10(3) IU/mg. The reaction between purified, guanidine-activated PAI-1 and both urokinase and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) was studied. The second-order rate constants (pH 7.2, 35 degrees C) for the interaction between guanidine-activated PAI-1 and urokinase (UK), and one- and two-chain tPA are 1.6 X 10(8), 4.0 X 10(7), and 1.5 X 10(8) M-1 S-1, respectively. The presence of CNBr fibrinogen fragments had no affect on the rate constants of either one- or two-chain tPA. Steady-state kinetic analysis of the effect of PAI-1 on the rate of plasminogen activation revealed that the initial UK/PAI-1 interaction can be competed with plasminogen suggesting that the UK/PAI-1 interaction may involve a competitive type of inhibition. In contrast, the initial tPA/PAI-1 interaction can be competed only partially with plasminogen, suggesting that the tPA/PAI-1 interaction may involve a mixed type of inhibition. The results indicate that PAI-1 interacts more rapidly with UK and tPA than any PAI reported to date and suggest that PAI-1 is the primary physiological inhibitor of single-chain tPA. Moreover, the interaction of PAI-1 with tPA differs from its interaction with UK, and may involve two sites on the tPA molecule.     

尿激酶抗人交联纤维蛋白-D-二聚体单抗化学偶合体的制备

利用双功能试剂Ｎ－琥珀酰亚胺－３（２－二硫吡啶）丙酸酯（ＳＰＤＰ）作交联剂,合成了尿激酶（ＵＫ）－抗人交联纤维蛋白降解物Ｄ－二聚体单抗（ＭＡ－ＨＩＤ１）化学偶合体（ＵＫＭＡ－ＨＩＤ１）,并用苯甲脒－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ６Ｂ及人交联纤维蛋白降解物Ｄ－二聚体－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ４Ｂ亲和柱纯化,获得偶合体产物．ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ呈现一条带,其分子量约为２０００００．纤维蛋白平板法测活结果显示,偶合体中酶比活为５３０００ＩＵ／ｍｇ尿激酶蛋白,与偶联前的５４３００ＩＵ／ｍｇ蛋白相仿．ＥＬＩＳＡ测试显示,偶合体对人交联纤维蛋白降解物Ｄ－二聚体有免疫反应性,并且与偶联前的抗Ｄ－二聚体单抗对此抗原的反应性相当     

Impact of Triton X-100 on alpha 2-antiplasmin (SERPINF2) activity in solvent/detergent-treated plasma

Large-pool solvent/detergent (SD) plasma for transfusion exhibits reduced alpha 2-antiplasmin (alpha2-AP; SERPINF2) functional activity. The reason for the loss of alpha2-AP has not been described and could be due to the SD incubation itself and/or to the processing steps implemented to remove the solvent and the detergent. We have studied alpha2-AP activity during six down-scale preparations of plasma virally-inactivated by 1% (v/v) TnBP combined with two different non-ionic detergents, either 1% Triton X-100 or 1% Triton X-45, at 31 degrees C for 4h. The SD-treated plasmas were then extracted with 7.5% (v/v) soybean oil, centrifuged at 3800 x g for 30 min, and subjected to hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) to remove the SD agents. Control runs without TnBP and Triton were performed to evidence possible impacts of each process step on alpha2-AP activity. TnBP, Triton X-100, and Triton X-45 were measured at all stages of the processes to evaluate potential interferences with the alpha2-AP assay. Alpha 2-AP activity was about 10% that of starting plasma after 1% TnBP-1% Triton X-100 incubation and about 50% after oil extractions, centrifugation, and HIC. By contrast about 73% of the antiplasmin activity was found after the incubation with 1% TnBP and 1% Triton X-45, 88% after removal of the SD agents by oil extractions, 90% after centrifugation and 92% after HIC. The control runs performed without SD agents showed that the process steps did not affect the alpha2-AP activity. In conclusion, the agent altering alpha2-AP activity in SD-plasma is Triton X-100. The choice of detergents for the SD viral inactivation of therapeutic plasma fractions used in patients at risk of fibrinolysis should consider the impact on alpha2-AP activity.     

Inhibition of urokinase by complex formation with human alpha1-antitrypsin.

Human alpha1-antitrypsin was prepared from fresh human plasma by (NH4)-SO4-precipitation, gel filtration, affinity chromatography on concanavalin A, ion exchange chromatography and isotachophoresis. Human urokinase (EC 3.4.99.26) (plasminogen activator from urine) with M, 46 000 and 36 000 was further purified from Urokinase Leo reagent preparation by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 Superfine. The hydrolytic activity of urokinase on acetyl-glycyl-L-lysine methyl ester acetate (Ac-Gly-Lys-OMeAc) was inhibited in a strong time-dependent manner by alpha1-antitrypsin. Complex formation between enzyme and inhibitor could be demonstrated in crossed immunoelectrophoresis against anti-alpha1-antitrypsin and anti-urokinase serum as well as by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The latter method revealed the formation of 1:1 and 2:1 molar enzyme-inhibitor complexes.     

Complex-formation and inhibition of urokinase by blood plasma proteins.

We have studied the formation of covalent complexes between 125I-urokinase (125I-UK) and proteins in human plasma. Although 125I-UK reacts with many proteinase inhibitors in purified systems, the predominant complexes formed in plasma are with antithrombin III (ATIII) and alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M). 125I-UK interacts with purified alpha 2M or alpha 2M in plasma to form a characteristic pattern of multiple complexes whose Mr values by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis are in the range of 380 000-720 000, under non-reducing conditions, and 180 000-430 000 after reduction. We also examined the inhibition of UK amidolytic activity by plasma and by purified ATIII. In the presence of saturating concentrations of ATIII and heparin, an apparent first-order rate constant of 6.8 X 10(-1) s-1 was calculated for the inhibition of urokinase. In contrast, the rate constant for the formation of covalent ATIII-UK complexes was lower, suggesting the inhibition of UK proceeds first via the formation of transient non-covalent intermediates that are then transformed more slowly into covalent end products. The observed rate constants for enzyme inhibition or complex-formation with plasma or purified inhibitors are insufficient to account for the reported clearance rate of injected UK in vivo.     

Purification, microheterogeneity, and stability of human lipid transfer protein

A method for the purification of lipid transfer protein (LTP) from human plasma was developed with the aid of succinylated low density lipoprotein-Sepharose affinity column chromatography. The purified LTP exhibited a single main band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. However, upon isoelectric focusing on polyacrylamide gel, the preparations consistently showed nine bands with isoelectric points ranging from 4.6 to 5.4. The treatment of LTP with Clostridium perfringens neuraminidase shifted these multiple bands toward higher pH regions due to the release of sialic acid. Extensive treatment with neuraminidase resulted in the appearance of a major band with the isoelectric point of 5.6. The purified LTP was rapidly inactivated upon incubation at 37 degrees C due to the denaturation at the "air"-water interface. Various factors promoting or preventing this interfacial denaturation were elucidated. When purified LTP was stored at 4 degrees C, plasma neuraminidase co-purified with LTP became activated, resulting in the gradual desialylation of LTP. It seemed that the LTP preparations of apparent homogeneity are associated with a trace amount of an inactive form of plasma neuraminidase. The inclusion of 4 mM 2-mercaptoethanol or 0.2% EDTA in the storage media completely prevented the activation of plasma neuraminidase. These agents, however, did not significantly inhibit the already activated neuraminidase. When LTP was stored at -20 degrees C in very low ionic strength media, such as 0.001% EDTA (pH 7.4) and at high protein concentrations, the loss of the activity was minimal even after prolonged storage.     

Purification of rabbit bone inhibitor of collagenase.

1. Rabbit bones in tissue culture synthesize an inhibitor of collagenase during the first 4 days of culture. 2. The inhibitor was purified by a combination of gel filtration, concanavalin A--Sepharose chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography and zinc-chelate affinity chromatography. 3. The purified inhibitor migrated as a single band on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and had a mol.wt. of 28000. 4. The inhibitor blocked the activity of the metalloproteinases collagenase, gelatinase, neutral proteinase III (proteoglycanase), human leucocyte collagenase and gelatinase, but not thermolysin or bacterial collagenase. The serine proteinases plasmin and trypsin were not inhibited. 5. The inhibitor interacted with purified rabbit bone collagenase with 1:1 stoichiometry. 6. The inhibitory activity was lost after incubation for 1 h at 90 degrees C, after treatment with trypsin (250 micrograms/ml) at 37 degrees C for 30 min and after reduction and alkylation.     

Covalent molecular weight approximately 92 000 hybrid plasminogen activator derived from human plasmin amino-terminal and urokinase carboxyl-terminal domains

The preparation of a new class of covalent hybrid plasminogen activators containing the fibrin-binding domains of human plasmin(ogen) and the catalytic active center of human urokinase will be described. Hybridization of the sulfhydryl form of the NH2-terminal plasmin-derived heavy (A) chain (PlnA) with the sulfhydryl form of the COOH-terminal urokinase-derived active heavy (B) chain (u-PAB) was carried out; a covalent PlnA-u-PAB hybrid plasminogen activator was prepared. The sulfhydryl form of PlnA (PlnA(SH)2) was isolated from reduced Lys-2-plasmin by L-lysine-substituted Sepharose column chromatography. For the isolation of the sulfhydryl form of u-PAB (u-PAB(SH], high molecular weight urokinase was adsorbed onto a benzamidine-Sepharose column and reduced with 100 mM 2-mercaptoethanol on the column. The urokinase NH2-terminal light (A) chain was washed off the column, and the u-PAB(SH) chain was eluted from the column. The specific activity of the isolated u-PAB(SH) chain was determined to be 242 000 IU/mg of protein. The PlnA(SH)2 and u-PAB(SH) chains were mixed at a molar ratio of PlnA(SH)2 to u-PAB(SH) of 3:2; the reducing agents were then removed by gel filtration. The hybridization (reoxidation) reaction was allowed to proceed for 48 h at 4 degrees C. The covalent hybrid activator, in 40% yield, was purified from the reaction mixture to homogeneity, by a sequential affinity chromatography method with L-lysine-substituted Sepharose followed by anti-low molecular weight urokinase IgG-Sepharose, and then gel filtration through Sephadex G-150.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Recycling of the urokinase receptor upon internalization of the uPA:serpin complexes.

The GPI-anchored urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) does not internalize free urokinase (uPA) but readily internalizes and degrades uPA:serpin complexes in a process that requires the alpha2-macroglobulin receptor/low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (alpha2MR-LRP). This process is accompanied by the internalization of uPAR which renders it resistant to phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC). In this paper we show that during internalization of uPA:serpins at 37 degrees C, analysed by FACScan, immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy, an initial decrease of cell surface uPAR was observed, followed by its reappearance at later times. This effect was not due to redistribution of previously intracellular receptors, nor to the surface expression of newly synthesized uPAR. Recycling was directly demonstrated in cell surface-biotinylated, uPA:PAI-1-exposed cells in which biotinylated uPAR was first internalized and subsequently recycled back to the surface upon incubation at 37 degrees C. In fact, uPAR was resistant to PI-PLC after the 4 degrees C binding of uPA:PAI-1 to biotinylated cells, but upon incubation at 37 degrees C PI-PLC-sensitive biotinylated uPAR reappeared at the cell surface. Binding of uPA:PAI-1 by uPAR, while essential to initiate the whole process, was, however, dispensable at later stages as both internalization and recycling of uPAR could be observed also after dissociation of the bound ligand from the cell surface.     

Properties and application of a partially purified alkaline xylanase from an alkalophilic fungus Aspergillus nidulans KK-99

An alkalophilic Aspergillus nidulans KK-99 produced an alkaline, thermostable xylanase (40 IU/ml) in a basal medium supplemented with wheat bran (2% w/v) and KNO3 (at 0.15% N) pH 10.0 and 37 degrees C. The partially purified xylanase was optimally active at pH 8.0 and 55 degrees C. The xylanase was stable in a broad pH range of 4.0-9.5 for 1 h at 55 degrees C, retaining more than 80% of its activity. The enzyme exhibited greater binding affinity for xylan from hardwood than from softwood. The xylanase activity was stimulated (+25%) by Na+ and Fe2+ and was strongly inhibited (maximum by 70%) by Tween-20, 40, 60, SDS, acetic anhydride, phenylmethane sulphonyl fluoride, Triton-X-100. The xylanase dose of 1.0 IU/g dry weight pulp gave optimum bleach boosting of Kraft pulp at pH 8.0 and temperature 55 degrees C for 3 h reaction time.     

Purification and characterization of novel transglutaminase from Bacillus subtilis spores

Transglutaminase activity was detected in suspensions of purified spores prepared from lysozyme-treated sporulating cells of Bacillus subtilis AJ 1307. The enzyme was easily solubilized from the spores upon incubation at pH 10.5 at 37 degrees C. The transglutaminase activity was separated into two fractions upon purification by hydrophobic interaction chromatography (TG1 and TG2). Each enzyme was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity (about 1,000-fold). Both enzymes had the same molecular weight of 29,000 as estimated by SDS-PAGE, had the same N-terminal 30 amino acid sequence, and also showed the same optimal temperature (60 degrees C) and pH (8.2). The purified enzyme catalyzed formation of cross-linked epsilon-(gamma-glutamyl)lysine isopeptides, resulting in the gel-formation of protein solutions such as alphas-casein and BSA.     

Urokinase receptors in human monocytes

Receptors for the 54 kDa plasminogen activator urokinase were characterized in freshly isolated and 5-14 day cultured human monocytes. The half saturation constant was about 55 pM in freshly isolated monocytes at 4 degrees C and 140 pM at 37 degrees C. Diisopropylfluorophosphate-inactivated urokinase was bound with the same affinity as catalytically active urokinase. Binding per cell of 2-5 pM urokinase increased progressively during cell culture with a concomitant decrease in the apparent affinity. By 14 days, binding had increased 5-7-fold and the half-saturation constant had increased to 500 pM at 4 degrees C, indicating a large increase in the binding capacity. Affinity cross-linking of labelled urokinase to receptors showed a 110 kDa complex in both freshly isolated and cultured monocytes. When cells with labelled urokinase (prebound at 4 degrees C) were incubated at 37 degrees C, about 80% of the urokinase dissociated as the intact molecule, whereas about 20% was degraded to iodide and iodotyrosine. Electron microscopic autoradiography of cultured monocytes incubated at 4 degrees C showed a marked heterogeneity between cells with regard to bound urokinase. Autoradiographic grains were mainly seen over the plasma membrane in areas rich in microvilli and invaginations. Transfer of the cells to 37 degrees C caused no major alteration in the distribution of grains. Thus, freshly prepared monocytes have urokinase receptors (approx. 55 kDa) of high affinity. Development to macrophage-like cells in culture causes a decrease in affinity and a large increase in capacity. The receptors are confined mainly to certain areas of the plasma membrane. Internalization and degradation of the ligand occurs only to a minor extent.     

An acidic protease from the grass carp intestine (Ctenopharyngodon idellus)

The acidic Protease was extracted from the intestine of the grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) by 0.1 M sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0 at 4 degrees C after neat intestine was defatted with acetone, and partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration chromatography and ionic exchange chromatography. SDS-PAGE electrophoresis showed that the enzyme was homogeneous with a relative molecular mass of 28,500. Substrate-PAGE at pH7.0 showed that the purified acidic protease has only an active component. Specificity and inhibiting assays showed that it should be a cathepsin D. The optimal pH and optimal temperature of the enzyme were pH2.5 and 37 degrees C, respectively. It retained only 20% of its initial activity after incubating at 50 degrees C for 30 min. The enzyme lost 81% of its activity after incubation with pepstatin A at room temperature, but was not inhibited by soybean trypsin inhibitor or phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF). Its V(max) and K(m) values were determined to be 3.57 mg/mL and 0.75 min(-1), respectively.