A comparative study of functional properties of calf chymosin and its recombinant forms

The action of calf chymosin obtained from transgenic sheep milk and the recombinant protein expressed in yeast Kluyveromyces lactis (Maxiren) on fluorogenic peptide substrates, namely Abz-A-A-F-F-A-A-Ded, Abz-A-A-F-F-A-A-pNA, Abz-A-F-F-A-A-Ded, Abz-A-A-F-F-A-Ded, Abz-A-A-F-F-Ded, Abz-A-A-F-F-pNA, and heptapeptide L-S-F-M-A-I-P-NH2, a fragment of kappa-casein (the native chymosin substrate), was investigated. It has been established that transgenic chymosin and recombinant chymosin (Maxiren) differ from the native enzyme in their action on low molecular weight substrates, whereas there was no difference in enzymatic action on protein substrates. Pepstatin, a specific inhibitor of aspartic proteinases, inhibits the recombinant chymosin forms less efficiently than the native enzyme. Perhaps this is associated with local conformational changes in the substrate binding site of recombinant chymosin occurring during the formation of the protein globule.     

Recombinant chymosin used for exact and complete removal of a prochymosin derived fusion tag releasing intact native target protein

Fusion tags add desirable properties to recombinant proteins, but they are not necessarily acceptable in the final products. Ideally, fusion tags should be removed releasing the intact native protein with no trace of the tag. Unique endoproteinases with the ability to cleave outside their own recognition sequence can potentially cleave at the boundary of any native protein. Chymosin was recently shown to cleave a pro‐chymosin derived fusion tag releasing native target proteins. In our hands, however, not all proteins are chymosin‐resistant under the acidic cleavage conditions (pH 4.5) used in this system. Here, we have modified the pro‐chymosin fusion tag and demonstrated that chymosin can remove this tag at more neutral pH (pH 6.2); conditions, that are less prone to compromise the integrity of target proteins. Chymosin was successfully used to produce intact native target protein both at the level of small and large‐scale preparations. Using short peptide substrates, we further examined the influence of P1′ amino acid (the N‐terminus of the native target protein) and found that chymosin accepts many different, although not all, amino acids. We conclude that chymosin has several appealing characteristics for the exact removal of fusion tags. It is readily available in highly purified recombinant versions approved by the FDA for preparation of food for human consumption. We suggest that one should consider extending the use of chymosin to the preparation of pharmaceutical proteins.     

Purification and characterization of milk clotting enzyme from goat (Capra hircus)

Chymosin, the major component of rennet (milk clotting enzyme), is an acid protease produced in the fourth stomach of milk-fed ruminants including goat and sheep in the form of an inactive precursor prochymosin. It is responsible for hydrolysis of kappa-casein chain in casein micelles of milk and therefore, used as milk coagulant in cheese preparation. The present investigation was undertaken to purify and characterize goat (Capra hircus) chymosin for its suitability as milk coagulant. The enzyme was extracted from abomasal tissue of kid and purified nearly 30-fold using anion exchanger and gel filtration chromatography. Goat chymosin resolved into three major active peaks, indicating possible heterogeneity when passed through DEAE-cellulose ion exchange column. The purified enzyme had a molecular mass of 36 kDa on SDS-PAGE, which was further confirmed by Western blot analysis. The purified enzyme preparation was stable up to 55 degrees C with maximum activity at 30 degrees C. The milk clotting activity was decreased steadily as pH is increased and indicated maximum activity at pH 5.5. Proteolytic activity of goat chymosin increased with incubation time at 37 degrees C. Goat chymosin was found to be more thermostable than cattle chymosin and equally stable to buffalo chymosin.     

微小毛霉凝乳酶的分离纯化研究

研究微小毛霉(HL-1)凝乳酶的分离纯化条件及方法。研究酶的最适浸提温度、酶的浸提pH值和最适浸提时间,探讨离子浓度、加水量对浸提效率的影响,利用高速冷冻离心法、有机溶剂沉淀法,膜分离法和层析法等对粗酶液进行了分离。利用光谱法对纯化样品进行检测。酶的最适浸提温度为30℃;最适pH为6.0;浸提10 h活力最高;1%的氯化钠有利于酶的分离,加水比例为15时有利于提取,在10 000 r/min下离心10min澄清效果最好,95%的酒精沉淀效果最好,利用0.2μm的微滤膜可除去发酵液中的菌体,8 000的超滤膜可拦截凝乳酶蛋白,S300的填料可有效分离凝乳酶,纯度达95%以上。     

Polyamine-mediated turnover of ornithine decarboxylase in Chinese-hamster ovary cells.

The major secreted isoenzyme of human prostatic acid phosphatase (PAcP) (EC 3.1.3.2), which catalyses p-nitrophenyl phosphate (PNPP) hydrolysis at acid pH values, was found to have phosphotyrosyl protein phosphatase activity since it dephosphorylated three different phosphotyrosine-containing protein substrates. Several lines of evidence are presented to show that the phosphotyrosyl phosphatase and PAcP are the same enzyme. A highly purified PAcP enzyme preparation which contains a single N-terminal peptide sequence was used to test for the phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activity. Both activities comigrated during gel filtration by high performance liquid chromatography. Phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activity and PNPP acid phosphatase activity exhibited similar sensitivities to different effectors. Both phosphatase activities showed the same thermal stability. Specific anti-PAcP antibody reacted to the same extent with both phosphatase activities. PNPP acid phosphatase activity was competitively inhibited by the phosphotyrosyl phosphatase substrate. To characterize further the phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activity, the Km values using different phosphoprotein substrates were determined. The apparent Km values for phosphorylated angiotensin II, anti-pp60src immunoglobulin G and casein were in the nM range for phosphotyrosine residues, which was about 50-fold lower than the Km for phosphoserine residues in casein.     

Purification and characterization of an extracellular exo-D-galacturonanase of Aspergillus niger.

A D-galacturonanase (EC 3.2.1.67) catalyzing the degradation of D-galacturonans by terminal action pattern was purified from a culture filtrate of Aspergillus niger by a procedure including the salting-out with ammonium sulfate, precipitation by ethanol, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, and gel chromatography on Sephadex G-100. The obtained preparation was slightly contaminated by an enzymically inactive protein fraction. Maximum activity and stability of the enzyme was observed at pH 5.2. The enzyme degrades digalacturonic acid, p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-galactopyranuronide, as well as oligogalacturonides containing at the nonreducing end 4-deoxy-L-threo-hexa-4-enopyranosyluronate. It differs from all A. niger enzymes so far described which degrade D-galaturonans by the terminal action pattern, in not clearly preferring low-molecular substrates. It is therefore classified as an exo-D-galacturonanase.     

Purification and partial characterization of rat brain acid proteinase (isorenin).

1. Isorenin was purified 2000-fold from rat brain by a simple 3-step procedure involving affinity chromatography on pepstatinyl-Sepharose, The preparation appears as a homogenous protein in analytical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis indicated an apparent molecular weight of 45 000. Isoelectric focusing separated isoenzymes with isoelectric points at pH 5.45, 5.87, 6.16 and 7.05. 2. The enzyme generates antiotensin I from tetradecapeptide (pH optimum 4.7) and from sheep angiotensinogen (pH optima 3.9 and 5.5). The rate of angiotensin I formation from tetradecapeptide was 30 000 times higher than that from sheep angiotensinogen. The enzyme has acid protease activity at pH 3.2 with hemoglobin as the substrate and pepstatin is a potent inhibitor of the enzyme with a Ki of less than 10(-9) M. 3. The properties of the enzyme strongly suggest that it is identical with cathepsin D.     

Some properties of cathepsins chemically fixed to carriers.

An insoluble preparation of rat liver cathepsin D was obtained by coupling the enzyme to Enzacryl Polyacetal (EPA-cathepsin) and to CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B. EPA-cathepsin was active toward the synthetic hexapeptides (Gly-Phe-Leu)2 and did not split hemoglobin. The optimum pH of splitting was displaced upward by 1.5 units to pH 5.0. The enzyme exhibited maximum activity at 60 degrees C. No appreciable loss of activity was seen on storage of the enzyme for 4 months or after repeated use of the preparations. Coupling of rat liver cathepsin D to activated Sepharose gave preparations active towards both protein and synthetic substrates. The preparations were totally inactive in acid media and exhibited maximum activity at pH 7.0, that is, under physiological conditions. Optimum temperature was 65 degrees. The specific activity of the preparations (pH 7.0, 65 degrees) was 60-110 percent that of the free enzyme in acid media. Proteolytic activity of the Sepharose-coupled cathepsin D was not inhibited by pepstatin, whereas that of the free enzyme was fully inhibited by this reagent. A sarcoma cathepsin, similar in some of its properties to the rat liver enzyme, was also coupled to CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B. The preparation split protein substrates at pH 7.0 and possessed enhanced thermostability. The enzymes fixed on Sepharose showed increased stability.     

Purification and characterization of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase from sheep erythrocytes and inhibitory effects of some antibiotics on enzyme activity

Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (D-glucose 6-phosphate: NADP+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.49; G6PD) was purified from sheep erythrocytes, using a simple and rapid method. The purification consisted of three steps; preparation of haemolysate, ammonium sulphate fractionation and 2', 5'-ADP Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography. The enzyme was obtained with a yield of 37.1% and had a specific activity of 4.64 U/mg proteins. Optimal pH, stable pH, molecular weight, and KM and Vmax values for NADP+ and glucose 6-phosphate (G6-P) substrates were also determined for the enzyme. The overall purification was about 1,189-fold. A temperature of +4 degrees C was maintained during the purification process. In order to control the purification of the enzyme SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was done in 4% and 10% acrylamide concentration for stacking and running gel, respectively. SDS-PAGE showed a single band for enzyme. Enzymatic activity was spectrophotometrically measured according to Beutler's method at 340 nm. In addition, in vitro effects of gentamicin sulphate, penicillin G potassium, amicasin on sheep red blood cell G6PD enzyme activity were investigated. These antibiotics showed inhibitory effects on enzyme activity. I50 values were determined from Activity%-[Drug] graphs and Ki values and the type of inhibition (noncompetitive) were determined by means of Lineweaver-Burk graphs.     

Fluorogenic substrates for assay of chymosin

The use of fluorogenic substrates with intramolecular fluorescence quenching as substrates for chymosin was studied. It was shown that chymosin hydrolyzes the Phe-Phe peptide bond. The effect of pH on the hydrolysis of substrates by chymosin was investigated. The catalytic characteristics of the hydrolysis of the fluorogenic substrates were obtained at the pH optima. The influence of dimethylformamide on chymosin activity was studied.     

Purification and characterization of acid-stable protopectinase produced by Aspergillus awamori in solid-state fermentation

Aspergillus awamori IFO 4033 produced an acid-stable protopectinase in solid-state fermentation using wheat bran as the medium. The enzyme was purified to a homogeneous preparation with anion-exchange, hydrophobic, and size-exclusion chromatography. The enzyme was a monomeric protein of 52 kDa, by SDS-PAGE analysis, with an isoelectric point of pH 3.7. The optimum pH for enzyme activity was 2.0, and it was most active at 50 degrees C (at pH 2.0) and was stable up to 50 degrees C (at pH 2.0). The enzyme showed pectin-releasing activity toward protopectins from various origins, especially on lemon protopectin. An outstanding characteristic of the enzyme was its extreme stability in acidic conditions: the enzyme activity was not lost after incubating at pH 2.0 and 37 degrees C for 24 h.     

The three-dimensional structure of recombinant bovine chymosin at 2.3 A resolution

The crystal structure of recombinant bovine chymosin (EC 3.4.23.4; renin), which was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, has been determined using X-ray data extending to 2.3 A resolution. The crystals of the enzyme used in this study belong to the space group I222 with unit cell dimensions alpha = 72.7 A, b = 80.3 A, and c = 114.8 A. The structure was solved by the molecular replacement method and was refined by a restrained least-squares procedure. The crystallographic R factor is 0.165 and the deviation of bond distances from ideality is 0.020 A. The resulting model includes all 323 amino acid residues, as well as 297 water molecules. The enzyme has an irregular shape with approximate maximum dimensions of 40 x 50 x 65 A. The secondary structure consists primarily of parallel and antiparallel beta-strands with a few short alpha-helices. The enzyme can be subdivided into N- and C-terminal domains which are separated by a deep cleft containing the active aspartate residues Asp-34 and Asp-216. The amino acid residues and waters at the active site form an extensive hydrogen-bonded network which maintains the pseudo 2-fold symmetry of the entire structure. A comparison of recombinant chymosin with other acid proteinases reveals the high degree of structural similarity with other members of this family of proteins as well as the subtle differences which make chymosin unique. In particular, Tyr-77 of the flap region of chymosin does not hydrogen bond to Trp-42 but protrudes out in the P1 pocket forming hydrophobic interactions with Phe-119 and Leu-32. This may have important implications concerning the mechanism of substrate binding and substrate specificity.     

Isolation and partial characterization of prochymosin and chymosin from cat

Extracts of cat gastric mucosa contain a zymogen that after activation shows partial immunochemical identity with chymosin (EC 3.4.23.4) from calf. Cat prochymosin has been purified by column chromatography and gel filtration, and cat chymosin was obtained after acid activation of the zymogen. The enzyme showed the optimum of general proteolytic activity at pH 2.5. The amino acid compositions of cat prochymosin and chymosin were similar to those of the corresponding proteins from calf. The first 27 residues of both cat prochymosin and chymosin have been sequenced. Among these 54 positions only 13 differences have been observed between the proteins from cat and calf. The results support the hypothesis that the chymosins form a group of neonatal gastric proteases with high milk-clotting activity, but with such weak general proteolytic activity that postnatal uptake of IgG is not hindered.     

Characterization of recombinant camel chymosin reveals superior properties for the coagulation of bovine and camel milk

Enzymatic milk coagulation for cheese manufacturing involves the cleavage of the scissile bond in kappa-casein by an aspartic acid protease. Bovine chymosin is the preferred enzyme, combining a strong clotting activity with a low general proteolytic activity. In the present study, we report expression and enzymatic properties of recombinant camel chymosin expressed in Aspergillus niger. Camel chymosin was shown to have different characteristics than bovine chymosin. Camel chymosin exhibits a 70% higher clotting activity for bovine milk and has only 20% of the unspecific protease activity for bovine chymosin. This results in a sevenfold higher ratio of clotting to general proteolytic activity. The enzyme is more thermostable than bovine chymosin. Kinetic analysis showed that half-saturation is achieved with less than 50% of the substrate required for bovine chymosin and turnover rates are lower. While raw camel milk cannot be clotted with bovine chymosin, a high clotting activity was found with camel chymosin.     

Purification and Characterization of Glucose 6-phosphate Dehydrogenase from Sheep Erythrocytes and Inhibitory Effects of some Antibiotics on Enzyme Activity

Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (d -glucose 6-phosphate: NADP + oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.49; G6PD) was purified from sheep erythrocytes, using a simple and rapid method. The purification consisted of three steps; preparation of haemolysate, ammonium sulphate fractionation and 2′, 5′-ADP Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography. The enzyme was obtained with a yield of 37.1% and had a specific activity of 4.64 U/mg proteins. Optimal pH, stable pH, molecular weight, and K M and V max values for NADP + and glucose 6-phosphate (G6-P) substrates were also determined for the enzyme. The overall purification was about 1,189-fold. A temperature of +4°C was maintained during the purification process. In order to control the purification of the enzyme SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was done in 4% and 10% acrylamide concentration for stacking and running gel, respectively. SDS-PAGE showed a single band for enzyme. Enzymatic activity was spectrophotometrically measured according to Beutler's method at 340 nm. In addition, in vitro effects of gentamicin sulphate, penicillin G potassium, amicasin on sheep red blood cell G6PD enzyme activity were investigated. These antibiotics showed inhibitory effects on enzyme activity. I 50 values were determined from Activity %-[Drug] graphs and K i values and the type of inhibition (noncompetitive) were determined by means of Lineweaver-Burk graphs.     

Purification and characterization of a beta-glucuronidase from Aspergillus niger.

A beta-glucuronidase from Pectinex Ultra SP-L, a commercial pectolytic enzyme preparation from Aspergillus niger, was purified 170-fold by ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Apparent M(r) of the purified enzyme, estimated by denaturing gel electrophoresis and size-exclusion chromatography, were 68,000 and 71,000, respectively, indicating that the enzyme is a monomeric protein. It released uronic acids not only from p-nitrophenyl beta-glucosiduronic acid (PNP-GlcA) but also from acidic galactooligosaccharides carrying either beta-D-glucosyluronic or 4-O-methyl-beta-D-glucosyluronic residues at the nonreducing termini through beta-(1-->6)-glycosidic linkages. The enzyme exhibited a maximal activity toward these substrates at pH 3.0. A regioisomer, 3-O-beta-glucosyluronic acid-galactose, was unsusceptible to the enzyme. The enzyme did act on a polymer substrate, releasing uronic acid from the carbohydrate portion of a radish arabinogalactan-protein modified by treatment with fungal alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase. The enzyme produced acidic oligosaccharides by transglycosylation, catalyzing the transfer of uronic acid residues of PNP-GlcA and 6-O-beta-glucosyluronic acid-galactose to certain exogenous acceptor sugars such as Gal, N-acetylgalactosamine, Glc, and xylose.     

Some kinetic properties of polyphenol oxidase obtained from dill (Anethum graveolens)

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was partially purified from dill by (NH4)(2)SO4 precipitation followed by dialysis and gel filtration chromatography. Polyphenol oxidase activity was measured spectrophotometrically at 420 nm using catechol, dopamine and chlorogenic acid as substrates. Optimum pH, temperature, and ionic strength were determined with three substrates. The best substrate of dill PPO was found to be chlorogenic acid. Some kinetic properties of the enzyme such as V(max,) K(M) and V(max)/K(M) were determined for all three substrates. The effects of various inhibitors on the reaction catalysed by the enzyme were tested and I(50) values calculated. The most effective inhibitor was L-cysteine. Activation energies, E(a), were determined from the Arrhenius equation. In addition, activation enthalpy, DeltaH(a), and Q(10) values of the enzyme were also calculated.     

Purification and some properties of rabbit liver cytosol thioltransferase

Thioltransferase was purified 650-fold from rabbit liver by procedures including acid treatment, heat treatment, gel filtration on Sephadex G-50, column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, isoelectric focusing (pH 3.5-10) and gel filtration on Sephadex G-75. The final enzyme preparation was almost homogeneous in polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis. Only one active peak with an apparent molecular weight (Mr) of 13,000 was detected by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50 and only a single protein band with a molecular weight of 12,400 was detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Isoelectric focusing revealed only one enzyme species, having an isoelectric point (pI) of 5.3. The enzyme has an optimum pH about 3.0 with S-sulfocysteine and GSH as substrates. The purified enzyme utilized some disulfides including S-sulfocysteine, alpha-chymotrypsin, trypsin, bovine serum albumin, and insulin as substrates in the presence of GSH. The enzyme does not act as a protein : disulfide isomerase (the activity of which can be measured in terms of reactivation of randomly reoxidized soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor). The enzyme activity was inhibited by chloramphenicol, but not by bacitracin. The inhibition by chloramphenicol was non-competitive (apparent K1 of 0.5 mM). Thioltransferase activity was found in the cytosol of various rabbit tissues.     

Arginyl-tRNA synthetase from Escherichia coli, purification by affinity chromatography, properties, and steady-state kinetics

A Blue Sephadex G-150 affinity column adsorbs the arginyl-tRNA synthetase of Escherichia coli K12 and purifies it with high efficiency. The relatively low enzyme content was conveniently purified by DEAE-cellulose chromatography, affinity chromatography, and fast protein liquid chromatography to a preparation with high activity capable of catalyzing the esterification of about 23,000 nmol of arginine to the cognate tRNA per milligram of enzyme within 1 min, at 37 degrees C, pH 7.4. The turnover number is about 27 s-1. The purification was about 1200-fold, and the overall yield was more than 30%. The enzyme has a single polypeptide chain of about Mr 70,000 and binds arginine and tRNA with 1:1 stoichiometry. For the aminoacylation reaction, the Km values at pH 7.4, 37 degrees C, for various substrates were determined: 12 microM, 0.9 mM, and 2.5 microM for arginine, ATP, and tRNA, respectively. The Km value for cognate tRNA is higher than those of most of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase systems so far reported. The ATP-PPi exchange reaction proceeds only in the presence of arginine-specific tRNA. The Km values of the exchange at pH 7.2, 37 degrees C, are 0.11 mM, 2.9 mM, and 0.5 mM for arginine, ATP, and PPi, respectively, with a turnover number of 40 s-1. The pH dependence shows that the reaction is favored toward slightly acidic conditions where the aminoacylation is relatively depressed.     

Isolation and characterization of sheep pepsin.

Sheep pepsin was isolated (approx. 120-fold purification) from aqueous abomasal homogenates by (1) pH fractionation, (2) chromatography on Sepharose 4B-poly-L-lysine columns and (3) gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The enzyme had mol.wt. approx. 34000, N-terminal valine and C-terminal alanine. The amino acid composition of sheep pepsin was generally similar to that of pig and ox pepsins, with a very low content of basic residues and a high content of acidic and hydroxy-amino acids. The pH optimum for NN-dimethyl-casein and NN-dimethyl-haemoglobin as substrates was approx. 1.8. The Km and kcat. for NN-dimethyl-haemoglobin were 46micronM and 1100min-1 respectively, and for NN-dimethyl-casein the corresponding parameters were 50micronM and 420min-1. These values were generally similar to those for pig and ox pepsins. At the pH optimum of 4.6, the sheep pepsin was about 50% as active on benzyloxycarbonyl-L-histidyl-L-phenyl-alanyl-L-tryptophan ethyl ester as was pig pepsin. The pH optimum for the hydrolysis of N-acetyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-di-iodotyrosine by sheep, ox and pig pepsins was approx. 1.85.