宇佐美曲霉L336酸性蛋白酶的动力学性质*

L336酸性蛋白酶的分子量为54000,等电点为3．8±0．2。在pH2．5,40℃条件下,酶对酪蛋白、牛血清白蛋白和牛血红蛋白的Km值分别为0．263g／L、0．278g／L和0．415g／L,Vmax分别为2075、1550和2793μgTyr／min、mL,酪蛋白为最适底物。在pH2．0～5．0、40℃以下时酶的稳定性最好。此外,还研究了金属离子对酶活性的影响。     

Enzymatic hydrolysis of soluble starch with an alpha-amylase from Bacillus licheniformis

The enzymatic hydrolysis of soluble starch with an alpha-amylase from Bacillus licheniformis (commercial enzyme Termamyl 300 L Type DX) have been experimentally studied at pH 7.5, within the temperature range of 37-75 degrees C, at initial substrate concentrations of between 0.25 and 2.00 g/L, and enzyme concentrations of between 0.575 x 10(-4) and 13.8 x 10(-4) g/L. To follow the reaction a procedure based on the iodometric method for measuring alpha-amylase activity was used. The kinetics of the enzymatic hydrolysis was fitted to the Michaelis-Menten equation using the integral method, taking into account that the thermal deactivation of the enzyme follows a second-order kinetic. These parameters were fitted to the Arrhenius equation obtaining activation energies of 24.4 and 41.7 kJ/mol and preexponential factors of 734.9 g/L and 1.74 x 10(8) min(-1) for K(M) and k, respectively.     

Structural basis for the substrate specificity of 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase

The substrate specificity of 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase from Alcaligenes faecalis with a non-native substrate, levulinic acid, was studied by analysis of the enzyme-substrate molecular interactions. The relation between structural and kinetic parameters was investigated considering the catalytic mechanism of the enzyme. The effects of key positive mutations (H144L, H144L/W187F) on the catalytic activity of the enzyme were studied by employing a surface analysis of its interatomic contacts between the enzyme and substrate atoms. The results revealed that the alteration of hydrogen bond network and rearrangement of the hydrophobic interactions between the active site and substrate molecule are the key structural basis for the change of the substrate specificity of 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase toward levulinic acid. With this approach, the structural basis for the substrate specificity of the enzyme could be elucidated in a quantitative manner.     

Process parameters study of α-amylase production in a packed-bed bioreactor under solid-state fermentation with possibility of temperature monitoring

Production of α-amylase in a laboratory-scale packed-bed bioreactor by Bacillus sp. KR-8104 under solid-state fermentation (SSF) with possibility of temperature control and monitoring was studied using wheat bran (WB) as a solid substrate. The simultaneous effects of aeration rate, initial substrate moisture, and incubation temperature on α-amylase production were evaluated using response surface methodology (RSM) based on a Box-Behnken design. The optimum conditions for attaining the maximum production of α-amylase were 37°C, 72% (w/w) initial substrate moisture, and 0.15 L/min aeration. The average enzyme activity obtained under the optimized conditions was 473.8 U/g dry fermented substrate. In addition, it was observed that the production of enzyme decreased from the bottom of the bioreactor to the top.     

Tools for characterizing the whole-cell bio-oxidation of alkanes at microscale

This article describes the first reported microwell whole-cell bioconversion using a water immiscible substrate that matches the specific activity and yield achieved in a 1.2 L stirred tank bioreactor. Maximum yields of 0.6 g/L(total) 1-dodecanol achieved in 24 h compare favorably to 0.28 g/L(total) 1-dodecanol after 48 h obtained in a stirred tank reactor. Using the microwell platform we present a rapid and systematic approach to identify the key bottlenecks in the bio-oxidation of long-chain alkanes using Escherichia coli expressing the alkane hydroxylase (alkB) complex. The results indicate that mass transfer rates limit productivity in the n-dodecane bio-oxidation system, rather than inherent enzyme activity. Furthermore, substrate solubility, oxygen availability and glucose concentration act cooperatively to affect the amount of by-product, dodecanoic acid. Optimizing these factors using response surface methodology enabled specific yields of 1-dodecanol to increase eightfold and overoxidation to dodecanoic acid to be reduced from 95% to 55%. This resulted in specific activities of 10.4 μmol/min/g(dcw) on n-dodecane; approximately 50% of the 21 μmol/min/g(dcw) obtained with n-octane. For the first time, this in vivo rate difference is within the range reported for the purified enzyme. Finally, the results obtained also provide strong evidence that the mechanism of E. coli interaction with alkanes is mainly via uptake of alkanes dissolved in the aqueous phase rather than by direct cell-droplet contact.     

一种不对称水解（R,S）-2,6-二甲基苯基氨基丙酸甲酯的新酯酶基因的克隆表达和酶学性质研究

本文将来自反硝化无色杆菌Achromobacterdenitrificans1104的酯酶基因EHest,转化大肠杆菌中,成功表达了具有不对称水解农药甲霜灵的中间体(R,S)-2,6-二甲基苯基氨基丙酸甲酯( MAP )活性的酯酶EHesterase。用重组酯酶EHesterase催化MAP 的水解,底物浓度50 g/L,反应1h的转化率29.5%,产物( R-酸)的eep 是85.1%。该酶的最适反应pH和温度分别为9.0和50℃,在50℃以下和pH5~9之间具有较好的稳定性。该酶水解MAP 的米氏动力学参数Vm、Km 分别是0.733 g/(L·min)和7.49 g/L。加入10%DMSO对酶EHesterase的立体选择性和催化速度有一定的促进作用。 Cu2+、Fe3+对酶活有明显抑制作用。该酶水解MAP 的活性与水解p-对硝基苯乙酸酯的活性数量级相当,是水解橄榄油活性的333倍。     

L-抗坏血酸洛芬酯非水相酶促合成的动力学与热力学

对酶法合成L-抗坏血酸洛芬酯(芬维C酯)的反应动力学与热力学进行研究,确定了最有效的酶促反应环境。合成布洛芬维C酯的最优条件:转速200r/min,温度65℃,加酶量5%(以底物的质量分数计),底物浓度1mol/L,平衡所需时间66h,平衡时产物质量分数为19.07%;合成酮洛芬维C酯的最优条件:200r/min,60℃,加酶量7.5%,底物浓度600mmol/L,平衡时间132h,产物质量分数为10.63%;合成氟比洛芬维C酯的最优条件:200r/min,65℃,加酶量5%,底物浓度400mmol/L,平衡时间144h,产物质量分数为6.76%。对底物进行了比较,得到了各自的动力学与热力学参数。布洛芬米氏常数为0.101μmol/L,vmax=32.68μmol/(min.g),热力学平衡常数为0.166;酮洛芬的分别为0.144μmol/L,12.97μmol/(min.g),0.091;氟比洛芬的分别为0.185μmol/L,9.35μmol/(min.g),0.055。     

Purification of L-asparaginase from a bacteria Erwinia carotovora and effect of a dihydropyrimidine derivative on some of its kinetic parameters

L-Asparaginase shows antileukemic activity and is generally administered in the body in combination with other anticancer drugs like pyrimidine derivatives. In the present study, L-asparaginase was purified from a bacteria Erwinia carotovora and the effect of a dihydropyrimidine derivative (1-amino-6-methyl-4-phenyl-2-thioxo, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid methyl ester) was studied on the kinetic parameters Km and Vmax of the enzyme using L-asparagine as substrate. The enzyme had optimum activity at pH 8.6 and temperature 35 degrees C, both in the absence and presence of pyrimidine derivative and substrate saturation concentration at 6 mg/ml. For the enzymatic reaction in the absence and presence (1 to 3 mg/ml) of dihydropyrimidine derivative, Km values were 7.14, 5.26, 4.0, and 5.22 M, and Vmax values were 0.05, 0.035, 0.027 and 0.021 mg/ml/min, respectively. The kinetic values suggested that activity of enzyme was enhanced in the presence of dihydropyrimidine derivative.     

Purification and characterization of carbonic anhydrase from bovine stomach and effects of some known inhibitors on enzyme activity

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) was purified from four different cell localisation (outer peripheral, cytosolic, inner peripheral and integral) in bovine stomach using affinity chromatography with Sepharose-4B-L-tyrosine sulphanilamide. During the purification steps, the activity of the enzyme was measured using p-nitrophenyl acetate at pH 7.4. Optimum pH and optimum temperature values for all CA samples were determined, and their K(m) and V(max) values for the same substrate by Lineweaver-Burk graphics. The extent of purification for all CA localizations was controlled by SDS-PAGE. The K(m) values at optimum pH and 20 degrees C were 0.625 mM, 0.541 mM, 0.785 mM and 0.862 mM with p-nitro phenyl acetate, for all CA localizations. The respective V(max) values at optimum pH and 20 degrees C were 0.875 micromol/L min, 0.186 micromol/L min, 0.214 micromol/L min and 0.253 micromol/L min with the same substrate. The K(i) and I50 values for the inhibitors sulphanilamide, KSCN, NaN3 and acetazolamide were determined for all the CA localizations.     

Determination in plasma of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor by inhibitor-binding assay

A method of determining a new angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (CS-622) and its active metabolite (RS-5139) in plasma by inhibitor-binding assay has been developed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The assay is based on the principle that the amount of inhibitor bound to the enzyme is inversely related to the amount of hippuric acid liberated on hydrolysis from the artificial substrate (hippuryl- -hystidyl- -leucine). Plasma was heated at 60°C for 15 min, to inactivate endogenous enzyme, and preincubated with rabbit-lung angiotensin-converting enzyme at 37°C for 3 min. The artificial substrate (5.75 mg/ml in pH 8.3 phosphate buffer containing sodium chloride) was added to the resulting solution, and the mixture was incubated for 30 min. The reaction was terminated by the addition of 2 M hydrochloric acid. The hippuric acid liberated on hydrolysis was extracted with ethyl acetate and determined by reversed-phase chromatography using methylparaben as an internal standard. The total concentration of the inhibitor and its metabolite were determined by this method after de-esterification by rat-plasma esterase. The standard curve was obtained by the regression analysis of log concentration against logit response. The within-day and day-to-day precision were satisfactory. The proposed method is simple, rapid and sensitive enough to determine angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor in plasma.     

Determination of meso-alanopine and D-strombine by high pressure liquid chromatography in extracts from marine invertebrates

meso-Alanopine and D-strombine are separated by high pressure liquid chromatography using a cation exchange resin and 2.5 X 10(-5) M sulfuric acid as eluant, at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min, 20 degrees C column temperature and a pressure of 4 500 kPa. Both opines were detected by conductivity. Separation and quantitation was possible in the range of 0.05 to 25 nmol of meso-alanopine and D-strombine. Chemically or enzymatically synthesized opines were quantitated using alanopine/strombine dehydrogenase from Crassostrea angulata. The enzyme was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, Sephadex G-100 filtration and fast-protein-liquid chromatography. Specific activity of the final preparation was 500 U/mg protein with glycine as substrate. The formation of meso-alanopine and D-strombine was demonstrated in neutralized perchloric acid extracts from muscle tissue of Arenicola marina L. following enhanced muscular activity and in Mytilus edulis L., Nucula nitida and Crassostrea angulata after 24 h of anoxia.     

Whole-cell bio-oxidation of n-dodecane using the alkane hydroxylase system of P. putida GPo1 expressed in E. coli

The alkane-1-monoxygenase (alkB) complex of Pseudomonas putida GPo1 has been extensively studied in the past and shown to be capable of oxidising aliphatic C(5)-C(12) alkanes to primary alcohols both in the wild-type organism by growth on C(5)-C(12) alkanes as sole carbon source and in vitro. Despite this, successful n-dodecane oxidation for the production of 1-dodecanol or dodecanoic acid has proven elusive in the past when using alkB-expressing recombinants. This article demonstrates, for the first time in vivo, by using the Escherichia coli GEC137 pGEc47ΔJ strain, that n-dodecane oxidation using this enzyme for the production of primary alcohols and carboxylic acids is feasible and in fact potentially more promising than n-octane oxidation due to lower product and substrate toxicity. Yields are reported of 1-dodecanol of up to 2 g/L(organic) and dodecanoic acid up to 19.7 g/L(organic) in a 2 L stirred tank reactor with 1L aqueous phase and 200 mL of n-dodecane as a second phase. The maximum volumetric rate of combined alcohol and acid production achieved was 1.9 g/L(organic)/h (0.35 g/L(total)/h). The maximum specific activity of combined alcohol and acid production was 7-fold lower on n-dodecane (3.5 μmol/min/g(dcw)) than on n-octane (21 μmol/min/g(dcw)); similar to the 5-fold difference observed between wild-type growth rates using the two respective alkanes as sole carbon source. Despite this, both total volumetric rate and final yield exceeded n-octane oxidation by 3.5-fold under the same conditions, due to the lower toxicity of n-dodecane and its oxidation products to E. coli compared to the 8-carbon equivalents. Substrate access limitations and the overoxidation of 1-dodecanol to dodecanoic acid were identified as the most important limitations to be addressed.     

Protein engineering of the 4-methyl-5-nitrocatechol monooxygenase from Burkholderia sp. strain DNT for enhanced degradation of nitroaromatics

4-Methyl-5-nitrocatechol (4M5NC) monooxygenase (DntB) from Burkholderia sp. strain DNT catalyzes the second step of 2,4-dinitrotoluene degradation by converting 4M5NC to 2-hydroxy-5-methylquinone with the concomitant removal of the nitro group. DntB is a flavoprotein that has a very narrow substrate range. Here, error-prone PCR was used to create variant DntB M22L/L380I, which accepts the two new substrates 4-nitrophenol (4NP) and 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol (3M4NP). At 300 microM of 4NP, the initial rate of the variant expressing M22L/L380I enzyme (39 +/- 6 nmol/min/mg protein) was 10-fold higher than that of the wild-type enzyme (4 +/- 2 nmol/min/mg protein). The values of kcat/Km of the purified wild-type DntB enzyme and purified variant M22L/L380I were 40 and 450 (s(-1) M(-1)), respectively, which corroborates that the variant M22L/L380I enzyme has 11-fold-higher efficiency than the wild-type enzyme for 4NP degradation. In addition, the variant M22L/L380I enzyme has fourfold-higher activity toward 3M4NP; at 300 microM, the initial nitrite release rate of M22L/L380I enzyme was 17 +/- 4 nmol/min/mg protein, while that of the wild-type enzyme was 4.4 +/- 0.7 nmol/min/mg protein. Saturation mutagenesis was also used to further investigate the role of the individual amino acid residues at positions M22, L380, and M22/L380 simultaneously. Mutagenesis at the individual positions M22L and L380I did not show appreciable enhancement in 4NP activity, which suggested that these two sites should be mutated together; simultaneous saturation mutagenesis led to the identification of the variant M22S/L380V, with 20% enhanced degradation of 4NP compared to the variant M22L/L380I. This is the first report of protein engineering for nitrite removal by a flavoprotein.     

Production of biobutanol from acid-pretreated corncob using Clostridium beijerinckii TISTR 1461: Process optimization studies

Corncob is a potential feedstock in Thailand that can be used for fermentable sugar production through dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. To recover high amounts of monomeric sugars from corncob, the sulfuric pretreatment conditions were optimized by using response surface methodology with three independent variables: sulfuric acid concentration, temperature, and time. The highest response of total sugars, 48.84 g/L, was found at 122.78°C, 4.65 min, and 2.82% (v/v) H₂SO₄. With these conditions, total sugars from the confirmation experiment were 46.29 g/L, with 5.51% error from the predicted value. The hydrolysate was used as a substrate for acetone–butanol–ethanol fermentation to evaluate its potential for microbial growth. The simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) showed that C. beijerinckii TISTR 1461 can generate acetone–butanol–ethanol products at 11.64 g/L (5.29 g/L acetone, 6.26 g/L butanol, and 0.09 g/L ethanol) instantly using sugars from the hydrolysed corncob with Novozymes 50013 cellulase enzyme without an overliming process.     

Effect of inhibitors released during steam-explosion treatment of poplar wood on subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis and SSF

Steam-exploded (SE) poplar wood biomass was hydrolyzed by means of a blend of Celluclast and Novozym cellulase complexes in the presence of the inhibiting compounds produced during the preceding steam-explosion pretreatment process. The SE temperature and time conditions were 214 degrees C and 6 min, resulting in a log R(0) of 4.13. In enzymatic hydrolysis tests at 45 degrees C, the biomass loading in the bioreactor was 100 g(DW)/L (dry weight) and the enzyme-to-biomass ratio 0.06 g/g(DW). The enzyme activities for endo-glucanase, exo-glucanase, and beta-glucosidase were 5.76, 0.55, and 5.98 U/mg, respectively. The inhibiting effects of components released during SE (formic, acetic, and levulinic acids, furfural, 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (5-HMF), syringaldehyde, 4-hydroxy benzaldehyde, and vanillin) were studied at different concentrations in hydrolysis runs performed with rinsed SE biomass as model substrate. Acetic acid (2 g/L), furfural, 5-HMF, syringaldehyde, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and vanillin (0.5 g/L) did not significantly effect the enzyme activity, whereas formic acid (11.5 g/L) inactivated the enzymes and levulinic acid (29.0 g/L) partially affected the cellulase. Synergism and cumulative concentration effects of these compounds were not detected. SSF experiments show that untreated SE biomass during the enzymatic attack gives rise to a nonfermentable hydrolysate, which becomes fermentable when rinsed SE biomass is used. The presence of acetic acid, vanillin, and 5-HMF (0.5 g/L) in SSF of 100 g(DW) /L biomass gave rise to ethanol yields of 84.0%, 73.5%, and 91.0% respectively, with respective lag phases of 42, 39, and 58 h.     

Hydrolysis of dilute acid pretreated mixed hardwood and purified microcrystalline cellulose by cell-free broth from Clostridium thermocellum

The cellulase activity in cell-free broths from the thermophilic, ethanol-producing anaerobic bacterium Clostridium thermocellum is examined on both dilute-acid-pretreated mixed hardwood (90% maple, 10% birch) and Avicel. Experiments were conducted in vitro in order to distinguish properties of the cellulase from properties of the organism and to evaluate the effectiveness of C. thermocellum cellulase in the hydrolysis of a naturally occurring, lignin-containing substrate. The results obtained establish that essentially quantitative hydrolysis of cellulose from pretreated mixed hardwood is possible using this enzyme system. Pretreatment with 1% H(2)SO(4) and a 9-s residence time at 220, 210, 200, and 180 degrees C allowed yields after enzymatic hydrolysis (percentage of glucan solubilized/ glucan potentially solubilized) of 97.8, 86.1, 82.0, and 34.6%, respectively. Enzymatic hydrolysis of mixed hardwood with no pretreatment resulted in a yield of 10.1%. Hydrolysis yields of >95% were obtained from approximately 0.6 g/L mixed hardwood pretreated at 220 degrees C in 7 h at broth strengths of 60 and 80% (v/v) and in approximately 48 h with 33% broth. Hydrolysis of pretreated mixed hardwood is compared to hydrolysis of Avicel, a pure microcrystalline cellulose studied previously. The initial rate of Avicel hydrolysis saturates with respect to enzyme, whereas the initial rate of hydrolysis of pretreated wood is proportional to the amount of enzyme present. Initial hydrolysis rates for pretreated wood and Avicel at 0.6 g/L are greater for wood at low broth dilutions (1.25: 1 to 5 :1) by up to 2.7-fold and greater for Avicel at high broth dilutions (5 : 1 to 50 : 1) by up to 4.3-fold. Maximum rates of hydrolysis are achieved at <2 g substrate/L for both pretreated wood and Avicel. The substrate concentration at one-half the maximum observed rate for C. thermocellum broths is smaller for pretreated mixed hardwood than for Avicel and decreases with increasing broth dilution for both substrates. An initial activity per volume broth of approximately 11 mumol soluble glucose equivalent produced/L broth/min is observed for mixed hardwood pretreated at 220 degrees C and for Avicel at high broth dilutions; the initial activity per volume broth for Avicel is lower at low broth dilutions. The results indicate that pretreated wood is hydrolyzed at rates comparable to Avicel under many conditions and at rates significantly faster than Avicel under several conditions.     

Evaluation of D-amino acid oxidase from Rhodotorula gracilis for the production of alpha-keto acids: a reactor system

The study reports on the development of a bioreactor for the production of alpha-keto acids from D,L- or D-amino acids using Rhodotorula gracilis D-amino acid oxidase. D-Amino acid oxidase was co-immobilized with catalase on Affi-Gel 10 matrix, and the reactor was operated as a continuous-stirred tank reactor (CSTR) or stirred tank with medium recycling conditions. The optimum substrate concentration and quantity of biocatalyst were determined (5 mM and 1.2 mg/L, respectively). Under optimum operating conditions, product formation was linearly related to both substrate and enzyme concentration, showing the system to be highly flexible. Under these conditions, in a stirred tank, over 90% conversion was achieved in 30 min with a maximum production of 0.23 g of pyruvic acid/day/enzyme units. Product was recovered by ion exchange chromatography. The operational stability of the reactor was high (up to 9.5 h of operation without loss of activity) and the inactivation half-life was not reached even after 18 h or 36 bioconversion cycles. This represents the first case of a reactor developed successfully with a D-amino acid oxidase. (c) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

集胞藻PCC6803膜脂循环关键基因酶学性质和生理功能

集胞藻PCC6803野生型和其脂酰ACP合酶敲除突变株的自由脂肪酸含量和组成表明膜脂的重构和降解是细胞内自由脂肪酸的来源之一。在这一过程中脂肪酶起到关键性作用。通过基因组数据库检索,发现集胞藻PCC6803基因组中只有一个脂肪酶编码基因sll1969,但是还没有其功能相关的生化证据。为了确定该基因的功能及其在脂肪酸代谢途径中的作用,加深对集胞藻PCC6803脂肪酸代谢途径的了解,文中将sll1969基因在大肠杆菌中过表达和体外纯化,得到重组蛋白Sll1969,并对其酶学性质进行初步分析。在30℃条件下,测得Sll1969以对硝基苯丁酸酯作为底物时的Km和kcat值分别为(1.16±0.01)mmol/L和(332.8±10.0)/min;该脂肪酶的最适反应温度为55℃。通过比较分析sll1969突变株中脂肪酸含量和组成变化,发现sll1969的表达量与细胞自由脂肪酸的产量呈正相关,但Sll1969不是细胞中唯一的脂肪酶。     

斑玉蕈酸性磷酸酯酶的酶学性质研究

以斑玉蕈为材料分别从菌盖和菌柄中提取一种酸性磷酸酯酶（ACPase,EC.3.1.3.2）,进一步用硫酸铵沉淀分离,Sephadex G-200柱纯化,从菌盖中分离到3个酶组分,从菌柄中分离到4个酶组分,分别对菌盖和菌柄的酶Ⅰ和酶Ⅰ′进行聚丙烯酰胺凝胶（PAGE）电泳纯度鉴定,均呈现单一酶蛋白带。SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳（SDS-PAGE）测定酶Ⅰ和酶Ⅰ′的相对分子量均为65kDa,SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳及Sephadex G-75凝胶过滤测定分析,酶Ⅰ和酶Ⅰ′均为单亚基蛋白。紫外吸收光谱（UV）测     

Purification and properties of guinea-pig submandibular-gland kallikrein.

Guinea-pig submandibular kallikrein has been purified from the glands to electrophoretic homogeneity by conventional procedures. The enzyme is active as a kininogenase, releasing kallidin at a rate of 462 micrograms/min per mg of protein from bovine kininogen, and proved potently hypotensive in the guinea pig and in the dog, properties which indicate its tissue kallikrein nature. The specific activity determined on the substrate N-alpha-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester (11.1 mumol/min per mg of protein) is much lower than that measured with N-acetyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-arginine ethyl ester (483 mumol/min per mg of protein). The latter value is of an order of magnitude comparable with the specific activities of other tissue kallikreins determined with this sensitive kallikrein substrate. The enzyme is a glycoprotein consisting of 237 amino acid residues and containing three to four glucosamine molecules. Its amino acid composition is not identical with that reported for guinea-pig coagulating-gland kallikrein, but is remarkably similar to that of the porcine tissue kallikreins. Apparent Mr values are 29000 (sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis) or 34000 (gel filtration). The amino acid sequence of the first 31 N-terminal residues was determined and was found to be closely homologous with that of other tissue kallikreins.