Stage-specific profiling of Plasmodium falciparum proteases using an internally quenched multispecificity protease substrate

Novel internally quenched fluorescence peptide substrates containing sequence specific sites for cleavage by multiple proteases were designed and synthesized. The 28 and 29 residue peptides contain an N-terminal fluorescence acceptor group, 4-(4-dimethylaminophenylazo)benzoic acid (DABCYL), and a C-terminal fluorescence donor group, 5-(2-aminoethylamino)naphthalene-1-sulfonic acid (EDANS). Efficient energy transfer between the donor and acceptor groups flanking the peptide sequence was achieved by incorporation of a central DPro-Gly segment, which serves as a conformation nucleating site, inducing hairpin formation. This multispecificity protease substrate was used to profile the proteolytic activities in the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum in a stage dependent manner using a combination of fluorescence and MALDI mass spectrometry. Cysteine protease activity was shown to be dominating at neutral pH, whereas aspartic protease activity contributed predominantly to the proteolytic repertoire at acidic pH. Maximum proteolysis was observed at the trophozoite stage followed by the schizonts and the rings.