An extracellular proteolytic enzyme from Scopulariopsis brevicaulis. 1. Purification and properties

Abstract
A proteolytic enzyme present in culture filtrates of Scopulariopsis brevicaulis was purified about 200-fold by (NH4)2SO4 and ethanol fractionations followed by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, DEAE-Sephadex, and hydroxylapatite. Ultracentrifugation of the purified enzymes showed only one sedimenting component and its molecular weight was estimated to be about 24 000. The protease hydrolyzed casein, urea-denatured hemoglobin, gelatin, fibrinogen, fibrin, insulin chains A and B, but not human serum albumin or ovalbumin. It also coagulated milk. The enzyme had no action on the various peptides tested and showed low esterase activity. Optimum pH for casein hydrolysis was 10.5 to 11; for hemoglobin hydrolysis 7.0–9.5, and for gelatin hydrolysis, 6.0–8.0. The enzyme activity was unaffected by most metal ions, SH-reagents, and some natural trypsin inhibitors. The protease was strongly inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate and phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride. Although similar in some respects to CA-7, the enzyme isolated from Aspergillus oryzae, and other alkaline proteases, the S. brevicaulis protease does not appear to be identical with any one of them.

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