• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.189-196
• /
• 2003

In order to evaluate the possible roles of secretory proteases in the pathogenesis of amoebic keratitis, we purified and characterized a serine protease secreted by Acanthamoeba lugdunensis KA/E2, isolated from a Korean keratitis patient The ammonium sulfate-precipitated culture supernatant of the isolate was purified by sequential chromatography on CM-Sepharose, Sephacryl S-200, and mono Q-anion exchange column. The purified 33 kDa protease had a pH optimum of 8.5 and a temperature optimum of $55^{\circ}C$. Phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride and 4-(2-Aminoethyl)-benzenesulfonyl-fluoride, both serine protease specific inhibitors, inhibited almost completely the activity of the 33 kDa protease whereas other classes of inhibitors did not affect its activity. The 33 kDa enzyme degraded various extracellular matrix proteins and serum proteins. Our results strongly suggest that the 33 kDa serine protease secreted from this keratopathogenic Acanthamoeba play important roles in the pathogenesis of amoebic keratitis, such as in corneal tissue invasion, immune evasion and nutrient uptake.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.358-365
• /
• 2020

An organic solvent- and bleach-stable protease-producing strain was isolated from a polluted river water sample and identified as Aeromonas veronii OB3 on the basis of biochemical properties (API 20E) and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. The strain was found to hyper-produce alkaline protease when cultivated on fish waste powder-based medium (HVSP, 4080 U/ml). The biochemical properties and compatibility of OB3 with several detergents and additives were studied. Maximum activity was observed at pH 9.0 and 60℃. The crude protease displayed outstanding stability to the investigated surfactants and oxidants, such as Tween 80, Triton X-100, and H₂O₂, and almost 36% residual activity when incubated with 1% SDS. Remarkably, the enzyme demonstrated considerable compatibility with commercial detergents, retaining more than 100% of its activity with Ariel and Tide (1 h, 40℃). Moreover, washing performance of Tide significantly improved by the supplementation of small amounts of OB3 crude protease. These properties suggest the potential use of this alkaline protease as a bio-additive in the detergent industry and other biotechnological processes such as peptide synthesis.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.71-79
• /
• 2011

Objectives : This study was undertaken to identify fibrinolytic proteases from Gloydius blomhoffii siniticus venom and to characterize a major fibrinolytic protease purified from the venom. Methods : The venom was subjected to chromatography using columns of Q-Sepharose and Sephadex G-75. The molecular weights of fibrinolytic proteases showing fibrinolytic zone in fibrin plate assay were determined in SDS-PAGE (Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) The effects of inhibitors and metal ions on fibrinolytic protease and the proteolysis patterns of fibrinogen, gelatin, and bovine serum albumin were investigated. Results : 1) The fibrinolytic fractions of the three peaks isolated from Gloydius blomhoffii siniticus venom contained two polypeptides of 46 and 59 kDa and three polypeptides of 32, 18, and 15 kDa and a major polypeptide of 54 kDa, respectively. 2) The fibrinolytic activity of the purified protease of 54 kDA was inhibited by metal chelators, such as EDTA, EGTA, and 1,10-phenanthroline, and disulfhydryl-reducing compounds, such as dithiothreitol and cysteine. 3) Calcium chloride promoted the fibrinolytic activity of the protease, but mercuric chloride and cobalt(II) chloride inhibited it. 4) The fibrinolytic protease cleaved preferentially A${\alpha}$-chain and slowly B${\beta}$-chain of fibrinogen. It also hydrolyzed gelatin but not bovine serum albumin. Conclusions : The Gloydius blomhoffii siniticus venom contained more than three fibrinolytic proteases. The major fibrinolytic protease was a metalloprotease which hydrolyzed both fibrinogen and gelatin, but not bovine serum albumin.

• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.115-119
• /
• 1995

The alkaline protease of Xanthomonas sp. YL-37 has been purified, and the properties of the enzyme investigated. The alkaline protease of Xanthomonas sp. YL-37 was purified form crude enzyme by ammonium sulfate fractionation, CM-cellulose ion exchange chromatography, and Sephadex G-100 gel filtration. Through the series of chromatographies, the enzyme was purified to homogenecity with specific activity of 4.23 fold higher than that of the crude broth. The molecular weight of the purified protease has been estimated to be 62 KDa on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The optimal pH and temperature for alkaline protease activity were 11.0 and 50.deg.C, respectively. The enzyme was stable between pH 5.0 and 10.0 and up to 50.deg.C. Enzyme activity was lost up to 50% on heating at 70.deg.C for 30 minutes. The activity of alkaline protease was inhibited by Cu$\^$2+/, Zn$\^$2+/, Hg$\^$2+/, PMSF, and activated by Mn$\^$2+/ and Ca$\^$2+/. The $K_{m}$ value for casein as a substrate was 4.0 mg/ml.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.524-530
• /
• 2006

Two protease inhibitors of 67 and 18 kDa, respectively, were purified from the eggs of glass fish, Liparis tanakai, by affinity chromatography and electro-elution method. The high molecular weight (HMW) protein was purified with a specific inhibitory activity, yield, and purity of 18.46 U/mg, 0.07%, and 131.86 fold, respectively, and was further characterized: Optimal temperature and pH for inhibitory activity of the HMW glassfish egg protease inhibitor were $40^{\circ}C$ and pH 6, respectively, and it was stable between $5^{\circ}C\;and\;50^{\circ}C$ in the pH range of 5-6 with maximal stability at pH 6. It was shown to be a competitive inhibitor against papain with an inhibition constant $(K_i)$ of 97.02 nM. Moreover, the 67 kDa protein inhibited cathepsin, a cysteine protease, more effectively than did an egg-white protease inhibitor. The HMW glassfish egg protease inhibitor was classified as a member of the family III (kininogen).

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.37 no.5
• /
• pp.556-564
• /
• 2004

A recombinant Fab monoclonal antibody (Fab) C37, previously obtained by phage display and biopanning of a random antibody fragment library against Burkholderia pseudomallei protease, was expressed in different strains of Escherichia coli. E. coli strain HB2151 was deemed a more suitable host for Fab expression than other E. coli strains when grown in media supplemented with 0.2% glycerol. The expressed Fab fragment was purified by affinity chromatography on a Protein G-Sepharose column, and the specificity of the recombinant Fab C37 towards B. pseudomallei protease was proven by Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by proteolytic activity neutralization. In addition, polyclonal antibodies against B. pseudomallei protease were produced in rabbits immunized with the protease. These were isolated from high titer serum by affinity chromatography on recombinant-Protein A-Sepharose. Purified polyclonal antibody specificity towards B. pseudomallei protease was proven by Western blotting and ELISA.

• Proceedings of the Korean Aquaculture Society Conference
• /
• 2006.05a
• /
• pp.530-532
• /
• 2006

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.273-279
• /
• 2013

Protease widely exists in the digestive tract of animals and humans, playing a very important role in protein digestion and absorption. In this study, a high protease-producing strain Planomicrobium sp. L-2 was isolated and identified from the digestive tract of Octopus variabilis. The strain was identified by physiological and biochemical experiments and 16S rDNA sequences analysis. A protease was obtained from the strain Planomicrobium sp. L-2 through ammonium sulfate precipitation, dialysis and enrichment, DEAE-Sephadex A50 anion-exchange chromatography, and Sephadex G-100 gel chromatography. The molecular weight and properties of the protease were characterized, including optimum temperature and pH, thermal stability, protease inhibitions and metal ions. According to our results, the protease from Planomicrobium sp. L-2 strain designated as F1-1 was obtained by three-step separation and purification from crude enzyme. The molecular weight of the protease was 61.4 kDa and its optimum temperature was $40^{\circ}C$. The protease F1-1 showed a broad pH profile for casein hydrolysis between 5.0~11.0. No residual activity was observed after incubation for 40 min at $60^{\circ}C$ and 60 min at $50^{\circ}C$. F1-1 protease was inhibited by $Mn^{2+}$, $Hg^{2+}$, $Pb^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, and $Cu^{2+}$ ions, as well as PMSF, indicating that the protease F1-1 was a serine protease. Additionally, research basis provided by this study could be considered for industrial application of octopus intestinal proteases.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.29 no.10
• /
• pp.1126-1135
• /
• 2019

From a sample of bamboo byproduct, the protease-producing yeast strain CO-1 was newly isolated. Strain CO-1 is spherical to ovoid in shape and measures $3.1-4.0{\times}3.8-4.4{\mu}m$. For the growth of strain CO-1, the optimal temperature and initial pH were $30^{\circ}C$ and 4.0, respectively. The strain was able to grow in 0.0-15.0%(w/v) NaCl and 0.0-9.0%(v/v) ethanol. Based on a phylogenetic analysis of its 18S rDNA sequences, strain CO-1 was identified as Pichia anomala. The extracellular protease produced by P. anomala CO-1 was partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, which resulted in a 14.6-fold purification and a yield of 7.2%. The molecular mass of the protease was recorded as approximately 30 kDa via zymogram. The protease activity reached its maximum when 1.0%(w/v) CMC was used as the carbon source, 1.0%(w/v) yeast extract was used as the nitrogen source, and 0.3%(w/v) $MnSO_4$ was used as the mineral source. The protease revealed the highest activity at pH 7.0 and $30^{\circ}C$. This enzyme maintained more than 75% of its stability at a pH range of 4.0-10.0. After heating at $65^{\circ}C$ for 1 hr, the neutral protease registered at 60% of its original activity. The protease production coincided with growth and attained a maximal level during the post-exponential phase.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.194-199
• /
• 2011

An alkalophilic bacterium producing alkaline protease was isolated from waste water and solar saltern sample and identified as Bacillus pseudofirmus HS-54 based on morphological, biochemical characteristics as well as 16S-rRNA gene sequencing. The HS-54 protease was purified to homogeneity using ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE cellulose column chromatography, and sephadex G-100 gel filtration with a 4.0 purification fold. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated by SDS-PAGE to be 27 kDa. The optimal pH and temperature for the purified protease activity were 10.0 and $50^{\circ}C$, respectively. The purified enzyme was relatively stable at the pH range of 6.0-11.0 and at the temperature below $50^{\circ}C$. This enzyme was activated by $Ca^{2+}$ and $Mg^{2+}$ and inhibited by $Hg^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, $Al^{3+}$, $Ag^{2+}$. And this enzyme was strongly inhibited by PMSF, suggesting that it belongs to the serine protease superfamily.