[Specificity of megateriopeptidase: an amino-endopeptidase with hydrophobic characteristics]

[Substrate specificity of a protease from Thermoactinomyces vulgaris]

The cleavage specificity of a protease from Thermoactinomyces vulgaris (thermitase) was determined by the insulin B-chain and the cleavability of casein and haemoglobin by this enzyme as compared to other proteases (trypsin, chymotrypsin, proteases from Bac. megaterium and cytophages). The most intense splitting effect on the substrates under investigation (insulin B-chain, casein and haemoglobin) is exerted by thermitase, i. e., the unspecificity of this enzyme is especially marked.

Properties and specificity of the major metal-chelator-sensitive proteinase in the keratinolytic larvae of the webbing clothes moth

The metal chelator-sensitive proteinase activity from the larvae of the webbing clothes moth, Tineola bisselliella, was fractionated into two components by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and the properties of the major fraction investigated. The approximate molecular weight obtained by gel filtration was 24 000. The pH optimum of 9.4 and the high stability between pH 9.0 and 11.5 are consistent with the alkaline conditions known to be present in the larval mid-gut. The enzyme also showed a second region of high stability around pH 2.3. The cleavage specificity against S-carboxy-methyl A and B chains of insulin was quite different to that of the metal chelator-sensitive proteinases from snake venoms and microorganisms. 10 bonds in the A-chain and 8 bonds in the B-chain were cleaved and the tentative rules governing the specificity limitations of this metal-chelator-sensitive proteinase are discussed.