Effect of Deglycosylation on the Aminopeptidase Isolated from Aspergillus flavus

A leucine aminopeptidase has been isolated from the culture medium of the soil fungus, Aspergillus flavus. The enzyme was found to be a glycoprotein, as judged by electrophoresis analysis and the subsequent staining by the periodic acid-Schiff's reagent. Carbohydrate moieties could be cleaved by N-glycosidase, but not by O-glycosidase, indicating that the glucans are linked to the asparagine residue in the protein. Removal of N-glucans was observed without prior denaturation of the protein, implying that the N-glycosidic linkage is exposed and accessible to glycosidase. When the activity of native or deglycosylated enzyme was measured in the presence of various metal ions, removal of carbohydrates increased the aminopeptidase activity of the enzyme.