Biochemical Characterization of Serine Proteases with Fibrinolytic Activity from Tenodera sinensis (Praying Mantis)

Three types of proteases (MEF-1, MEF-2 and MEF-3) were purified from the egg cases of Ten-odera sinensis using ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-60 and affinity chromatography on DEAE Affi-Gel blue gel. The proteases were assessed homogeneous by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and have molecular weight of 31,500, 32,900 and 35,600 Da, respectively. The N-terminal regions of the primary structure were compared and they were found to be different each other. MEFs readily digested the $A\alpha$ - and B$\beta$-chains of fibrinogen and more slowly the ${\gamma}$-chain. The action of the enzymes resulted in extensive hydrolysis of fibrinogen and fibrin, releasing a variety of fibrinopeptides. MEF-1 was inactivated by Cu$^{2+}$ and Zn$^{2+}$ and inhibited by PMSF and chymostatin. MEF-2 was inhibited by PMSF, TLCK. soybean trypsin inhibitor. MEF-3 was only inhibited by PMSF and chymostatin. Antiplasmin was not sensitive to MEF-1 but antithrombin III inhibited the enzymatic activity qf MEF-1. MEF-2 specifically bound to anti plasmin Among the chromogenic protease substrates, the most sensitive one to the hydrolysis of MEFs was benzoyl-Phe-Val-Arg-p-nitroanilide with maximal activity at pH 7.0 and 3$0^{\circ}C$. MEF-1 preferentially cleaved the oxidized B-chain of insulin between Leu15 and Tyr16. In contrast, MEF-2 specifically cleaved the peptide bond between Arg23 and Gly24. D-dimer concentrations increased on incubation of cross-linked fibrin with MEF-1, indicating the enzyme has a strong fibrinolytic activity.ity.