• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.345-352
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• 1991

A serine proteinase of molecular weight 60 kd was purified from culture supernatant of P. aeruginosa using DEAE-Trisacryl M ion-exchange and AcA 54 gel filtration column chromatography, and the properties of serine proteinase were characterized. By means of SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the molecular weight of the enzyme was 55 kd. The optimal pH for the activity of purified enzyme was 7.5. The activity of the purified enzyme was completely inhibited by Di-isopropylfluorophosphate(DFP) and N-.alpha.-p-tosyl-L-lysine choloromethyl detone(TLCK) but not by other proteinase inhibitors such as E-64, pepstatin A, 1, 10-phenanthroline. The purified enzyme was capable of degrading type I and type IV collagen. Antisera obtained from hymans infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa reacted to the purified serine proteinase in immunoblots. These results indicate that the purified enzyme is trypsin-like serine proteinase and this enzyme of P. aeruginosa may play an important role in tissue damage as a spreading factor and may be useful for serodiagnosis of Pseudomonas infections.

• BMB Reports
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.303-306
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• 1998

Serine proteinase cDNA fragment from protozoan parasite Acanthamoeba culbertsoni was amplified by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) using degenerate oligonucleotide primers derived from conserved serine proteinase sequences. The amplified DNA fragment was subcloned and sequenced. The sequence analysis and alignment showed significant sequence similarity to other eukaryotic serine proteinases and conservation of the His, Asp, and Ser residues that form the catalytic triad. The cDNA fragment was cloned into the pGEMEX-1 expression vector and expressed in Escherichia coli. A resulting fusion protein of 56 kDa had proteolytic activity. The fusion protein reacted with sera of mice immunized with purified serine proteinase of A. culbertsoni in Western blot. Immune recognition of the fusion protein by mouse antisera suggested that the fusion protein may be valuable as a diagnostic reagent.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.44 no.4 s.140
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• pp.321-330
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• 2006

The pathogenic mechanism of granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE) and amebic keratitis (AK) by Acanthamoeba has yet to be clarified. Pretense has been recognized to play an important role in the pathogenesis of GAE and AK. In the present study, we have compared specific activity and cytopathic effects (CPE) of purified 33 kDa serine proteinases from Acanthamoeba strains with different degree of virulence (A. healyi OC-3A, A. lugdunensis KA/E2, and A. castelianii Neff). Trophozoites of the 3 strains revealed different degrees of CPE on human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells. The effect was remarkably reduced by adding phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride (PMSF), a serine proteinase inhibitor. This result indicated that PMSF-susceptible proteinase is the main component causing cytopathy to HCE cells by Acanthamoeba. The purified 33 kDa serine proteinase showed strong activity toward HCE cells and extracellular matrix proteins. The purified proteinase from OC-3A, the most virulent strain, demonstrated the highest enzyme activity compared to KA/E2, an ocular isolate, and Neff, a soil isolate. Polyclonal antibodies against the purified 33 kDa serine proteinase inhibit almost completely the proteolytic activity of culture supernatant of Acanthamoeba. In line with these results, the 33 kDa serine proteinase is suggested to play an important role in pathogenesis and to be the main component of virulence factor of Acanthamoeba.

• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.455-461
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• 1996

A serine proteinase was purified from Acanthamoeba culbertsoni by 41~80% ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion exchange chromatography, affinity chromatography and gel filtration chromatography. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 108.0 kDa by gel filtration chromatography and 54.0 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Therefore, the purified enzyme seemed to be a dimer. Isoelectric point was 4.5. The enzyme activity was highly inhibited by the serine proteinase inhibitors diisopropyl fluorophosphate (OFP) and phenylmethyl sulfonylfluoride (PMSF). It had a narrow pH optimum of 6.5~7.5 with a maximum at pH 7.0. These data suggested that the purified enzyme was a neutral serine proteinase. Optimal temperature was $37^{\circ}C$. It was stable for at least 16 h at $4^{\circ}C$ and $37^{\circ}C$, but it was rapidly inactivated at $65^{\circ}C$ The activity of the purified enzyme was not influenced significantly by $Mg^{2+}$, $Mn^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$ or $Ca^{2+}$. However, the enzyme activity was highly inhibited by $Hg^{2+}$ The enzyme degraded type I collagen and fibronectin, but not BSA, hemoglobin, lysozyme, immunoglobulin A or immunoglobulin G.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.82-86
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• 1998

An alkaline proteinase secreted from Yarrowia lipolytica 504D was purified by salting-out and column chromatography. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was about 32,000 Da estimated by SDS-PAGE. The optimal condition for the activity of the enzyme was at pH 9.5 and $42^{\circ}C$ The enzyme was stable up to $45^{\circ}C$ and at the range of pH 4-10. Because the enzyme was inhibited by PMSF as well as EDTA, EGTA, and phenan-throlin, it is uncertain whether the enzyme is serine proteinase or metalloproteinase. However, almost all metal salts tested did not increase the enzyme activity, and Ca salt restored the activity of the enzyme inactivated by EDTA. Therefore, the purified enzyme seems to be an serine proteinase (E.C. 3.4.21.14).

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.65-70
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• 1990

The objective of the current study is to elucidate the biological roles of proteinase inhibitor in microorganisms. As the first step, a strain of Streptomyces fradiae was selected as a producer of extracellular proteinase inhibitor. The proteinase inhibitor was purified from culture broth through ultrafiltration, gel-filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. Molecular weight of the proteinase inhibitor was estimated to be 16, 800 by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It was found that the proteinase inhibitor inhibited only alkaline serine proteinases such as subtilisin, $\alpha$-chymotrypsin and Promase E but not trypsin and other proteinases. The mode of inhibition against Pronase E with succinyl-phenylalanine-p-nitroanilide as a substrate was competitive.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 1997

The present study was undertaken to determine whether live T. uaginnlis degrades human secretory IgA, serum If and IgG molecules. Human immunoglobulins were exposed to live trophozoites, parasite Iysate, and excretory-secretory product (ESP) of T ucginnlis. To determine the fragmentation of immunoglobulins, the reaction sample was subjected to SDS-PAGE and EITB, and peroxidase conjugated antihuman IgA and IgG were used as probes. Live trophozoites degraded secretory IgA, serum IgA and IgG, and degradation were pressed forward by the prolongation of the incubation time and by increasing the number of trichomonads respectively. Also the Iysates and ESP of trichomonads degraded IgA and IgG. The cysteine and serine proteinase inhibitors such as I-64, antipain, iodoacetic acid, iodoacetamide, TLCK reduced the ability of cleaving immunoglobulins. The proteinase activity and cytotoxicity of T. uaginnlis to HeLa cells were decreased when live T. vusinalis was treated with metallo-proteinase inhibitor as well as cysteine and serine proteinase inhibitors. These results suggest that proteinase secreted from live T ucginclis may play a part role in host pathogenesis by T. uosinnlis, and the cleaving ability of host immunoglobulins by the proteinase may contribute as a one of immune evasion mechanism for parasite survival in the host.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.261-268
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• 1998

The present study was undertaken to investigate the role of cysteine proteinase of Trichomonas vaginalis in escaping from host defense mechanism. A cysteine proteinase of T. vaginalis was purified by affinity chromatography and gel filtration. Optimum pH for the purified proteinase activity was 6.0. The proteinase was inhibited by cysteine and serine proteinase inhibitors such as E-64, NEM, IAA, leupeptin. TPCK and TLCK, and also by $Hg^{2+}$, but not affected by serine-, metallo-, and aspartic proteinase inhibitors such as PMSF, EDTA and pepstatin A. However, it was activated by the cysteine proteinase activator, DTT. The molecular weight of a purified proteinase was 62 kDa on gel filtration and 60 kDa on SDS-PAGE. Interestingly, the purified proteinase was able to degrade serum IgA, secretory IgA, and serum IgG in time- and dose-dependent manners. In addition, the enzyme also degraded hemoglobin in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that the acidic cysteine proteinase of T. vaginalis may play a dual role for parasite survival in conferring escape from host humoral defense by degradation of immunoglobulins, and in supplying nutrients to parasites by degradation of hemoglobin.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.231-242
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• 1994

Pnragonimus westermnni, the lung fluke, is known to migrate to the pulmonary tissue of mammalian hosts and causes pathological changes in the lungs. An acidic thiol-dependent proteinase with a molecular weight of approximately 20,000 daltons was purified to homogeneity using ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration chromatography. On SDS-PAGE, the molecular weight of the enzyme was 17,500 daltons. Isoelectric point was 6.45. The enzyme was similar to the acidic cysteine proteinase of vertebrates in the properties of pH optimum, substrate specificity and inhibitor sensitivity. Enzymatic activity was stable at pH 5.5 for at least two days when stored at 4℃. The cysteine proteinase was capable of degrading collagen and hemoglobin. Sera of patients with paragonimiasis and mice infected with R westermani reacted in immunoblots with the partially purified proteinase. This result suggested that the cysteine proteinase of P. westermnni may play a role in migration in tissues, and in acquisition of nutrients by parasites from the host. It is also potentially an antigen for the serodiagnosis of paragonimiasis.

• The Journal of Natural Sciences
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.25-29
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• 1997

To study the mechanism of lipocortin-1, the 37 kDa protein, one of the annxin superfamily thought to be a second messenger during the Glucocorticoid dependent anti-inflammatory action, the gene for lipocortin-1 binding protein was isolated using the yeast two hybrid assay, the yeast based genetic assay recognizing the protein-protein interaction. The results showed that this gene has a weak homology to the for the human serine proteinase.