J. Biochem, 1984, Vol. 96, No. 4 1125-1131
© 1984 Japanese Biochemical Society
research-article |
Mammalian Signal Peptidase: Partial Purification and General Characterization of the Signal Peptidase from Microsomal Membranes of Porcine Pancreas1
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Hokkaido Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences Katsuraoka-cho, Otaru, Hokkaido 04702
Signal peptidase has been enriched extensively from microsomal membranes of porcine pancreas. Microsomal membranes were washed with 1 M KCl and Brij 35, and then solubilized with 1% Nonidet P-40. The solubilized signal peptidase was purified by DEAE-cellulose chromatography and Sepharose CL-6B filtration. Cleavage of pre-human placental lactogen with the partially purified enzyme gave the mature form, whose NH2-terminus was identified as valine. The signal peptidase is heat-labile and approximately 90% of the enzymatic activity was lost at 60°C within 1 min. The pH optimum of the activity was 7 to 8. Chymostatin and o-phenanthroline at concentrations of 2.5 mM inhibited the signal peptidase activity by 62% and 30%, respectively.
1This work was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japan.