The study of proteinase expression in crude extracts from different organs of the globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) disclosed that enzymes with proteolytic and milk-clotting activity are mainly located in mature flowers. Maximum proteolytic activity was recorded at pH 5.0, and inhibition studies showed that only pepstatin, specific for aspartic proteinases, presented a significant inhibitory effect. Such properties, in addition to easy enzyme inactivation by moderate heating, make this crude protease extract potentially useful for cheese production. Adsorption with activated carbon, together with anion exchange and affinity chromatography, led to the isolation of a heterodimeric milk-clotting proteinase consisting of 30- and 15-kDa subunits. MALDI-TOF MS of the 15-kDa chain determined a 15.358-Da mass, and the terminal amino sequence presented 96% homology with the smaller cardosin A subunit. The amino terminal sequence of the 30-kDa chain proved to be identical to the larger cardosin A subunit. Electrophoresis evidenced proteinase self-processing that was confirmed by immunoblots presenting 62-, 30-, and 15-kDa bands.

From unripe fruits of Bromelia hieronymi Mez (Bromeliaceae), a partially purified protease preparation was obtained by acetone fractionation of the crude extract. Purification was achieved by anionic exchange chromatography (FPLC) on Q-Sepharose HP followed by cationic exchange chromatography (SP-Sepharose HP). Homogeneity of the new enzyme, named hieronymain II, was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF-TOF). The molecular mass of was 23,411 Da, and maximum proteolytic activity (more than 90% of maximum activity) was achieved at pH 7.5-9.0 on casein and at pH 7.30-8.3 on Z-Phe-Arg-p-nitroanilide. The enzyme was completely inhibited by E-64 and iodoacetic acid and activated by the addition of cysteine. The N-terminal sequence of hieronymain II (AVPQSIDWRVYGAV) was compared with those of 12 plant cysteine proteases which showed more than 70% of identity. Kinetic enzymatic assays were made on Z-Phe-Arg-p-nitroanilide (Km = 0.72mM, kcat = 1.82 seg(-1) , kcat/ Km = 2.54seg(-1) mM(-l)). No detectable activity could be found on PFLNA or Z-Arg-Arg-p-nitroanilide.

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A new plant endopeptidase was obtained from unripe fruits of Bromelia balansae Mez (Bromeliaceae). Crude extracts were partially purified by ethanol fractionation. This preparation (redissolved ethanol precipitate, REP) showed maximum activity at pH 8.8-9.2, was very stable even at high ionic strength values (no appreciable decrease in proteolytic activity could be detected after 24 h in 1 M sodium chloride solution at 37 degrees C), and exhibited high thermal stability (inactivation required heating for 60 min at 75 degrees C). Anion exchange chromatography allowed the isolation of a fraction purified to mass spectroscopy, SDS-PAGE, and IEF homogeneity, named balansain I, with pI = 5.45 and molecular mass = 23192 (mass spectrometry). The purification factor is low (2.9-fold), but the yield is high (48.3%), a common occurrence in plant organs with high proteolytic activity, where proteases represent the bulk of protein content of crude extracts. Balansain I exhibits a similar but narrower pH profile than that obtained for REP, with a maximum pH value approximately 9.0 and was inhibited by E-64 and other cysteine peptidases inhibitors but not affected by inhibitors of the other catalytic types of peptidases. The alanine and glutamine derivatives of N-alpha-carbobenzoxy-L-amino acid p-nitrophenyl esters was strongly preferred by the enzyme. The N-terminal sequence of balansain I showed a very high homology (85-90%) with other known Bromeliaceae endopeptidases.