Purification and characterization of a new 120 kDa alkaline proteinase of Trypanosoma cruzi.

A new alkaline proteinase activity was identified in cell-free extracts of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes on the basis of its ability to hydrolyze the fluorogenic substrate N-Z-Gly-Gly-Arg-AMC. The optimal activity was at pH 8.0. After a three step-chromatography procedure using two anionic columns (DEAE-Sepharose and Mono Q) and a chromatofocusing column (Mono P), the proteolytic activity was associated with a single 120 kDa protein and was called Tc 120 proteinase. The molecular mass of the proteinase was confirmed by direct visualization of the proteolytic activity using a fluorometric assay on SDS-PAGE. The Tc 120 proteinase which also cleaves N-Z-Arg-AMC, N-Z-Phe-Arg-AMC and N-glutaryl-Gly-Arg-AMC substrates, is a cysteine-type proteinase with an unusual low sensitivity to E-64.