Isolation, purification and characterization of a DPP-III homologue from goat brain.

A dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP) from goat brain has been purified. The purified enzyme showed a single band on sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). It is a monomer with molecular weight of 69kDa with a pI of 4.5. The K(m) was estimated to be 39microM for Arg-Arg-4-methoxy-beta-naphthylamide (Arg-Arg-4mbetaNA). This enzyme is strongly inhibited by commonly used metallochelators and sulfhydryl reagents. Among various beta-naphthylamides examined, Arg-Arg-4mbetaNA was the most rapidly hydrolyzed substrate. Although, initially it was thought to be the DPP-III but on the basis of its molecular weight and inhibition studies, it was concluded that this enzyme is a functional homologue of DPP-III.