PZ-peptidase from chick embryos. Purification, properties, and action on collagen peptides.

PZ-peptidase is an endopeptidase that cleaves the synthetic substrate developed for clostridial collagenase, 4-phenylazobenzyloxycarbonyl-L-Pro-L-Leu-Gly-L-Pro-D-Arg (PZ-peptide). The peptidase has been purified to homogeneity from chicken embryos. The enzyme has a pH optimum of 7.5 to 8.5, and isoelectric point of 5.0, and a molecular weight of 77,000. The kinetic parameters at pH 8 and 37 degrees are: Km = 2 X 10(-4) M and Vmax = 4.2 mumol/min/mg of protein. The enzyme is inhibited by p-hydroxymercuribenzoate (100%), N-ethylmaleimide (60%), and chelating agents (40 to 60%). Maximum activity is attained in the presence of reducing agents and Ca2+, Sr2+, or Mg2+. The peptidase has no detectable action on casein, serum albumin, collagen, collagen alpha chains, various collagen peptides (alpha1)(I)-CB2, alpha1(I)-CB3, alpha1(I)-CB4), (Gly-Pro-Pro)10, or (Gly-Pro-Pro)5. It does catalyze the hydrolysis of the Hyp--Gly bond in the 17-residue collagen peptide alpha1(II)-CB6-C2 and it partially digested a mixture of collagen peptides of molecular weight 350 to 2500. A role of this peptidase in collagen breakdown appears to be restricted to a late stage when degradation products would fall in the range of 5 to 30 residues.