Proteasome and its novel endogeneous activator in human platelets.

Proteasome, a high molecular weight multicatalytic protease, was purified from the cytosolic fraction of human platelets for the first time. The biochemical properties of the enzyme including substrate specificity, optimal pH and effects of various inhibitors were almost identical with those of other cells. During the purification with a Heparin-Sepharose chromatography, a novel endogenous activator of the protease was identified and was partially purified. The activator enhanced both chymotrypsin or trypsin like activities of the proteasome in a dose related manner and was inactivated by heating at 56 degrees C for 30 min. This newly identified activator may serve as an important regulator or cofactor of intracellular activities of the proteasome.