INfluence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa proteases on prothrombin, plasminogen and fibrinogen.

Out of 136 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa tested, 101 produced a procoagulant protease and 70 a protease with fibrinolytic activity. Strain No. 1800 producing both these proteases served as a source of the crude enzyme mixture. The crude enzyme was isolated from the supernatant and subjected to fractionation by isoelectric focusing. Five active components were isolated. Activities of individual proteases were compared. It was found that for prothrombin activation a protease characterized by isoelectric point of 7.0 is responsible; this protease is different from both collagenase and elastase. Protease available at isoelectric point of 8.8 is plasminlike and is also not identical with collagenase and elastase.