Ficin is the name given to the proteolytic enzyme activity of the latex of trees of the genus Ficus (1). While this proteolytic activity has been utilized for centuries and Walti (2) crystallized a proteolytic enzyme from fig latex, little is known of the physical, chemical, and enzymatic properties of this activity. The information available on ficin indicates that it closely resembles papain ...

GASTRIC STABILITY STUDY OF SUPPLEMENTAL DIGESTIVE ENZYMES In order to meet the cellular demands of adequate nutrients, there must be a good selection of the foods containing the nutrients and also a good digestion/absorption within the gastrointestinal tract. This awareness to ensure good bioavailability of nutrients is gaining more interest. As a result, the administration of supplemental dige...

The activity and capacity (activity tissue weight) of digestive carbohydrases (total carbohydrase, aglucosidase, a-amylase) was examined in vitro under a range of (more realistic) incubation temperatures (5, 18 and 25 1C) and pH (7.6) more likely to be encountered during rearing, along the digestive tract of important teleost species for aquaculture (Dicentrarchus labrax, Sparus aurata, Oreochr...

The 19-transmembrane γ-secretase complex generates the amyloid β-peptide of Alzheimer's disease by intramembrane proteolysis of the β-amyloid precursor protein. This complex is comprised of presenilin, Aph1, nicastrin, and Pen-2. The exact function and mechanism of the highly conserved Pen-2 subunit remain poorly understood. Using systematic mutagenesis, we confirm and extend our understanding ...

A semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was developed to estimate tissue-specific expression of two amylase genes in five different tissues of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas and the experimental effects of food level on the cellular, enzymatic and gene expression changes of the digestive gland. Results indicated that both genes were transcribed a...

A receptor binding and digestive activity of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) toward formyl-methionyl-leucyl-[3H]phenylalanine (3H-FMLP) was examined with the following results: Up- and down-regulation and recovery of 3H-FMLP binding activity were demonstrated. Both intact PMN and a lysate prepared from them cleaved the carboxyl terminal amino acid (phenylalanine) of 3H-FMLP. The diges...

Chymosin (Rennin EC 3.4.23.4), an aspartyl proteinase, is the major proteolytic enzyme in the fourthstomach of the unweaned calf, and it is formed by proteolytic activation of its zymogene, prochymosin.Following the cloning of synthesized cDNAs on mRNA pools extracted from the mucosa of the calf fourthstomach, we have identified an alternatively spliced form of preprochymosin ...

AB S T R A C T Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was obtained from 24 sequentially studied patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) for assessment of potential activating and mediating factors. Proteolytic activity of the fluids was observed by measuring cleavage of radiolabeled proteins of the contact (Hageman factor) and complement systems. Proteolytic activity was observed i...

Diverse functions for three soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) cysteine proteinase inhibitors (CysPIs) are inferred from unique characteristics of differential regulation of gene expression and inhibitory activities against specific Cys proteinases. Based on northern blot analyses, we found that the expression in leaves of one soybean CysPI gene (L1) was constitutive and the other two (N2 and R1) w...