Purification and Characterization of a Collagenolytic Protease from the Filefish, Novoden modestrus

A serine collagenolytic protease was purified from the internal organs of filefish, Novoden modestrus, by ammonium sulfate, ion-exchange chromatography on a DEAE-Sephadex A-50, ion-exchange rechromatography on a DEAE-Sephadex A-50, and gel filtration on a Sephadex G-150 column. The molecular mass of the filefish serine collagenase was estimated to be 27.0 kDa by gel filtration and SDS-PAGE. The purified collagenase was optimally active at pH 7.0-8.0 and 55℃. The purified enzyme was rich in Ala, Ser, Leu, and Ile, but poor in Trp, Pro, Tyr, and Met. In addition, the purified collagenolytic enzyme was strongly inhibited by N-P-toluenesulfonyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP), and soybean trypsin inhibitor.