title: Partial purification and properties of a cysteine protease from citrus red mite Panonychus citri.
abstract: Several studies have reported that the citrus red mites Panonychus citri were an important allergen of citrus-cultivating farmers in Jeju Island. The aim of the present study was to purify and assess properties of a cysteine protease from the mites acting as a potentially pathogenic factor to citrus-cultivating farmers. A cysteine protease was purified using column chromatography of Mono Q anion exchanger and Superdex 200 HR gel filtration. It was estimated to be 46 kDa by gel filtration column chromatography and consisted of 2 polypeptides, at least. Cysteine protease inhibitors, such as trans poxy-succinyl-L-leucyl-amido (4-guanidino) butane (E-64) and iodoacetic acid (IAA) totally inhibited the enzyme activities, whereas serine or metalloprotease inhibitors did not affect the activities. In addition, the purified enzyme degraded human IgG, collagen, and fibronectin, but not egg albumin. From these results, the cysteine protease of the mites might be involved in the pathogenesis such as tissue destruction and penetration instead of nutrient digestion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and The Environmental Health Center, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju 690-767, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Chul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju 690-767, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyu-Hee
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Her
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju 690-767, Korea.
authors.forename: Heung-Up
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju 690-767, Korea.
authors.forename: Jaechun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon 406-799, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Pyo
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju 690-767, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Bae
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D057056:Cysteine Proteases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D008970:Molecular Weight; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D059748:Proteolysis; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D040102:Tetranychidae / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D005353:Fibronectins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D021122:Protein Subunits; D003094:Collagen; D057056:Cysteine Proteases
keywords: Panonychus citri; allergen; cysteine protease; mite