title: Purification and partial characterisation of a cathepsin L-like proteinase from sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus) and its tissue distribution in body wall.
abstract: A cathepsin L-like proteinase (CLP) with molecular weight of 30.9 kDa from the gut of sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicas, S. japonicus) was isolated and purified to homogeneity by several chromatographic procedures. The enzyme exhibited optimum activity at pH 5.0-5.5 and 50 °C, and showed thermostability up to 40 °C. The enzyme activity was completely inhibited by Zn(2+), strongly inhibited by Fe(2+) and Cu(2+), drastically reduced by cysteine proteinase inhibitors, but slightly enhanced by thiol-activating agents. The enzyme efficiently hydrolysed the specific substrate of cathepsin L, but hardly hydrolysed the specific substrates for cathepsin B, cathepsin H and cathepsin K. Immunohistochemical studies indicated that the CLP was more abundant in the epidermis rather than in the dermis of S. japonicus body wall. The distribution of CLP showed positive correlation with autolysis rate. Therefore, the relationship between CLP and autolysis deserved further study.
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian 116034, PR China.
authors.forename: Da-Yong
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian 116034, PR China.
authors.forename: Xian-Na
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China.
authors.forename: Sha-Sha
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian 116034, PR China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian 116034, PR China. Electronic address: zhubeiwei@163.com.
authors.forename: Bei-Wei
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian 116034, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiu-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian 116034, PR China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zong
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian 116034, PR China.
authors.forename: Dong-Mei
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian 116034, PR China.
authors.forename: Mao-Mao
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian 116034, PR China.
authors.forename: Yu-Xin
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Resources Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Murata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001329:Autolysis; D056668:Cathepsin L / Q000737:chemistry*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D012616:Sea Cucumbers / Q000737:chemistry*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D056668:Cathepsin L
keywords: Autolysis; Body wall; Cathepsin L-like proteinase; Immunohistochemistry; Sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus)