Isolation and characterization of fibrinogenase from Candida albicans NH-1.

1. Fibrinogenase was isolated from Candida albicans NH-1 by DEAE-Cellulose, Sephadex G-75 and Sephadex G-100 column chromatographies. 2. The purified fibrinogenase gave a single band on disc polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. 3. The enzyme preparation had a molecular weight of 13,000, isoelectric point of pH 4.2 and possessed 117 amino acid residues. 4. The purified fibrinogenase possessed capillary permeability-increasing activity. 5. The enzyme hydrolyzed fibrinogen, casein, hide powder azure, azocoll hydrolytic activities and also hydrolyzed the oxidized B chain of insulin. The cleavage sites in the oxidized B chain of insulin were identified as Asp(3)-Glu(4), Glu(13)-Ala(14), Ala(14)-Leu(15), Tyr(16)-Leu(17), Arg(22)-Gly(23), Phe(25)-Tyr(26) and Tyr(26)-Thr(27). 6. Fibrinogenase activity of this preparation was inhibited by alpha 2-macroglobulin antithrombin-III, o-phenanthroline, disodium ethylenediaminetetra acetic acid and dithiothreitol.