Purification and properties of an aminopeptidase from rat-liver cytosol

An aminopeptidase was purified from the rat-liver cytosolic fraction to apparent electrophoretic homogeneity. The enzyme is a monomeric protein of 95 kDa, having an isoelectric point of 4.9. Amino acid analyses indicate that the enzyme is rich in acidic amino acids and is poor in cysteine. The enzyme hydrolyzed a broad spectrum of amino acid beta-naphthylamides at a neutral pH. The enzyme also hydrolyzed di-, tri-, and oligopeptides, including physiologically active peptides such as enkephalins and Met-Lys-bradykinin. The enzyme was inhibited by metal-chelating agents, sulfhydryl-reactive reagents, N-P-tosyl-L-phenylalaninechloromethyl ketone, N-P-tosyl-L-lysinechloromethyl ketone, and puromycin but not by protease inhibitors of microbial origin. The enzyme was activated by the addition of Co2+ and sulfhydryl compounds. The aminopeptidase enhanced proteolysis when the enzyme was added to the protease assay system with purified rat-liver cytosolic neutral protease, suggesting the cooperative action of aminopeptidase in the overall process of protein degradation.