[Purification and characteristics of creatininase from Arthrobacter sp]

A creatininase produced from a Arthrobacter sp. was purified 145-fold by a series of steps including heat treatment, ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-Cellulose ion-exchange and hydrophobic chromatography. The specific activity of the pure enzyme was 209u/mg. The subunit molecular mass of creatininase was estimated to be 33 700D by SDS-PAGE. The creatininase was stable in the pH range between 6.0 - 9.0 and below 60 degrees C . Its Km value for creatinine was estimated to be 21.14 mmol/L. The enzyme was markedly inactivated by incubation with 1 mmol/L of Hg2+, Ag2+, Li+, Cu2+ and 20 mmol/L of 1, 11-Phananthroline respectively. Activation was observed when the enzyme was incubated with 1 mmol/L of Co2+ and Mn2+.