The trypsin-catalyzed activation of glutamate dehydrogenase purified from eel liver

Eel liver glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) [EC 1.4.1.3] was eightfold activated by trypsin and the molecular weight of the subunit of the native GDH decreased from 54,000 to 50,000. The C-terminal amino acid of both subunits was Thr. One peptide was released after proteolysis of the native GDH by trypsin and purified by anhydrotrypsin agarose and reversed-phase HPLC. The isolated peptide consisted of 39 amino acids and its amino acid sequence was as follows: H2NS-E-A-V-E-K-E-D-D-P-N-F-F-K-M-V-E-G-F-F-D-K-G-A-A-I- V-E-N-K-L-V-E-E-D-L-K-T-R-COOH. The peptide contained the N-terminal of the native GDH and its molecular weight was calculated to be 4,413. We concluded that the trypsin-catalyzed activation was caused by release of this peptide from the native GDH. p-Chloromercuribenzoic acid inhibited the activity of the trypsin-treated GDH, but stimulated that of the native GDH. The response of trypsin-treated GDH to ADP and GTP was decreased compared with that of the native GDH.