Primary structure and antiproteolytic activity of a Kunitz-type inhibitor from bovine spleen

The amino acid sequence of protease inhibitor II, previously isolated from bovine spleen, has been completely elucidated and reveals a high homology (approximately 90%) with that of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI), the well-known Kunitz inhibitor. The secondary and tertiary structure of this new inhibitor appears similar to that of BPTI. Whereas its affinity for bovine trypsin, chymotrypsin, and trypsinogen is almost identical to that of BPTI, the affinity for porcine pancreatic kallikrein is decreased, as expected on the basis of the amino acid substitutions. Analysis of the pH dependence of the affinity constant confirms the previous assignment of the ionizable groups, whose pK values are perturbed on complex formation, to kallikrein and not to the inhibitor molecule.