Magnesium enhances human pancreatic elastase digestion of 125I-labeled elastin

The effect of some divalent cations, especially Mg++, on elastinolysis by porcine or human pancreatic elastase has been determined using 125Iodine-labeled elastin as substrate. Elastin degradation was significantly increased in the presence of 10(-3) M Mg++. If elastin was pre-incubated with 0.5 (w/v) Triton, there was a further increase in elastinolysis to 2.6 times the original rate.