Isolation and characterisation of peptide hydrolases from the maize root

The maize root has two main proteinase and carboxypeptidase components. Proteinase I and carboxypeptidase I, which predominate in older plants, appear to have a serine group at their active sites and have been estimated to have molecular weights of approximately 54000 and 77000 respectively. Proteinase I, which has been purified up to 500-fold, degrades haemoglobin and azocasein with maximum activity at pH 4 and 9--10 respectively, while on maize root protein it gives most hydrolysis in the neutral pH range. The main portion of the nitrate-reductase-inactivating activity in the maize root extract is due to proteinase I. Carboxypeptidase I, like several other plant carboxypeptidases such as carboxypeptidase C which have now (IUB Recommendations 1978) been classified as serine carboxypeptidases (EC 3.4.16.1), has maximum activity around pH 5 and has esterase activity. A second group of proteases, proteinase II and carboxypeptidase II, separated from the above on carboxymethyl-cellulose, were shown to have different molecular weight properties and be equally sensitive to serine and thiol group inhibitors. Proteinase II degrades haemoglobin, but not azocasein and does not mediate nitrate reductase inactivation. Associated with this second group of proteases was a macromolecular component which inactivated nitrate reductase but, unlike the action of proteinase I, was not inhibited by phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride or casein. It was inhibited by metal chelating agents which were without effect on nitrate reductase inactivation due to proteinase I.