[Substrate specificity of a protease from Thermoactinomyces vulgaris]

The cleavage specificity of a protease from Thermoactinomyces vulgaris (thermitase) was determined by the insulin B-chain and the cleavability of casein and haemoglobin by this enzyme as compared to other proteases (trypsin, chymotrypsin, proteases from Bac. megaterium and cytophages). The most intense splitting effect on the substrates under investigation (insulin B-chain, casein and haemoglobin) is exerted by thermitase, i. e., the unspecificity of this enzyme is especially marked.