Tryptase was purified 13,000-fold to apparent homogeneity from rat skin. The two-step procedure involved ammonium sulfate fractionation of the initial extract followed by combined sequential affinity chromatography on agarose-glycyl-glycyl-p-aminobenzamidine and concanavalin A-agarose. The purified enzyme had a specific activity toward N-benzoylarginine ethyl ester (BzArgOEt) of 170 mumol/min mg-1 and was obtained in a yield of 28% as determined by the specific substrate, H-D-Ile-Pro-Arg-p-nitroanilide. Rat skin tryptase was thermal labile, losing 50% of its activity when preincubated for 30 min at 30 degrees C. The presence of NaCl (1 M) improved thermal stability and was necessary for long-term storage. Heparin did not stabilize the enzyme against thermal denaturation, and heparin-agarose failed to bind the enzyme. Rat skin tryptase was inhibited by diisopropylphosphofluoridate, antipain, leupeptin, and aprotinin but not by alpha 1-antitrypsin, ovomucoid, or soybean or lima bean trypsin inhibitors. Substrate specificity studies using a series of tri- and tetrapeptidyl-p-nitroanilide and peptidyl-7-amino-4-methylcoumarin substrates demonstrated the existence of an extended substrate binding site. Rat skin tryptase hydrolyzed [Arg8]vasopressin, neurotensin, and the oxidized B-chain of insulin at the -Arg8-Gly9-NH2, -Arg8-Arg9-, and -Arg22-Gly23-bonds, respectively. No general proteinase activity was observed toward casein, hemoglobin, or azocoll. Rat skin tryptase had a Mr of 145,000 by gel filtration. The subunit Mr was either 34,000 or 30,000 depending on the electrophoretic technique used. Treatment of the enzyme with peptide N-glycosidase F (N-glycanase) decreased the subunit Mr by 4000. The enzyme exhibited multiple isoelectric forms (pI's of 4.5-4.9). Rat skin tryptase was found to be related statistically to other tryptases on the basis of amino acid composition. The N-terminal amino acid sequence was Ile1-Val2-Gly3-Gly4-Gln5-Glu6-Ala7-+ ++Ser8-Gly9-Asn10-Lys11-Trp12-Pro13- Trp14- Gln15-Val16-Ser17-Leu18-Arg19-Val20- --21-Asp-22Thr23-Tyr24-Typ25-, with a putative glycosylation site at residue 21. This sequence was 72-80% homologous with the N-terminus of other tryptases but only 40% homologous with that of bovine trypsin.

No abstract

Microalgae have a clear potential to be used as a source for the production of biofuel. In order to utilize microalgae for this purpose, the most common systems for cultivating and harvesting them are investigated in the previous years. Since there are many species of microalgae with varying lipid accumulating characteristics, a diversity of options for the production of microalgae based energy have been analyzed. Subsequently, the energy inputs and conditions needed for growing and harvesting the microalgae and its oil production potentials are examined. This concludes with a formulation of complete concept for producing a renewable energy carrier from microalgae, which will be used for in-depth analysis.Â

No abstract