AUTOLYTIC AND PROTEOLYTIC PROCESSES OF CALCIUM-ACTIVATED NEUTRAL PROTEASE ARE INDEPENDENT FROM EACH OTHER

To confirm the existence of an autolytic process, independent of the protease activity towards substrate, in the activation of calcium-activated neutral protease (CANP), differences in the mode of autolysis and proteolysis were examined. While the optimal pH for proteolysis by autodigested ,uCANP is 7.2, the pH optimum for the autolysis by native ,uCANP is higher than pH 8. The calcium ion-requirements for the two reactions are different, and the rate of autolysis increases rather than decreases in the presence of substrate.