Abstract: A C-terminal &agr;-amidating enzyme of Xenopus laevis and precursor thereof produced by a recombinant DNA technique; a DNA coding for the enzyme or precursor thereof; a plasmid containing the DNA; a host organism transformed with the plasmid; a process for production of the enzyme using the transformant; and a process for production of a C-terminal &agr;-amidated peptide using the enzyme.

Abstract: A C-terminal &agr;-amidating enzyme of Xenopus laevis and precursor thereof produced by a recombinant DNA technique; a DNA coding for the enzyme or precursor thereof; a plasmid containing the DNA; a host organism transformed with the plasmid; a process for production of the enzyme using the transformant; and a process for production of a C-terminal &agr;-amidated peptide using the enzyme.

Abstract: A C-terminal &agr;-amidating enzyme of Xenopus laevis and precursor thereof produced by a recombinant DNA technique; a DNA coding for the enzyme or precursor thereof; a plasmid containing the DNA; a host organism transformed with the plasmid; a process for production of the enzyme using the transformant; and a process for production of a C-terminal &agr;-amidated peptide using the enzyme.

Abstract: A C-terminal .alpha.-amidating enzyme of Xenopus laevis and precursor thereof produced by a recombinant DNA technique; a DNA coding for the enzyme or precursor thereof; a plasmid containing the DNA; a host organism transformed with the plasmid; a process for production of the enzyme using the transformant; and a process for production of a C-terminal .alpha.-amidated peptide using the enzyme.

Abstract: The invention relates to a C-terminal .alpha.-amidating enzyme of porcine origin having the following properties: (1) the action is on a peptide or protein represented by the formula:X-R-Gly,wherein Gly represents a C-terminal glycine residue, R represents an amino acid residue to be .alpha.-amidated, and X represents a remaining portion of the peptide or protein to convert it to a peptide or protein represented by the formula:X-R-NH.sub.2,wherein R-NH.sub.2 represents a C-terminal .alpha.-amidated amino acid residue and X represents a remaining portion of the peptide or protein; (2) the optimal pH is 6.5 to 8.5; (3) the molecular weight is about 92,000 as determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; and (4) it contains the following peptide fragment:. . . Glu-Ala-Pro-Leu-Leu-Ile-Leu-Gly . . . .Further, the invention relates to a process for the production of the C-terminal .alpha.

Abstract: A KEX2 endoprotease produced by a recombinant DNA technique, a KEX2 endoprotease shortened at the C-terminal of a native enzyme and still containing a C-terminal hydrophobic region, a soluble KEX2 endoprotease without a C-terminal hydrophobic region; DNA's coding for the above-mentioned enzymes; expression plasmids containing the DNA; hosts transformed with the plasmid; a process for production of the above-mentioned enzymes using the transformed host; and a process for production of biologically active polypeptide using the above-mentioned enzyme.

Abstract: A KEX2 endoprotease produced by a recombinant DNA technique, a KEX2 endoprotease shortened at the C-terminal of a native enzyme and still containing a C-terminal hydrophobic region, a soluble KEX2 endoprotease without a C-terminal hydrophobic region; DNA's coding for the above-mentioned enzymes; expression plasmids containing the DNA; hosts transformed with the plasmid; a process for production of the above-mentioned enzymes using the transformed host; and a process for production of biologically active polypeptide using the above-mentioned enzyme.

Abstract: C-terminal .alpha.-amidating enzyme preparations, including preparations AE-I, AE-II, AE-IIa and AE-IIb, from the skin of Xenopus laevis, wherein all components can convert a peptide having a glycine residue at its C-terminal to a C-terminal amidated peptide lacking the glycine residue, and have a common N-terminal amino acid sequence represented by Ser-Leu-Ser---, and AE-I and AE-IIa have a molecular weight of about 39,000, AE-IIb has a molecular weight of about 34,000, and AE-II comprises two components having molecular weight of about 39,000 and 34,000; a process for production of the above-mentioned enzyme preparations; and a process for .alpha.-amidation of a peptide by using the above mentioned enzyme preparations.

Abstract: Disclosed is a new protease having the following properties: (1) it is able to hydrolitically cleave a peptide bond between two adjacent basic amino acids in a peptide chain; (2) it has a molecular weight of about 43,000 as determined by electrophoresis; (3) it is inhibited by phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride and diisopropyl fluorophosphate, but is not inhibited by monoiodoacetate, p-chloromercuribenzoic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, 1,10-phenanthroline, tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone, and leupeptin. The protese can be produced by culturing Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and recovering purification by conventional methods, and is useful as a processing enzyme for conversion of a prohormone to an active hormone.

Abstract: Disclosed is a new protease having the following properties: (1) it is able to hydrolitically cleave a peptide bond between two adjacent basic amino acids in a peptide chain; (2) it has a molecular weight of about 43,000 as determined by electrophoresis; (3) it is inhibited by phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride and diisopropyl fluorophosphate, but is not inhibited by monoiodoacetate, p-chloromercuribenzoic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, 1,10-phenanthroline, tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone, and leupeptin. The protease can be produced by culturing Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and recovering purification by conventional methods, and is useful as a processing enzyme for conversion of a prohormone to an active hormone.