Purification and characterization of a dipeptidase from Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus

A metal-dependent dipeptidase has been purified from a cell-free extract of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus B14 by ammonium sulphate precipitation, anion exchange chromatography, metal chelating affinity chromatography with immobilized Cu²⁺, and repeated FPLC anion exchange chromatography. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 51 kD by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as well as by gel filtration, which indicates that it does not consist of subunits. The enzyme was most active at pH 7 and 50°C. Reducing agents, like dithiothreitol and β-mercaptoethanol, increased enzyme activity while metal chelating agents had an inhibitory effect. Enzyme activity, inhibited by EDTA and EGTA, could be partially restored by Co²⁺ and Mn²⁺. The enzyme was most active on dipeptides containing an aminoterminal hydrophobic amino acid such as Leu-Leu and Leu-Gly. Kinetic studies indicated that the dipeptidase had a higher affinity for the first substrate mentioned. The K_m-values for both substrates were about 0·56 and 1·23 mM, with turnover numbers of 870 and 480 s⁻¹, respectively.