Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. 1987, 52, 1625-1633
https://doi.org/10.1135/cccc19871625

Role of amino acid residues in chromogenic substrates cleaved by pancreatic elastase

Evžen Kasafíreka, Přemysl Fričb and Jan Slabýc

a Research Institute for Pharmacy and Biochemistry, 130 60 Prague 3
b Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Charles University, 121 11 Prague 2
c Department of Medicine, Policlinic of Charles University, 121 11 Prague 2

Abstract

Anionic chromogenic substrates, 3-carboxypropionyl tripeptide p-nitroanilides modified with glycine, β-alanine, alanine, leucine and proline in positions P1, P2, and P3 were synthesized. The substrates were digested with pancreatic elastase and the values of Km, kcat, and kcat/Km were determined. Alanine plays a decisive role in position P1, substrates with glycine or β-alanine in this position are not cleaved. The substitution in P2 is dominant for proline; next follow alanine, leucine, and glycine. The substitution in P3 is the least specific one.