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Shin'ichi Takafuji

Boukje Bosman

Taisuke Iwasaki

Masahiro Sasaki

Paris S T Tan

An endopeptidase produced by,which hydrolyzes peptides with about 3-34 amino acid residues, but not proteins, has been discovered. The enzyme has a molecular weight of about 70 kDa, an isoelectric point of about 4.8, an optimal temperature of about 30&deg; C. and an optimal pH of about 7.0. No homologous endopeptidase was found in a data base search of the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme, and thus the enzyme is novel. The endopeptidase can be used together with proteolytic enzymes such as proteinases and aminopeptidases using the substrate specificity of the endopeptidase to effectively degrade proteins. The endopeptidase can be applied singly to selectively produced specific peptides. The protein hydrolysate can be used for the preparation of foods, drinks and medicines.

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Saitama-shi, Japan

Shin'ichi Takafuji