Dipeptidase, its isolation from lactic acid bacteria, antibodies against the dipeptidase, the use of the dipeptidase and of the antibodies against it

Abstract

This invention relates to dipeptidase of lactic acid bacteria in isolated form, characterized by a molecular weight of 55 kD.+-.5 kD; an isoelectric point of 4.4.+-.0.4; a substrate range including the dipeptides leu-leu, leu-met, leu-val, leu-gly, val-leu, phe-leu and ala-ala, but not the dipeptides his-leu, .gamma.-glu-leu, gly-leu, .alpha.-glu-ala and peptides of 3 or more amino acid residues; and a hydrolyzing activity with a temperature optimum at 50.degree. C..+-.10.degree. C., a pH optimum at 8.+-.1, and sensitivity to the metal chelating EDTA and to the reducing agents dithiotreitol and mercaptoethanol. The invention also relates to a process for isolating the dipeptidase from lactic acid bacteria; to the use of the dipeptidsae for preparing polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies having an affinity to, and/or specificity for, the dipeptidase; to polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies having an affinity to, and/or specificity for, the dipeptidase; to the use of polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies for detecting the dipeptidase in, or removing or isolating it from, a mixture containing the dipeptidase; to the use of the dipeptidase in the production of food products, and to food products produced using the dipeptidase.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.