Creatine amidinohydrolase and process for producing the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a creatine amidinohydrolase having the following physicochemical properties: (a) hydrolyzing 1 mole of creatine to generate 1 mole of sarcosine and 1 mole of urea, (b) having a substrate specificity to creatine, (c) having an optimum pH ranging from 6.0 to 7.0, particularly a pH of about 6.5, (d) having a stable pH ranging from 4.0 to 11.0, (e) having an optimum temperature ranging from 50 to 55° C., and (f) having a molecular weight of approximately 92,000 daltons (as measured by gel filtration); and to a method for producing a creatine amidinohydrolase, which comprises, culturing a microorganism having an ability to produce the creatine amidinohydrolase, and recovering the creatine amidinohydrolase from the obtained culture. The creatine amidinohydrolase of the invention is characterized by being insusceptible to bilirubin when measuring creatinine, since its optimum pH is in the weakly acidic range.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.