NEW PROTEASE INHIBITOR AND ITS PRODUCTION

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a new protease inhibitor having inhibitory activity against a Kex2 protease family enzyme and useful as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, etc., by culturing a microorganism belonging to the genus Streptoverticillium. SOLUTION: This new protease inhibitor has an inhibitory action against a Kex2 protease family enzyme and a molecular weight of 10,500. It an control the processing/activation of nerve peptide and peptide hormone and is extremely useful for pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, etc. This protease inhibitor can be produced by culturing a microorganism belonging to the genus Streptoverticillium and capable of producing the protease inhibitor [e.g. Streptoverticillium ladakanum S138 (FERM P-16104)] in a medium and collecting the objective substance from the cultured product.