Porcine pancreatic elastase has a molecular weight of 25.9 kDa, and a pH optimum of 8.5. While elastase will hydrolyze a wide variety of protein substrates, it is unique among proteases in its ability to hydrolyze native elastin, a substrate not attacked by trypsin, chymotrypsin or pepsin. Soybean trypsin inhibitor and kallikrein inhibitor suppress proteolytic but not elastolytic activity. Elastase is assayed using a method adapted from that of Feinstein et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm., 50, 1020 (1973) and using the more soluble substrate of Bieth et al., Biochem. Med., 11, 350 (1974).
Stability/Storage: Elastase is unstable at pH ≤ 3.5. When stored as a dry powder the enzyme is stable for 6-12 months at 2-8°C. Elastase product codes: ES and ESL have poor solubility at neutral pH and at concentrations greater than 0.25%. It is helpful to make primary solutions in KCl or alkaline buffers before diluting into the reaction mixtures or media, compensating for ionic strength or pH changes. Stable at pH 4.0-10.4.
Technical Notes: 1 SucAla3NA unit is approximately equivalent to 6 elastin digestion units. Aqueous liquid suspensions should be aseptically handled to avoid bacterial contamination. Due to the viscous nature of the aqueous suspension (Code: ES) the vial should be rinsed to recover contents.
Unit Definition: One Unit cleaves one micromole of N-succinyl-L-alanyl-L-alanyl-L-alanine-p-nitroanilide per minute at 25°C, pH 8.0.
艾美捷Worthington 弹性蛋白酶的应用：
组织解离：因为弹性蛋白在结缔组织的弹性纤维中的浓度最高，所以经常使用弹性蛋白酶解离含有广泛细胞间纤维网络的组织。为此，它通常与其他酶一起使用，例如胶原酶、胰蛋白酶和胰凝乳蛋白酶。
弹性蛋白酶相关研究：
胶原酶 (CLS1-4/CLSPA)
脱氧核糖核酸酶 I (DP/D/DCLS/D2/DPFF/DPRF)
透明质酸酶 (HSE/HSEP)
中性蛋白酶（分散酶，NPRO）
木瓜蛋白酶 (PAP/PAPL/PAP2)
胃蛋白酶 (PM)
蛋白酶 K (PROK)
胰蛋白酶 (TL/TRL/TRL3/TRLS/TRTPCK)
胰蛋白酶抑制剂 (LBI/OI/SI/SIC)
细胞分离优化系统 (CIT)
肝细胞分离系统 (HIS)
新生儿心肌细胞分离系统 (NCIS)
木瓜蛋白酶解离系统 (PDS/PDS2)