Thermolysin is a thermostable neutral metalloproteinase enzyme secreted by the Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus thermoproteolyticus. Thermolysin catalyzes the hydrolysis of peptide bonds containing hydrophobic residues.In Vitro: Thermolysin (100 μg in 1 mL, 64°C for 4 h, in isolated starch granules) digestion results in the selective removal of a group of low-molecular-mass proteins ranging between 10 and 27 kD[2].
Thermolysin can be used for the hydrolysis of bovine liver sarcoplasmic proteins.
In Vivo: Thermolysin (50 mg/kg, p.o., once) lowers systolic blood pressure in SHR rats.
Thermolysin is not acutely toxic with an oral LD50 of more than 18000 mg/kg in rats and more than 24000 mg/kg in mice (Acute toxicity studies).