ABSTRACT
Green chillies (Capsicum annum L.) and tamarind (Tamarindus indica) contain appreciable amount of L-asparaginase. The enzyme was purified 400-fold from green chillies, by successive precipitations with ammonium sulphate and sodium sulphate, Sephadex-gel filtration and affinity chromatography and the purified enzyme was homogenous on gel electrophoresis. The enzyme exists in two forms, only one having antitumour activity. The purified enzyme has a molecular weight of 120,000 ±500. The N-terminal and the Cterminal amino acids are alanine and phenylalanine, respectively. The enzyme has a sharp optimum pH of 8.5 and a temperature optimum of 37°C. It is stable upto 40°C. The energy of activation is 3 kilo calories. The Km value for the enzyme is 3.3. mM. The enzyme has little action on D-asparagine, which is a strong inhibitor. The enzyme has inseparable glutaminase ctivity and is thus an asparaginase—glutaminase. In addition, it possesses urease activity.