Tissue‐specific expression of multiple forms of cyprosin (aspartic proteinase) in flowers of Cynara cardunculus

Three heterodimeric aspartic proteinases (cyprosin 1, 2 and 3) with milk‐clotting activity have previously been purified from flowers of Cynara cardunculua and partly characterized (U. Heimgartner et al. 1990, Phytochemistry 29: 1405–1410). These proteinases have now been further studied. Isoelectric focusing has revealed a micro‐heterogeneity of the apparently pure cyprosins. Three isozymes with close isoelectric points around 4.0 have been found. Reversed‐phase high performance liquid chromatography of electrophoretically purified large subunits of cyprosin has also shown a microheterogeneity. Peptide mapping of cyprosins 2 and 3 by trypsin or BrCN cleavage indicate that they are derived from common procyprosin(s). Studies on the organspecific accumulation of the enzyme were carried out using flower buds and flowers at different stages of development and styles and corollas from open flowers, leaves and seeds. Immunostained western blots revealed the presence of cyprosin in very young flowers in low amounts. The amount of enzyme increased towards later stages of development and it was mostly present in the violet parts of styles and corollas. The enzyme could not be detected in leaves or seeds. Proteolytic and milk‐clotting activities correlate well with these findings. The enzyme was localized by immunolabelling in the epidermal cell layer of styles. Mature flowers collected at 8 different locations in Portugal showed some variation in proteolytic activity while the milk‐clotting activity was essentially the same for all extracts.