Research Article

Changes in Activity and Kinetic Properties of the Proteasome in Different Rat Organs during Development and Maturation

Table 2

Proteasome activity in rat brain.

Type of activityAgeMean ± SD 𝑃 -value
(Substrate)(RFU × s-1 × g-1)

Chymotrypsin-likenewborn 8 . 0 5 ± 1 . 4 7
activity (LLVY)young/fertile 2 . 1 7 ± 0 . 5 0 <.001
middle aged 2 . 3 9 ± 0 . 4 4 <.001
old 2 . 7 6 ± 0 . 4 1 <.001

Calcium-dependentnewborn 2 . 6 8 ± 0 . 4 8
chymotrypsin-like activityyoung/fertile 1 . 1 1 ± 0 . 2 8 <.001
(LLVY w 1 mM Ca2+middle aged 1 . 1 8 ± 0 . 2 9 <.001
- LLVY wo Ca2+)old 1 . 0 5 ± 0 . 3 8 <.001

Trypsin-like activitynewborn 5 . 0 2 ± 0 . 8 1
(VGR)young/fertile 1 . 5 7 ± 0 . 2 2 <.001
middle aged 1 . 6 3 ± 0 . 3 0 <.001
old 1 . 7 7 ± 0 . 2 7 <.001

Peptidylglutamyl-newborn 6 . 4 1 ± 1 . 3 4
peptidase activity (LLE)young/fertile 1 . 7 2 ± 0 . 3 1 <0.001
middle aged 1 . 9 1 ± 0 . 2 5 <.001
old 2 . 0 0 ± 0 . 3 9 <.001

Chymotrypsin-like, trypsin-like, and peptidylglutamyl-peptidase activities in the soluble fractions of rat brain homogenate from newborn (7 days, 𝑛 = 2 3 ), young (2–4 months, 𝑛 = 1 2 ), middle aged (10 months, 𝑛 = 4 ), and old (18–24 months, 𝑛 = 9 ) rats. Calcium-dependent chymotrypsin-like activity was defined as the net difference between proteolysis of LLVY with and without calcium, respectively. Proteolytic activity is expressed as relative fluorescence units (RFUs) per second and gram of protein. Mean ± SD (standard deviation) is shown. Statistical analysis was made using ANOVA with Bonferroni as post-hoc. A 𝑃 -value of less than  .05 was considered statistically significant. N.S. = Not Significant. denotes significant difference compared to the newborn group.