Isolation of the peptide inhibitor of H+-ATP synthase from Crithidia fasciculata and Trypanosoma cruzi.

An inhibitor of Crithidia fasciculata and Trypanosoma cruzi H+ -ATP synthase (ATPase) was isolated from these organims mitochondrial particles, either by (a) ammonium sulfate-cholate extraction followed by heat treatment and ethanol precipitation, or (b) gel-filtration on Sephadex G-50, followed by a similar purification procedure. Inactivation by trypsin supported the inhibitor peptide structure. Removal of the peptide inhibitor increased about three-fold the specific activity of the protozoan ATPases. The isolated peptides and a highly purified bovine heart ATPase inhibitor inhibited C. fasciculata ATPase as a function of the peptide concentration.