Lysis of pathogenic bacteria by epidermal cathepsins L and B in the Japanese eel

Cysteine proteases, cathepsins L and B, in Japanese eel epidermis are suspected bacteriolysins against aquatic pathogens. This work examines the lysis of three species of gram-negative pathogenic bacteria by the eel epidermal extract according to the assay method for cysteine proteases. The optimum pH for the lysis of the three species of bacteria were commonly determined to be 5.0, where both of eel epidermal cathepsins L and B caused active proteolysis. Four kinds of specific inhibitors for cysteine proteases strongly inhibited these catheptic proteolyses and bacteriolyses. The activities for the lysis of three types of bacteria were at a similar level, but the effects on the bacterium which infects predominantly eel skin largely varied with individual fish. These results suggest that epidermal cathepsins L and B are responsible for lysis of any pathogenic bacteria in the nonspecific defense of Japanese eel.