Lung ''surfactant convertase'' is a member of the carboxylesterase family

The extracellular conversion of lung surfactant from tubular myelin to the small vesicular form has previously been shown to require a serine-active enzyme called ''surfactant convertase.'' In the present study, a 72kD serine-active enzyme previously identified in mouse lung alveolar lavage and having convertase activity was partially sequenced. Sixty-eight residues obtained from amino acid sequencing of this protein show that it is a new member of the mouse carboxylesterase family (EC 3.1.1.1). The 72kD lung protein also has esterase activity. A commercial esterase of the same family was able to reproduce surfactant convertase bioactivity in vitro, unlike several serine proteinases previously tested. We conclude that surfactant convertase is a carboxylesterase which mediates a biochemical step in the extracellular metabolism of surfactant. (C) 1997 Academic Press.