Cyclosporin A binding protein type-19 kDa peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase (PPIases, EC 5.2.1.8) of Euglena gracilis was purified and some of its biochemical characters were elucidated. Purification of the PPIase was achieved by employing a series of steps involving ammonium sulfate precipitation, Superdex G-75 gel filtration chromatography, MonoQ anion and Mono-S cation exchange chromatographies, and Superdex S-200 gel filtration chromatography on FPLC. Purified PPIase had a specific activity of 8,250 units/mg, showing a 27-fold increase compared with that of cell-free extract of Euglena gracilis. The enzyme consisted of a single polypeptide chain with a molecular mass of 19 kDa. It showed high substrate specificity to succinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-p-nitroanilide, and $k_{car}/K_{m}$, for this substrate was found to be $61.19{ imes}10^5/sec$. The isomer distributions were investigated at an equilibrium of seven different peptide substrates, varying Xaa in Suc-Ala-Xaa-Pro-Phe-p-nitroanilide in dimethylsulfoxide. The cis/trans equilibrium constants were estimated to be from 0.14 (Ile) to 0.63 (Gly), which correspond to $12.00\%;to;38.52\%$ of the cis population, respectively, under experimental condition. The enzyme was highly sensitive to the immunosuppressive ligand cyclosporin A, but not to other immunosuppressants such as FK506 and rapamycin. Thus, it appears to belong to the class of cyclophilin.
