A simple one-step procedure for the separation of calpain I, calpain II and calpastatin.

The soluble fraction from rabbit brain was adsorbed on a column of phenyl-Sepharose. By applying a linear gradient with decreasing salt concentration and increasing pH, it was possible to separate calpain I and calpain II from each other and from the endogenous inhibitor calpastatin. Both enzymes were capable of degrading endogenously labelled neuronal proteins, including slowly axonally transported soluble proteins and rapidly transported membrane-bound proteins, as well as casein.