A prolyl aminopeptidase (PAP) (EC 3.4.11.5) was isolated from the cell extract of Debaryomyces hansenii CECT12487. The enzyme was purified by selective fractionation with protamine and ammonium sulfate, followed by two chromatography steps, which included gel filtration and anion-exchange chromatography. The PAP was purified 248-fold, with a recovery yield of 1.4%. The enzyme was active in a broad pH range (from 5 to 9.5), with pH and temperature optima at 7.5 and 45 degrees C. The molecular mass was estimated to be around 370 kDa. The presence of inhibitors of serine and aspartic proteases, bestatin, puromycin, reducing agents, chelating agents, and different cations did not have any effect on the enzyme activity. Only iodoacetate, p-chloromercuribenzoic acid, and Hg(2+), which are inhibitors of cysteine proteases, markedly reduced the enzyme activity. The K(m) for proline-7-amido-4-methylcoumarin was 40 micro M. The enzyme exclusively hydrolyzed N-terminal-proline-containing substrates. This is the first report on the identification and purification of this type of aminopeptidase in yeast, which may contribute to the scarce knowledge about D. hansenii proteases and their possible roles in meat fermentation.