Asparaginase obtained from Escherichia coli and Erwinia chrysanthemi are used to treat acute lymphocytic leukaemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. However, these agents cause severe adverse effects. Saccharomyces cerevisiae asparaginase II, encoded by the ASP3 gene, could be a potential candidate for the formulation of new drugs. This work aimed to purify and characterize the periplasmic asparaginase produced by a recombinant Pichia pastoris strain harbouring the ASP3 gene. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity with an activity recovery of 51.3%. The estimated molecular mass of the enzyme was 136 kDa (under native conditions) and 48.6 kDa and 44.6 kDa (under reducing conditions), suggesting an oligomeric structure. The recombinant asparaginase is apparently non-phosphorylated, and the major difference between the monomers seems to be their degree of glycosylation. The enzyme showed an isoelectric point of 4.5 and maximum activity at 46 degrees C and pH 7.2, retaining 92% of the activity at 37 degrees C. Circular dichroism and fluorescence analyses showed that the enzyme structure is predominantly a helical with the contribution of beta-sheet and that it remains stable up to 45 degrees C and in the pH range of 6 -10. In vitro tests indicated that the recombinant asparaginase demonstrated antitumoural activity against K562 leukaemic cells. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.