Three proteinases were isolated from culture medium of Pseudomonas fluorescens INIA 745 and purified to homogeneity by a combination of Phenyl-Sepharose, DEAE-Sepharose, and Sephadex G-100 chromatography. Optimal temperature for enzymatic activity was 45 degrees C for all three proteinases. The pH optimum of proteinases I and II was found to be 7.0, while that of proteinase III was 8.0. Divalent metal ions like Cu2+, Co2+, Zn2+, Fe2+, and Hg2+ were inhibitory to proteinase activity while Ca2+, Mg2+, and Mn2+ had little or no inhibitory effect. The three enzymes were strongly inhibited by EDTA and 1,10-phenantroline and partially by cysteine. The three enzymes are metalloproteinases since they were inhibited by chelators and reactivated by Co2+, Mn2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+. The Km values of proteinases I, II, and III for casein were calculated to be 3.2, 2.6, and 5.2 mg/ml, respectively. Proteinases II and III rapidly degraded beta-casein, with preference to alphas1-casein, whereas proteinase I hydrolyzed both casein fractions at a slow rate.