Two thiol-activated proteinases with isoelectric points (pIs approximately 9-9.5) were purified from sodom-apple latex by chromatography on Q-Sepharose and Superdex 200. Proteinase I had an estimated molecular weight of approximately 25 000 and proteinase II one of about 30 000. The proteinases degraded casein and azocoll, proteinase I having a lower specific activity than proteinase II. Proteinase I was most active at pH 8-10, with the optimum at about pH 8. Proteinase II was most active at pH 6-8, with the optimum at about pH 7.