The impact of the altered cathepsin D processing on enzymatic activity was next tested to determine if altered enzymatic activity accounts for inefficient subunit c turnover. In a fluorogenic in vitro assay, cathepsin D activity in total cellular extracts was not significantly altered in homozygous CbCln3Δex7/8 cells (376 ± 89 RFU/μg total protein), versus wild-type cells (324 ± 58 RFU/μg total protein), although a consistent trend towards increased enzymatic activity in mutant cells was observed. Thus, cathepsin D transport and processing are disrupted in homozygous CbCln3Δex7/8 cells in a manner such that enzymatic activity appears to be relatively unaffected.