Bovine pancreatic trypsin was treated with ethylene glycol bis(succinic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester). Approximately 8 of 14 lysines per trypsin molecule were modified. This derivative (EG trypsin) was more stable than native between 30°and 70°C: T 50 values were 59°C and 46°C, respective. EG trypsin's half-life of 25 min at 55°C was fivefold greater than native's. EG trypsin had a decreased rate of autolysis and retained more activity in aqueous mixtures of 1,4-dioxan, dimethylformamide, dimethylsulfoxide, and acetonitrile. EG trypsin had lower K m values for both amide and ester substrates; its k cat values for two amides (benzoyl-L-arginine p-nitroanilide and benzyloxycarbonyl glycyl-glycyl-arginyl-7-amino-4methyl coumarin) increased, whereas its k cat value for an ester (thiobenzoyl benzoyloxycarbonyl-L-lysinate) decreased slightly. The specific activity (k cat /K m ) of EG trypsin was increased for both amide and ester substrates. EG trypsin gave higher yields and reaction rates than native in kinetically controlled synthesis of benzoyl argininyl-leucinamide in acetonitrile and in t-butanol. Highest peptide yields occurred with EG trypsin in 95% acetonitrile, where 90% of the substrate was converted to product. No peptide synthesis occurred in 95% DMF with either form of trypsin.