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A Kurosky

Publications and source records attributed to A Kurosky.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Human glutathione S-transferases. Characterization of the anionic forms from lung and placenta.

Anionic glutathione S-transferases were purified from human lung and placenta. Chemical and immunochemical characterization, including polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, gave strong evidence that the anionic lung and placental enzymes are chemically similar, if not identical, proteins. The electrophoretic mobilities of both proteins were identical in conventional alkaline gels as well as in gels containing sodium dodecyl sulphate. Gel filtration of the intact active enzyme established an Mr value of 45000; however, with sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis under dissociating conditions a subunit Mr of 22500 was obtained. Amino acid sequence analysis of the N-terminal region of the placental enzyme revealed a single polypeptide sequence identical with that of lung. Results obtained from immunoelectrophoresis, immunotitration, double immunodiffusion and rocket immunoelectrophoresis also indicated the anionic lung and placental enzymes to be closely similar. The chemical similarity of these two proteins was further supported by protein compositional analysis and fragment analysis after chemical hydrolysis. Immunochemical comparison of the anionic lung and placental enzymes with human liver glutathione S-transferases revealed cross-reactivity with the anionic omega enzyme, but no cross-reactivity was detectable with the cationic enzymes. Comparison of the N-terminal region of the human anionic enzyme with reported sequences of rat liver glutathione S-transferases gave strong evidence of chemical similarity, indicating that these enzymes are evolutionarily related. However, computer analysis of the 30-residue N-terminal sequence did not show any significant chemical similarity to any other reported protein sequence, pointing to the fact that the glutathione S-transferases represent a unique class of proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1984

Studies on the biosynthesis of rabbit haptoglobin.

Rabbit haptoglobin is a tetrameric protein consisting of two nonglycosylated alpha and two glycosylated beta chains, the latter being joined to the former and the former to each other by disulfide linkages. We describe here the results of studies that analyzed the biosynthetic pathway of rabbit haptoglobin by using cultured hepatocytes incubated with L-[35S]cysteine. The initial form of haptoglobin detected in hepatocytes exhibited Mr = 46,000, was glycosylated, and corresponded in migration to the initial species formed when the mRNA for rabbit haptoglobin was translated using the reticulocyte lysate system coupled with dog pancreatic microsomes. This one-chain intermediate was rapidly cleaved into a glycosylated form of the beta chain and into the mature alpha chain, these chains being joined by disulfide linkages. Dimerization also occurred rapidly, forming a tetrameric precursor of haptoglobin. Several other intracellular glycosylated forms of the beta chain were detected subsequently, representing intermediates formed during oligosaccharide processing prior to secretion of mature haptoglobin. Addition of tunicamycin (5 micrograms/ml) inhibited glycosylation of the initial form of haptoglobin detected, but subsequent proteolytic processing into alpha and beta chains still occurred. Our results showed that the pathway of biosynthesis of rabbit haptoglobin closely resembles that reported for rat haptoglobin ( Hanley , J. M., Haugen , T. H., and Heath, E. C. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 7858-7869).

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Biosynthesis of rabbit haptoglobin: chemical evidence for a single chain precursor.

The primary translation product of the mRNA for rabbit haptoglobin was obtained from a rabbit reticulocyte lysate cell-free system by immunoprecipitation with an antiserum that was directed to the beta chain of haptoglobin. Analysis of the translation product by gel electrophoresis and by protein sequencing analysis identified a single polypeptide of Mr 41 000. Sequence analysis established a signal region of 18 residues that was immediately followed by the alpha chain sequence. These results give strong evidence that haptoglobin is initially synthesized as a single chain composed of a signal peptide followed by alpha and beta chain regions, respectively.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1982

Purification and chemical characterization of type 1 pili isolated from Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Type 1 pili were purified from a Klebsiella pneumoniae strain isolated from a human urinary tract infection. The pili were removed from the bacteria by mechanical shearing, precipitated out of solution by ammonium sulfate, solubilized in a deoxycholate-containing buffer, and finally purified by gel filtration. Chemical characterization of the isolated pili revealed a single protein subunit (pilin) which had a Mr = 21,500. Amino acid compositional analysis revealed a high content of residues that contribute significantly to secondary structure. Automated sequence analysis of the NH2-terminal region revealed a striking homology (79% identity) with type 1 pili of Escherichia coli. In contrast, NH2-terminal sequence comparison of K. pneumoniae pilin with other previously reported bacterial pilins showed no significant homology. No immunological cross-reactivity was detectable between E. coli and K. pneumoniae pili when tested by Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion or by rocket immunoelectrophoresis. The results of this study, when compared to other studies of bacterial pili, indicate that type 1 pili from members of the Enterobacteriaceae share morphological similarities and that their monomeric subunits are chemically similar. In addition, these results give strong evidence that the type 1 pilins of the enteric bacteria represent a separate class of homologous pilins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1982

Clostridium perfringens type A enterotoxin: characterization of the amino-terminal region.

The amino-terminal region of the enterotoxin of Clostridium perfringens was investigated by automated sequence analysis. The primary structure results revealed that the enterotoxin is composed of a single polypeptide amino acid sequence. Computer comparison of a 20-residue sequence with a sequence library of reported proteins revealed no significant chemical similarities, indicating that the enterotoxin represents a unique polypeptide primary structure.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1981

Covalent structure of the gamma chain of the A subunit of cholera toxin.

The complete amino acid sequence of the gamma chain of the A subunit of cholera enterotoxin was determined: NH2-Met-Ser-Asn-Thr-Cys-Asp-Glu-Lys-Thr-Gln-Ser-Leu-Gly-Val-Lys-Phe-Leu-Asp-Glu -Tyr-Gln-Ser-Lys-Val-Lys-Arg-Gln-Ile-Phe-Ser-Gly-Tyr-Gln-Ser-Ile-Asp-Asp-Thr- His-Asn-Arg-Ile-Lys-Asn-Glu-Leu-COOH. This amino acid sequence was established in part by automated sequence analysis of intact gamma chain as well as of clostripain fragments and tryptic fragments generated from succinylated gamma chain. Smaller peptides from chymotryptic and Staphylococcus aureus protease hydrolyses provided the necessary overlaps. The gamma chain represents a segment of 46 amino acid residues (Mr = 5,395) from the carboxyl-terminal region of the precursor single-chain A subunit of cholera toxin (Duffy, L. K., Peterson, J. W., and Kurosky, A. (1981) FEBS Lett. 126, 187-190). Alignment of the gamma chain region of cholera toxin to a comparable chain region of 36 residues previously reported for heat-labile enterotoxin of Escherichia coli revealed an identity of 31%. The chemical similarity between the gamma chain regions of these two enterotoxins was thus considerably less than that of their beta chains which were shown to be 79% identical.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1980

Novel urinary fragments from human basement membrane collagen.

Five fragments of collagen have been purified from human urine. The fragments cross-reacted with basement membrane collagen from pig kidney cortices when tested against antiserum to basement membrane collagen, type IV, from murine tumor. The concentrations of these fragments were sufficient for amino acid analysis, immunological analysis, and in one case, preliminary analytical amino acid sequencing. Compositional analysis of the fragments indicated concentrations of hydroxylysine, hydroxyproline, and glycine that are typical of collagen. High values of hexosamines and neutral sugars were also found. An NH2-terminal sequence of 18 residues was obtained for one fragment of Mr approximately 6,500. This sequence was unique among proteins reported to date, but was obviously collagen-like. A urinary source of basement membrane collagen fragments will permit molecular characterization of basement membrane in inherited or acquired diseases affecting this structure.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Covalent structure of human haptoglobin: a serine protease homolog.

The complete amino acid sequences and the disulfide arrangements of the two chains of human haptoglobin 1-1 were established. The alpha 1 and beta chains of haptoglobin contain 83 and 245 residues, respectively. Comparison of the primary structure of haptoglobin with that of the chymotrypsinogen family of serine proteases revealed a significant degree of chemical similarity. The probability was less than 10(-5) that the chemical similarity of the beta chain of haptoglobin to the proteases was due to chance. The amino acid sequence of the beta chain of haptoglobin is 29--33% identical to bovine trypsin, bovine chymotrypsin, porcine elastase, human thrombin, or human plasmin. Comparison of haptoglobin alpha 1 chain to activation peptide regions of the zymogens revealed an identity of 25% to the fifth "kringle" region of the activation peptide of plasminogen. The probability was less than 0.014 that this similarity was due to chance. These results strongly indicate haptoglobin to be a homolog of the chymotrypsinogen family of serine proteases. Alignment of the beta-chain sequence of haptoglobin to the serine proteases is remarkably consistent except for an insertion of 16 residues in the region corresponding to the methionyl loop of the serine proteases. The active-site residues typical of the serine proteases, histidine-57 and serine-195, are replaced in haptoglobin by lysine and alanine, respectively; however, aspartic acid-102 and the trypsin specificity, residue, aspartic acid-189, do occur in haptoglobin. Haptoglobin and the serine proteases represent a striking example of homologous proteins with different biological functions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1979

Structure, function, and antigenicity of cholera toxin.

Chemical modification of intact cholera toxin or its B subunit by either partial nitration or reduction and alkylation did not result in significant loss of biological activity as determined by measurement of cyclic AMP in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Complete nitration or succinylation in the presence of guanidine hydrochloride resulted in complete loss of biological activity and significantly affected the immunoreactivity of the toxin and B subunit. Compositional analyses of both the isolated alpha and gamma chains of the toxin were typical of globular proteins and did not reveal significant hydrophobicity. Analysis of antigenic relationships by radioimmunoassay indicated a partial crossreactivity between the alpha chain and the B subunit of cholera toxin. Since previous structural studies of the beta chain of cholera toxin indicated chemical similarity with the glycoprotein hormones [Kurosky et al. Science 195:299 (1977)], radioimmunoassay procedures were employed to investigate for possible crossreactivity. No evidence of crossreactivity between cholera toxin subunits and subunits of ovine luteinizing hormone was found.

Alkylation↗
PubMed1979

Canine haptoglobin: a unique haptoglobin subunit arrangement.

1. Isolated canine haptoglobin behaved identically to the alpha 2 beta 2 structure typical of human haptoglobin type 1-1 on alkaline polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and on gel filtration. 2. In the presence of urea or sodium dodecyl sulphate canine haptoglobin dissociated into alpha beta subunits that separated into alpha and beta chains after reduction with 2-mercaptoethanol. 3. Compositional analysis identified one less half-cystine in canine alpha chain when compared to human alpha 1 chain. 4. These results provide evidence that there is no inter alpha chain disulphide in canine haptoglobin comparable to the alpha 1 20-alpha 1 20 disulphide in human haptoglobin that links the two alpha beta subunits.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1979

Antigenic specificity of neutralizing antibody to cholera toxin.

Selected rabbit antisera to cholera toxin antigens and convalescent cholera patient sera were analyzed using the permeability factor neutralization test and two sensitive in vitro serological assays specific for cholera toxin, cholera toxin A subunit, and cholera toxin B subunit. The results indicated that antisera to cholera toxin contained toxin-neutralizing activity as well as antibodies specific for both the A subunit and B subunit. It was clearly established that antisera to B subunit, devoid of significant anti-A subunit activity, neutralized the vascular permeability activity of cholera toxin. Antisera to A subunit contained neutralizing antibodies and antibodies to both A and B subunits. Absorption with B subunit removed both the toxin-neutralizing and anti-B subunit activities, while the anti-A activity was unaffected. Neutralizing antibody titers of rabbits immunized with B subunit were also observed to be significantly higher than neutralizing antibody titers of sera from A subunit-immunized rabbits, despite the overall similarity in anti-B subunit titers as determined by passive hemagglutination and radioimmunoassay of sera from the two groups of rabbits. Anti-alpha chain sera neither neutralized cholera toxin nor possessed significant antitoxin or anti-B subunit titers as determined by passive hemagglutination and radioimmunoassay. The anti-alpha chain sera contained high levels of antibody specific for A subunit, which is consistent with the hypothesis that the alpha chain is part of the A subunit structure. In contrast, the gamma chain was not shown to be antigenic. Sera from convalescent cholera patients possessed toxin-neutralizing antibody as well as passive hemagglutination and radioimmunoassay antibody against both A and B subunits.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Characterization of the antigenic determinants of cholera toxin subunits.

The antigenic specificity of purified preparations of A subunit, B subunit, alpha chain, and gamma chain of cholera toxin was studied by double immunodiffusion and radioimmunoassay with antisera produced in rabbits and mice. Rabbits immunized with A subunit produced serum antibodies which were capable of binding radiolabeled A subunit, alpha chain, and B subunit. Rabbits immunized with alpha chain produced serum antibodies that would bind radiolabeled alpha chain and A subunit. Rabbits immunized with the B subunit produced serum antibodies monospecific for the B subunit. The gamma chain did not elicit measurable antibodies in rabbits or mice as evidenced by radioimmunoassay or double immunodiffusion. A sensitive competitive radioimmunoassay was developed in which the B subunit could inhibit binding of radiolabeled A subunit and alpha chain with either antisera prepared against A subunit or alpha chain. Neither the A subunit nor the alpha chain could inhibit binding of B subunit with the antiserum prepared against B subunit. In addition, selected elution fractions obtained during A- and B-subunit purification were used to immunize groups of mice. Mice responded to immunization with the elution fractions of A subunit by producing anti-A-subunit and anti-B-subunit serum antibody responses, whereas mice immunized with elution fractions of B subunit produced only antibodies specific for the B subunit. An equimolar amount of the two resulting protein peaks was used to immunize two groups of rabbits. Rabbits immunized with A subunit, produced a serum anti-B subunit response equal to that of rabbits immunized with the B subunit. Rabbits immunized with equimolar concentrations of A and B subunits were observed to be equally protected against intestinal loop challenge with Vibrio cholerae Inaba V86. The A subunit, not the B subunit, was biologically active when tested by the S49 mouse lymphosarcoma cell test. These studies provide additional evidence supporting the hypothesis that the A subunit, specifically of alpha chain, of cholera toxin contains antigenic determinants in common with the B subunit.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Isolation and characterization of the predominant protein in nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles from rat liver.

The predominant protein of the nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles of rat liver was isolated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The polypeptide represented 35% to 40% of the total mass of the protein moiety. Its molecular weight was estimated to be 38 000 and its NH2-terminal residue was found to be threonine. The amino acid composition is unique in having a high content of glycyl residues (20%) and NG-dimethylarginine (14% of total arginyl residues).

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1977

Covalent structure of the beta chain of cholera enterotoxin.

The complete amino acid sequence of the beta chain of cholera enterotoxin was determined: NH2-Thr-Pro-Gln-Asn-Ile-Thr-Asp-Leu-Cys-Ala-Glu-Tyr-His-Asn-Thr-Gln-Ile-His-Thr-Leu-Asn-Asn-Lys-Ile-Phe-Ser-Tyr-Thr-Glu-Ser-Leu-Ala-Gly-Lys-Arg-Glu-Met-Ala-Ile-Ile-Thr-Phe-Lys-Asn-Gly-Ala-Thr-Phe-Gln-Val-Glu-Val-Pro-Gly-Ser-Gln-His-Ile-Asp-Ser-Gln-Lys-Lys-Ala-Ile-Glu-Arg-Met-Lys-Asn-Thr-Leu-Arg-Ile-Ala-Tyr-Leu-Thr-Glu-Ala-Lys-Val-Glu-Lys-Leu-Cys-Val-Trp-Asn-Asn-Lys-Thr-Pro-His-Ala-Ile-Ala-Ala-Ile-Ser-Met- Ala-Asn-COOH. The sequence was obtained from automated sequence analysis of intact beta chain, cyanogen bromide fragments, and a fragment generated by cleavage at a single tryptophan with 2-(2-nitrophenylsulfenyl)-3-methyl-3-bromoindolenine as well as from manual sequence analysis of tryptic peptides using 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl-monitored Edman methodology. The tryptic peptides accounted for all 103 residues established for the complete primary structure.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1977

Purification and properties of human kidney-cortex hexosaminidases A and B.

Hexosaminidases (EC 3.2.1.30) A and B from human kidney cortex were purified to homogeneity by using concanavalin A affinity chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The yield of homogeneous isoenzymes improved approx. 20-fold, giving preparations of hexosaminidases A and B with specific activities of about 200 and 325 units/mg of protein respectively. The kinetic and structural properties of kidney hexosaminidase isoenzymes were studied and compared with the hexosaminidase isoenzymes from human placenta. The amino acid composition of hexosaminidase A was significantly different from that of hexosaminidase B. In the event of success in developing enzyme-replacement therapy for Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff's diseases, this modified procedure can furnish larger amounts of homogeneous isoenzymes.

Amino Acids↗