Biomedical subjects

K Biemann

Publications and source records attributed to K Biemann.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

PubMed1981

Advances in gas chromatographic mass spectrometric protein sequencing. 2--Application to membrane proteins.

The primary structure of the integral membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin was determined by an efficient combination of gas chromatographic mass spectrometric techniques with the Edman degradation. This combination of methodologies circumvented many of the experimental difficulties associated with the insolubility of bacteriorhodopsin and its primary degradation fragments in aqueous buffers. Specifically, in the gas chromatographic mass spectrometric analysis of the cyanogen bromide peptides derived from bacteriorhodopsin, it has been possible to identify homoserine-containing peptides which served as a starting point for the construction of C-terminal sequences. In most cases this C-terminal sequence constructed from the gas chromatographic mass spectrometric peptides overlapped the N-terminal sequence derived in an Edman degradation experiment, thereby completing the structure of the fragment. Furthermore, the specific identification of methionine-containing peptides required to establish the order of the cyanogen bromide fragments was accomplished by direct analysis of the complex mixtures generated by partial hydrolysis of segments of the protein. These data made it possible to determine the sequence of a large portion of bacteriorhodopsin solely from cyanogen bromide cleavage, one of the few specific reactions compatible with the solubility properties of this hydrophobic protein. Finally, the gas chromatographic mass spectrometric sequence data have been used to assign or confirm amino acids where the Edman data was ambiguous. These gas chromatographic mass spectrometric techniques resulted in an efficient and reliable determination of the complete sequence of this membrane protein which is 248 amino acids long.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1981

A gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric method for the simultaneous quantitation of 5,5-diphenylhydantoin (phenytoin), its para-hydroxylated metabolite and their stable isotope labelled analogs.

A stable isotope dilution method for the quantitation by GC-MS of 5,5-diphenylhydantoin, its major metabolite (5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylhydantoin), and, simultaneously, their stable isotope labelled analogs (5,5-diphenyl-2-(13)C-1,3-(15)N2-hydantoin and 5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenyl-2-(13)C-1,3-(15)N2-hydantoin) is discussed and evaluated. 5,5-di-(pentadeuterophenyl)hydantoin and 5-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dideuterophenyl)-5-phenyl-2-(13)C-1,3(15)N2-hydantoin are used as internal standards. The chemical work-up procedure of serum (1.0 ml) and urine (0.5 ml) involves acid hydrolysis, extraction at pH 7.4 and permethylation of drug and metabolite analogs by extractive methylation. The mass spectrometric technique consists of repetitive scanning over the molecular ion region of the permethylated derivatives of the phenytoin and para-hydroxy metabolite analogs as they elute from the gas chromatograph. Molecular ion abundances are measured. Reproducibility, selectivity and linearity of the method are discussed in the light of the planned applications.

Carbon Radioisotopes↗

PubMed1981

Kinetic equivalence of stable-isotope-labeled and unlabeled phenytoin.

Stable isotope labeling (SIL) of a drug results in a higher molecular weight than that of the unlabeled drug. SIL tracer doses can be quantitated separately from unlabeled drug by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) without exposing the patient to radiation. The higher molecular weight of SIL drug could cause a higher energy of activation for (and slowing of) metabolic reactions ("isotope effect"). To evaluate possible isotope effect, three dogs and three men were infused with a mixture containing equal amounts of SIL (2-13C-1,3-15N2) and unlabeled phenytoin (PHT). Plasma and urine were collected at regular intervals. Concentrations of SIL and unlabeled PHT and HPPH (the major metabolite of PHT) were determined by GC-MS. Within each subject there was no trend for concentrations of SIL PHT or HPPH to be higher or lower than concentrations of their unlabeled analogs (greater than 0.20 to 0.90). There was no difference in the distribution and elimination half-lifes (t 1/2s), volume of distribution, volume of central compartment, or clearance of the two forms of PHT. Thus, no isotope effect was found.

Animals↗

PubMed1980

Gas chromatographic mass spectrometric sequencing of peptides and proteins containing gamma-carboxyglutamic acid.

A generally applicable strategy has been developed for the primary sequence determination of peptides and proteins containing gamma-carboxyglutamic acid. The intact peptide or protein is either dissolved in, or allowed to come into vapor phase contact with, 0.05 M DCI and then heated in vacuo at 110 degrees C for several hours. Under these conditions gamma-carboxyglutamic acid quantitatively decarboxylates and incorporates two atoms of deuterium per molecule, resulting in the formation of gamma-dideuteroglutamyl residues. Following enzymatic or acidic degradation of the protein the peptide mixture generated is converted (without further isolation of individual peptides) to the N-trifluoroacetylated, O-trimethylsilylated polyamino alcohols and subsequently analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Peptide fragments in which gamma-carboxyglutamic acid was present show sequence ions in their mass spectra corresponding to those of glutamic acid, but shifted upwards by 2 amu. This approach has been used to identify the positions of Gla in a tryptic peptide isolated from blood coagulation factor IX, and is currently being employed in the sequence determination of the Gla-containing bone protein osteocalcin.

1-Carboxyglutamic Acid↗

PubMed1980

A mass spectrometric method for the determination of stable isotope labeled phenytoin suitable for pulse dosing studies.

A gas chromatographic mass spectrometric method has been developed for the determination in biological fluids of phenytoin (5,5-diphenylhydantoin), 5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylhydantoin (the major metabolite of phenytoin), and simultaneously, their stable isotope labeled analogs [5,5-diphenyl-2-13C-1,3-15N2-hydantoin and 5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenyl-2-13C-1,3-15N2-hydantoin]. Quantification was achieved by an isotopic dilution technique: 5,5-di(pentadeuterophenyl)-hydantoin and 5-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dideuterophenyl)-5-phenyl-2-13C-1,3-15N2-hydantoin were used as internal standards. Molecular ion abundances of the permethylated derivatives were measured using a limited mass range repetitive scanning technique. The method is accurate, selective, reproducible and linear for analysis of 1.0 ml of serum and 0.5 ml of urine samples at the expected concentrations of drug (serum: 0.1-30.0 micrograms ml-1) and metabolite (serum: 0.1-10.0 micrograms ml-1; urine: 5.0-200.0 micrograms ml-1). The pharmacological equivalence of labeled and unlabeled phenytoin is demonstrated for a human volunteer. The results are discussed in the light of the further applications of the method, i.e. determination of the pharmacokinetics of a pulse dose of the labeled drug administered to patients who are taking a steady state dose of the unlabeled drug.

Animals↗

PubMed1980

Mass spectra of partial protein hydrolysates as a multiple phase check for long polypeptides deduced from DNA sequences: NH2-terminal segment of alanine tRNA synthetase.

A strategy has been developed for rapid and accurate determination of the amino acid sequence of large proteins, such as many of the members of the class of proteins known as aminoacyl tRNA synthetases. This strategy involves combining DNA sequencing of the gene for the protein of interest with gas chromatographic mass spectrometric identification of tetra- and pentapeptides in partial hydrolysates of the entire protein or very large fragments thereof. These peptides are matched to blocks of codons at locations scattered throughout the entire structural gene. Tetra- and pentapeptide sequences are sufficiently long that they are unlikely to be repeated in the protein sequence or to occur in an incorrect reading frame; therefore, they can be placed at unique clusters of codons on the DNA. This procedure rigorously establishes the proper phasing of the DNA throughout the entire length of the structural gene, and the protein sequence is thereby accurately read from the DNA sequence. This approach is being used to determine the amino acid sequence of EScherichia coli alanine tRNA synthetase, a protein that has approximately 900 amino acids. This paper reports the sequence of the first 165 amino acids from the NH2 terminus.

Alanine-tRNA Ligase↗

PubMed1979

N-nitrosamines in the rubber and tire industry.

Airborne N-nitrosomorpholine (0 to 27 micrograms per cubic meter) was found in two of four rubber industry factories. N-Nitrosodimethylamine was also found in two factories, but at lower levels. These findings may be relevant to the reported increased risk of certain types of cancer in rubber workers in some of the same areas where the N-nitrosomorpholine levels were highest.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed1979

Mass spectrometric peptide sequencing: cyclochlorotine.

A potent toxin isolated from Penicillium islandicum Sopp was found to have the composition C24H31N5O7Cl2. Mass spectrometric investigation of a partial acid hydrolyzate showed that it has the structure of cyclochlorotine. The mass spectral characteristics of polyamino alcohol-related derivatives of peptides containing beta-phenylalanine, alpha-amino butyric acid and dichloroproline were determined in the course of this work.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1979

The implications and limitations of the findings of the Viking organic analysis experiment.

The gas chromatograph mass spectrometer instrument of the Viking mission has demonstrated the absence of organic compounds in the immediate surface layer of the two landing sites. The demonstration of the successful operation of the instrument (comparison of ground-based test data with those obtained during interplanetary flight and the data from the surface of the planet) and its limitations (e.g., the detection of highly cross-linked polymers or polymeric carbon suboxide) are reviewed. The measurements for bound water are based on indirect data, the detectability of evolved carbon dioxide and ammonia is poor, and oxygen, liberated from the soil samples, can not be detected.

Chemistry, Organic↗

PubMed1979

Partial primary structure of bacteriorhodopsin: sequencing methods for membrane proteins.

The sequence of 102 amino acid residues from the NH2 terminus and that of 39 amino acid residues from the COOH terminus of bacteriorhodopsin have been determined. These results are in agreement with those recently published by Ovchinnikov and coworkers [Ovchinnikov, Y.A., Abdulaey, N.G., Feigina, M.Y., Kiselev, A.V. & Lobanov, N.A. (1977) FEBS Lett. 84, 1-4]. Chymotryptic cleavage of bacteriorhodopsin produced two fragments, C-1 (Mr 19,000) and C-2 (Mr 6900), the latter containing the blocked NH2 terminus (pyroglutamic acid). Further fragmentation with CNBr gave mostly hydrophobic fragments, which were separated by gel permeation and reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography in formic acid/ethanol/water mixtures. The fragments were sequenced by a judicious combination of mass spectrometric peptide sequencing and automated Edman degradation. The C-2 fragments were ordered on the basis of methionine-containing peptides identified by gas chromatographic mass spectrometry, while C-1 and C-2 were arranged by analysis of an overlapping CNBr fragment.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1979

Amino acid sequence of bacteriorhodopsin.

The complete primary structure of the purple membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin, which contains 248 amino acid residues, has been determined. Methods used for separation of the hydrophobic fragments included gel permeation and reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography in organic solvents. The amino acid sequence was determined by a combination of automatic Edman degradation and mass spectrometric methods. The total sequence was derived by ordering of the CNBr fragments on the basis of methionine-containing peptides identified by gas chromatographic mass spectrometry and by analysis of N-bromosuccinimide fragments containing overlaps between CNBr fragments. The present sequence differs from that recently reported by Ovchinnikov and coworkers with respect to an additional tryptophan (position 138) and several amino acid assignments.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1978