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R Blacher

Publications and source records attributed to R Blacher.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Purification and properties of a type beta transforming growth factor from bovine kidney.

Type beta transforming growth factor (TGF-beta) has been purified 200 000-fold from bovine kidneys. This peptide is characterized by its ability to induce anchorage-dependent normal rat kidney cells to grow in soft agar in the presence of epidermal growth factor (EGF); TGF-beta is not mitogenic for cells grown in monolayer culture. Purified TGF-beta does not compete with EGF for binding to membrane receptors. The concentration of TGF-beta required to elicit a half-maximal response for formation of colonies greater than 3100 micron2 in the soft agar assay is 2-3 pM (55 pg/mL) when assayed in the presence of 0.8 nM EGF (5 ng/mL). The four-step purification procedure which includes chromatography of acid--ethanol tissue extracts on polyacrylamide sizing gels, cation exchange, and two steps of high-pressure liquid chromatography results in a 10% overall yield of colony-forming activity with a recovery of 3-4 micrograms/kg. Amino acid analysis of purified TGF-beta shows 16 half-cystine residues per mole. Analysis of the purified polypeptide by electrophoresis on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels indicates that TGF-beta is composed of two closely related polypeptide chains cross-linked by disulfide bonds. In the absence of beta-mercaptoethanol, the colony-forming activity is associated with a single silver-staining band of molecular weight 25 000; in the presence of beta-mercaptoethanol, the TGF-beta is converted to an inactive species that migrates as a single band of molecular weight 12 500-13 000. Sequence analysis indicates that at least the first 15 N-terminal amino acids of the two TGF-beta subunits are identical.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Purification and partial sequencing of human placental alkaline phosphatase.

Two forms of human placental alkaline phosphatase have been purified to homogeneity utilizing high performance liquid chromatography. Both have the same amino acid composition but they differ in their carbohydrate substituents. Sequence data indicate that the two forms are identical for the first forty two residues from the amino terminus are presented.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Isolation and sequence of a non-opioid peptide derived from proenkephalin.

A non-opioid peptide derived from adrenal proenkephalin has been isolated and sequenced. The sequence of this peptide is Ser-Pro-His-Leu-Glu-Asp-Glu-Thr-Lys-Glu-Leu-Gln (Proenkephalin 168-180). This sequence represents the portion of Peptide I that is cleaved to yield Peptide E. This peptide is processed in a similar manner to the opioid peptides and is present at approximately the same level as Peptide E.

Adrenal Glands↗

Rabbit pulmonary angiotensin-converting enzyme: the NH2-terminal fragment with enzymatic activity and its formation from the native enzyme by NH4OH treatment.

The NH2-terminal sequence of 22 residues of rabbit lung angiotensin-converting enzyme has been determined as (NH2)Thr-Leu-Asp-Pro-Gly-Leu-Leu-Pro-Gly-Asp-Phe-Ala -Ala-Asp-Asn-Ala-Gly-Ala-Arg-Leu-Phe-Ala-. In the course of purification of the enzyme for structural analysis a protein of Mr = 82,000 with angiotensin-converting activity was separated from the major fraction containing the native enzyme (Mr = 140,000). This low-molecular-weight enzyme catalyzed the hydrolysis of the synthetic substrate Hip-His-Leu at a rate 23% of that with the native enzyme, and exhibited a similar Km value as well as behaviors towards various effectors of angiotensin-converting enzyme. Edman degradation of both the native and the 82K enzymes revealed that they contain identical amino acid sequences from the NH2-termini. This result and those of peptide mapping and carbohydrate and amino acid analyses indicate that the 82K enzyme is a fragment derived from the NH2-terminal portion of the native enzyme, and hence contains its catalytic site. Evidence has been obtained indicating that the active fragment was formed from the native enzyme during its elution from the antibody-affinity column with NH4OH: on treatment of the native enzyme (140K Mr) with 1 N NH4OH at room temperature, a cleavage occurred and two proteins with Mr = 82K and Mr = 62K were obtained. The 82K Mr fragment was found to be enzymatically active and to contain the same NH2-terminal sequence as the native enzyme. The other fragment (62K Mr) was devoid of the activity and was shown to derive from the COOH-terminal portion of the native enzyme by the peptide mapping and terminal analyses. Cleavage of a peptide bond with NH4OH is unusual and appears to be specific for the native angiotensin-converting enzyme from rabbit lung.

Amino Acids↗

Pig brain contains cholecystokinin octapeptide and several cholecystokinin desoctapeptides.

A sequential method employing methanol extraction of the COOH-terminal fragment of cholecystokinin (CCK) from pig brain followed by HCl extraction of the more basic CCK peptides was used as the first step in purification of these peptides. Recovery was monitored with two different assays, one directed to the COOH terminus of CCK and the other to the NH2 terminus. The amino acid content and sequence were determined for each of five peptides after purification. The only peptide containing COOH-terminal immunoreactivity was CCK-octapeptide (CCK8). The other four peptides did not contain CCK8 and had lost one or two additional amino acids, perhaps as a consequence of the action of carboxypeptidases. These peptides were shown to be CCK33-desnonapeptide, CCK39-desnonapeptide and -desdecapeptide, and a large molecular weight precursor, CCK58-desnonapeptide, containing 19 amino acids (Ala-Val-Gln-Lys-Val-Asp-Gly-Glu-Ser-Arg-Ala-His-Leu-Gly-Ala-Leu-Leu-Ala-Arg) NH2-terminal to CCK39. The three NH2-terminal fragments of CCK58, CCK39, and CCK33 were about equally prominent. The brain, unlike the gut, appears to cleave CCK8 rapidly from a precursor peptide but to process the NH2-terminal portions of the molecule more slowly and incompletely.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Rimorphin, a unique, naturally occurring [Leu]enkephalin-containing peptide found in association with dynorphin and alpha-neo-endorphin.

The tridecapeptide NH2-Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Leu-Arg-Arg-Gln-Phe-Lys-Val-Val-Thr-COOH has been purified from extracts of bovine posterior pituitary glands. This unique peptide, which has been given the name "rimorphin," is a major [Leu]enkephalin-containing peptide in all tissues examined that contain dynorphin and alpha-neo-endorphin. However, except for the initial hexapeptide sequence, it is structurally unrelated to the other two peptides.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Learning child psychiatry skills on the adult inpatient service.

Integration of child psychiatry training into general psychiatric residency programs is often unsuccessful. The authors describe an innovative model of training in child psychiatry that involves the children of adult inpatients. This model offers several advantages: splitting of child-adult psychiatric training is avoided, child diagnostic and evaluative skills tend to be learned rapidly, preventive orientations develop, and family process is both learned and used. Preliminary experience with this model on two inpatient services suggests that it is both didactically effective and economical in child psychiatry staff hours.

Adolescent↗