Enterocyte protein processing and synthesis.

Abstract

Until recently, structural information regarding large brush border proteins was obtained largely by protein purification and protein chemistry. Molecular biology has added the techniques of cell-free translation and cDNA cloning to provide additional information. In addition, the regulation of protein synthesis was largely deduced by the use of inhibitors of protein or nucleic acid synthesis. The ability to assess mRNA content by cell-free translation or by hybridization with isolated cDNA has expanded these studies. Moreover, polysomal isolation and organ explants can now be used to determine synthetic and secretion rates directly. Future research in these areas will depend upon the isolation of cDNA clones encoding specific enterocyte proteins to simplify structural analysis, as well as the use of intestinal cell lines to simplify measurement of synthetic rates and protein processing.