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Primary structure of two neuropeptide hormones with adipokinetic and hypotrehalosemic activity isolated from the corpora cardiaca of horse flies (Diptera).

The primary structures of two neuropeptides, Tabanus atratus adipokinetic hormone (Taa-AKH) and Tabanus atratus hypotrehalosemic hormone (Taa-HoTH), from the corpora cardiaca of horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) have been determined. Amino acid sequences of Taa-AKH (less than Glu-Leu-Thr-Phe-Thr-Pro-Gly-Trp-NH2) and Taa-HoTH (less than Glu-Leu-Thr-Phe-Thr-Pro-Gly-Trp-Gly-Tyr-NH2) (where less than Glu = pyroglutamic acid) were determined by automated gas-phase Edman degradation of the peptides deblocked by pyroglutamate aminopeptidase and by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. The hormones were synthesized, and the natural and synthetic peptides exhibited identical chromatographic, spectroscopic, and biological properties. When assayed in adult face fly males, Taa-AKH and Taa-HoTH demonstrated hyperlipemic activity, in addition, Taa-HoTH also demonstrated a significant hypotrehalosemic activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Synthesis and preliminary evaluation of trans-3,4-conformationally-restricted glutamate and pyroglutamate analogues as novel EAAT2 inhibitors.

Select trans-4,5-[bi]cyclohexenylglutamic and pyroglutamic acids (3,4-substituted glutamates) were synthesized in three steps and were screened as potential inhibitors of the sodium dependent excitatory amino acid transporters 2 (EAAT2) and 3 (EAAT3), the chloride dependent glial cystine/glutamate exchanger system x(c)(-), and the glutamate vesicular transport system (VGLUT). Two glutamate analogues and one pyroglutamate analogue were found to inhibit EAAT2 with activity comparable to dihydrokainate.

Amino Acid Transport System X-AG↗

L-glutamic acid, a neurotrophic factor for maintenance of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase in the preganglionically denervated superior cervical ganglion of the cat.

In continuation of previous studies, the intraarterial fusion of L-glutamic acid for 24 hr was found to oppose the decrease in acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase in the superior cervical ganglion of the cat that otherwise occurs 48 hr after preganglionic denervation. The combination of glutamic acid and gamma-aminobutyric acid, in concentrations that were inactive individually, likewise produced the same neurotrophic effect. Inactive in this respect were glycine plus L-glutamine, pyroglutamic acid, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and L-aspartic acid. The possible mechanisms and implications of these findings are discussed.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

Anuroctoxin, a new scorpion toxin of the alpha-KTx 6 subfamily, is highly selective for Kv1.3 over IKCa1 ion channels of human T lymphocytes.

The physiological function of T lymphocytes can be modulated selectively by peptide toxins acting on Kv1.3 K(+) channels. Because Kv1.3-specific peptide toxins are considered to have a significant therapeutic potential in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, the discovery of new toxins is highly motivated. Through chromatographic procedures and electrophysiological assays, using patch-clamp methodology, the isolation of a novel peptide named anuroctoxin was accomplished using the venom of the Mexican scorpion Anuroctonus phaiodactylus. It has 35 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 4082.8, tightly bound by four disulfide bridges whose complete covalent structure was determined. It has a pyroglutamic acid at the N-terminal region and an amidated C-terminal residue. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic clustering analysis classifies anuroctoxin into subfamily 6 of the alpha-KTx scorpion toxins (systematic name, alpha-KTx 6.12). Patch-clamp experiments show that anuroctoxin is a high-affinity blocker of Kv1.3 channels of human T lymphocytes with a K(d) of 0.73 nM, and it does not block the Ca(2+)-activated IKCa1 K(+) channels. These two channels play different but important roles in T-lymphocyte activation. Furthermore, the toxin practically does not inhibit Shaker IR, mKv1.1, and rKv2.1 channels, whereas the affinity of anuroctoxin for hKv1.2 is almost an order of magnitude smaller than for Kv1.3. The pharmacological profile and the selectivity of this new toxin for Kv1.3 over IKCa1 may provide an important tool for the modulation of the immune system, especially in cases in which selective inhibition of Kv1.3 is required.

Animals↗

Is glutamate a trigger factor in epileptic hyperactivity?

The effects of glutamate and aspartate antagonists were studied on limb-jerk frequency and EEG patterns in rats made epileptic by cobalt implantation in the sensorimotor cerebral cortex. The results of this study were as follows: (1) alpha-Amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (0.055--1.10 mM) decreased or completely prevented the epileptic manifestations. The effect was reversible 30 min after washing with artificial CSF solution. (2) DL-Pyroglutamic acid completely abolished the myoclonic jerks and EEG spikes. (3) alpha-Amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid and alpha-D-amino-adipic acid significantly reduced the frequency of epileptic spikes and myoclonic jerks. (4) Other analogs, alpha-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid (0.6 mM), alpha-amino phosphonocaproic acid (0.95), and hydroxy-3-amino pyrrolidone-2 were without effect. (5) Glutamate itself did not decrease the epileptic manifestations.

Amino Acids↗

Use of recombinant DNA derived human relaxin to probe the structure of the native protein.

This report describes the physical, chemical, and biological characterization of recombinant human relaxin (rhRlx) used as a probe to establish the disulfide pairing in native human relaxin. This strategy is necessary since native human relaxin is only available in the nanogram range. The relaxin molecule is composed of two nonidentical peptide chains, an A-chain 24 amino acids in length and a B-chain of 29 amino acids, linked by two disulfide bridges with an additional disulfide linkage in the A-chain. Native relaxin isolated from human corpora lutea was compared to rhRlx by reversed-phase chromatography, partial sequence analysis, mass spectroscopy, and bioassay. The potency of rhRlx was established by its ability to stimulate cAMP from primary human uterine endometrial cells. Native relaxin isolated from human corpora lutea was equipotent to chemically synthesized relaxin, which in turn was equipotent to rhRlx. A tryptic map was developed for rhRlx to confirm the complete amino acid sequence and assignment of the disulfide bonds. The three disulfide bonds (CysA10-CysA15, CysA11-CysB11, and CysA24-CysB23) were assigned by mass spectrometric analysis of the tryptic peptides and by comparison to chemically synthesized peptides disulfide linked in the two most probable configurations. In addition, the observed amino acid composition and sequence of rhRlx was in agreement with that predicted from the cDNA sequence with the exception that the A-chain amino terminal was pyroglutamic acid. The migration of rhRlx upon sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was consistent with a monomeric structure, and the identity of the band was demonstrated by immunoblotting.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Synthesis of (2S,3S)-3'-fluoroisoleucine.

The fluorinated amino acid, (2S,3S)-3'-fluoroisoleucine 3, has been synthesised by a route involving stereoselective cuprate or photochemical addition to the compound 4, derived in turn from (2S)-pyroglutamic acid. This provides a reporter group for the hydrophobic amino acid (2S)-isoleucine for use in protein studies.

Amino Acids↗

Primary structure of limulus anticoagulant anti-lipopolysaccharide factor.

A potent anticoagulant, anti-lipopolysaccharide (LPS) factor, found in limulus hemocytes inhibits the LPS-mediated activation of limulus coagulation cascade and shows an antibacterial action against R-types of Gram-negative bacteria (Morita, T., Ohtsubo, S., Nakamura, T., Tanaka, S., Iwanaga, S., Ohashi, K., and Niwa, M. (1985) J. Biochem. (Tokyo) 97, 1611-1620). The complete amino acid sequence of this substance was determined by sequencing the peptides obtained by selective proteolytic cleavage. The NH2-terminal end of anti-LPS factor was pyroglutamic acid. Anti-LPS factor had two variant residues at position 36 and the COOH-terminal end, respectively. The following sequence was assigned to anti-LPS factor, and it was also confirmed by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. less than EGGIWTQLALALVKNLATLWQSGDFQFLGHE (formula; see text) Limulus anti-LPS factor consisted of a single chain of 102 residues with 2 half-cystines in disulfide linkage. Its NH2-terminal region up to 20 residues was highly hydrophobic, and positively charged residues were clustered mainly within the disulfide loop. By searching the homologous sequence in known protein sequences with that of anti-LPS factor, we found a structural homology between anti-LPS factor and alpha-lactalbumin/lysozyme family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Influence of a DLE-extracted lymphocytic suppressor factor on CsA-induced immunosuppression.

From dialyzable leucocyte extracts (DLE) we have purified a hydrophilic low-mol. wt. factor (about 1 kDa) which we have named lymphocytic suppressor factor (LSF) as it is able to suppress antigen- and mitogen-induced lymphocyte transformation and to prolong allograft survival in C57b/6N mice (H-2b) transplanted with fully mismatched skin from C3H/HeN mice (H-2k). At the molecular level LSF acts by inhibiting DNA replicational and transcriptional processes in activated lymphocytes, isolated rat hepatocyte nuclei, and cell-free systems. Amino acid analysis indicates that LSF is a peptide composed of Asp, Glu, Ser, Thr, Ala, Gly, Arg and probably Met, with the N-terminus blocked, possibly by pyroglutamic acid. When combined "in vitro" with cyclosporine A (CsA), LSF increased about 20 times the potency of CsA in inducing suppression of mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes. In C57b/6N mice with skin graft from C3H/HeN mice and undergoing immunosuppression with CsA (50 mg/kg/day), the splenocyte LSF content increased about 5 times. However, LSF values returned to normal in mice recovering normal responsiveness due to progressive withdrawal of CsA. These data show that LSF has an important role in the development and maintenance of CsA-induced immunosuppression. We suggest that, by influencing DNA replicational and transcriptional processes of lymphocytes, LSF may play a role also in the onset and progression of AIDS induced by retroviruses.

Animals↗

Primary structure of gonadotropin-releasing hormone from the brain of a holocephalan (ratfish: Hydrolagus colliei).

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the ratfish brain has been isolated and purified using reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Amino acid composition and sequence analysis indicate that the primary structure is pGlu-His-Trp-Ser-His-Gly-Trp-Tyr-Pro-Gly-NH2. The presence of the amino terminal pyroglutamic acid has been confirmed by degradation studies with pyroglutamyl aminopeptidase. The amidated carboxy terminus and molecular weight were confirmed using mass spectrometry. Moreover, sequence comparison and coelution studies with one of the synthetic forms of GnRH (chicken GnRH II) indicate that the ratfish and chicken GnRH II molecules are identical. This represents the first sequence data of a GnRH molecule from a cartilaginous fish (class: Chondrichthyes). It is argued that the ratfish GnRH molecule has been retained for over 400 million years of evolution and is expressed in most vertebrate classes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Purification and amino acid sequence of brevilysin L6, a non-hemorrhagic metalloprotease from Agkistrodon halys brevicaudus venom.

A non-hemorrhagic proteinase, brevilysin L6 (L6), has been purified to homogeneity from Agkistrodon halys brevicaudus venom by gel filtration and DEAE-Toyopearl 650M chromatography. It is an acidic protein with an isoelectric point of 4.8, and its molecular mass was estimated to be 21.5 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The optimum pH of L6 was about 9. EDTA and o-phenanthroline inhibited the proteolytic activity, suggesting that L6 is a metalloprotease. Cysteine also inhibited the activity of L6, but glutathione did not. The protein was stable in the pH range of 5-8.5 and below 40 degreesC. Calcium ions had no effect on the proteolytic activity of L6 or on its thermal stability. The enzyme preferentially cleaved X-Leu, X-Phe, X-Val, and X-His bonds. L6 showed weak alpha-fibrinogenase activity. The complete amino acid sequence of L6 was also determined by manual Edman degradation. L6 is a non-glycosylated single-chain polypeptide consisting of 203 residues with an N-terminal pyroglutamic acid and a calculated molecular weight of 22,713 Da. Its entire sequence is highly homologous to those of other metalloproteases from various snake venoms. A zinc-binding motif, HEXXHXXGXXH, is located at residues 143-153 in the sequence of L6.

Agkistrodon↗

Primary structure and autoproteolysis of brevilysin H6 from the venom of Gloydius halys brevicaudus.

The complete amino acid sequence of brevilysin H6 (H6), a zinc-protease isolated from Gloydius halys brevicaudus venom, was determined by a manual Edman degradation method. H6 has an amino-terminal pyroglutamic acid and consists of a total of 419 residues. An N-linked sugar chain is attached at Asn-181. The molecule is composed of three domains (metalloprotease, disintegrin-like and cysteine-rich domains), as commonly found in other high molecular mass metalloproteases from snake venoms. In the absence of calcium ions, H6 is autocatalytically degraded with a half-life of 47 min to give 29 and 45 kDa fragments, which correspond to residues 208-419 and 99-419 of H6, respectively. Thus, the autoproteolysis seemed to start from the cleavage of either the Leu(98)-Leu(99) or Asp(207)-Ile(208) bond. Calcium ions suppressed both the formation of the 45 kDa fragment and the rate of autoproteolysis. Calcium ions also contributed to the stability of H6 against pH, heating, urea and cysteine. More than twenty-five peptide bonds adjacent to hydrophobic residues in the metalloprotease domain were progressively cleaved during the autoproteolysis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Reversed-phase liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis of reduced monoclonal antibodies in pharmaceutics.

A reversed-phase LC/MS method was developed for reduced antibodies that provides efficient separation of light chain and two variants of heavy chain containing N-terminal glutamine and pyroglutamic acid. The best separation was achieved on Zorbax CN and Varian Pursuit DiPhenyl columns eluted with increasing percentage of n-propanol and acetonitrile in 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid. Although glutamine was genetically coded for the N-terminal residue of heavy chain of a monoclonal antibody used in this study, we found that most of it (70%) was converted to pyroglutamate during production. The conversion process continued in vitro and was monitored by the method. Deconvoluted electrospray ionization mass spectrum of the heavy chain revealed the glycosylation profile of a single N-linked sugar including a-, mono-, and di-galactosylated biantennary glycans and a 5-mannose sugar form.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Amino acid sequence and post-translational modification of stem cell factor isolated from buffalo rat liver cell-conditioned medium.

Stem cell factor (SCF) isolated from culture medium conditioned by Buffalo rat liver cells was subjected to detailed structural analysis. Attempts at direct N-terminal sequencing of the factor indicated that its N terminus is blocked as pyroglutamic acid (Zsebo, K. M., Wypych, J., McNiece, I. K., Lu, H. S., Smith, K. A., Karkare, S. B., Sachdev, R. K., Yuschenkoff, V. N., Birkett, N. C., Williams, L. R., Satyagal, V. N., Bosselman, R. A., Mendiaz, E. A., and Langley, K. E. (1990) Cell 63, 195-201). The removal of the blocking pyroglutamate by pyroglutamate aminopeptidase allowed sequencing of the polypeptide chain to position 47. Stem cell factor was also digested with CNBr, trypsin, Staphylococcus aureus protease (strain V8), and AspN peptidase to generate different sets of peptides that were then separated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and sequenced. Sequence of an internal peptide fragment obtained by cleavage of stem cell factor at a single tryptophanyl peptide bond was also obtained. From these analyses, the complete amino acid sequence could be constructed. The factor as isolated is a single polypeptide of 164 or 165 amino acids. The sequence is confirmatory to a sequence deduced from a cDNA sequence and provides important evidence for C-terminal processing of the polypeptide encoded by cDNA. There are four potential N-linked glycosylation sites. Asn65, Asn72, Asn109, and Asn120. Sequence determination of isolated peptides suggested that Asn120 is glycosylated, Asn65 and Asn109 glycosylated in some molecules but not in others, and Asn72 not glycosylated. Amino acids at three positions, i.e. 142, 143, and 155, could not be detected during sequence analysis. Since the gene sequence codes for Ser, Thr, and Thr at these positions (Martin, F. H., Suggs, S. V., Langley, K. E., Lu, H. S., Ting, J., Okino, K. H., Morris, C. F., McNiece, I. K., Jacobsen, F. W., Mendiaz, E. A., Birkett, N. C., Smith, K. C., Johnson, M. J., Parker, V. P., Flores, J. C., Patel, A. C., Fisher, E. F., Erjavec, H. O., Herrera, C. J., Wypych, J., Sachdev, R. K., Pope, J. A., Leslie, I., Wen, D., Lin, C. W., Cupples, R. L., and Zsebo, K. M. (1990) Cell 63, 203-211), they could be sites of O-linked carbohydrate attachment. The four cysteines form two intramolecular disulfide bonds, Cys4-Cys89 and Cys43-Cys138.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Amino acid sequence of a modified beta 2-microglobulin in renal failure patient urine and long-term dialysis patient blood.

We isolated and analyzed beta 2-microglobulin (BM) in urine of two renal failure patients and in ultrafiltrate from long-term dialysis patients. In both groups of patients, we found the native BM with pI 5.7 and some modified BM with pI 5.3. The amino acid sequence of the modified BM was determined and compared with that of the native BM; the N-terminal isoleucine residue was missing and the second glutamine residue was cyclized into pyroglutamic acid in the modified BM.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Stereoselective Michael Addition of Glycine Anions to Chiral Fischer Alkenylcarbene Complexes. Asymmetric Synthesis of beta-Substituted Glutamic Acids.

The reaction of lithium enolates of achiral N-protected glycine esters with chiral alkoxyalkenylcarbene complexes of chromium provided the corresponding Michael adducts with either high anti or syn selectivity depending on the nature of the nitrogen protecting group, and high diastereofacial selectivity when carbene complexes containing the (-)-8-phenylmenthyloxy group were employed. Subsequent oxidation of the metal-carbene moiety followed by deprotection of the amine group and hydrolysis of both carboxylic esters afforded enantiomerically enriched 3-substituted glutamic acids of natural as well as unnatural stereochemistry. Alternatively, when the deprotection step was performed previously to the oxidation, cyclic aminocarbene complexes were formed, which finally led to optically active 3-substituted pyroglutamic acids.

Journal Article↗

Purification and characterization of a unique, potent, peptidyl probe for the high conductance calcium-activated potassium channel from venom of the scorpion Buthus tamulus.

An inhibitor of the high conductance, Ca2(+)-activated K+ channel (PK,Ca) has been purified to homogeneity from venom of the scorpion Buthus tamulus by a combination of ion exchange and reversed-phase chromatography. This peptide, which has been named iberiotoxin (IbTX), is one of two minor components of the crude venom which blocks PK,Ca. IbTX consists of a single 4.3-kDa polypeptide chain, as determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, analysis of amino acid composition, and Edman degradation. Its complete amino acid sequence has been defined. IbTX displays 68% sequence homology with charybdotoxin (ChTX), another scorpion-derived peptidyl inhibitor of PK,Ca, and, like this latter toxin, its amino terminus contains a pyroglutamic acid residue. However, IbTX possesses 4 more acidic and 1 less basic amino acid residue than does ChTX, making this toxin much less positively charged than the other peptide. In single channel recordings, IbTX reversibly blocks PK,Ca in excised membrane patches from bovine aortic smooth muscle. It acts exclusively at the outer face of the channel and functions with an IC50 of about 250 pM. Block of channel activity appears distinct from that of ChTX since IbTX decreases both the probability of channel opening as well as the channel mean open time. IbTX is a selective inhibitor of PK,Ca; it does not block other types of voltage-dependent ion channels, especially other types of K+ channels that are sensitive to inhibition by ChTX. IbTX is a partial inhibitor of 125I-ChTX binding in bovine aortic sarcolemmal membrane vesicles (Ki = 250 pM). The maximal extent of inhibition that occurs is modulated by K+, decreasing as K+ concentration is raised, but K+ does not affect the absolute inhibitory potency of IbTX. A Scatchard analysis indicates that IbTX functions as a noncompetitive inhibitor of ChTX binding. Taken together, these data suggest that IbTX interacts at a distinct site on the channel and modulates ChTX binding by an allosteric mechanism. Therefore, IbTX defines a new class of peptidyl inhibitor of PK,Ca with unique properties that make it useful for investigating the characteristics of this channel in target tissues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Influence of Three Contrasting Detrital Carbon Sources on Planktonic Bacterial Metabolism in a Mesotrophic Lake.

Abstract Lakes receive organic carbon from a diversity of sources which vary in their contribution to planktonic microbial food webs. We conducted a mesocosm study to test the effects of three different detrital carbon sources (algae, aquatic macrophytes, terrestrial leaves) on several measures of microbial metabolism in a small meso-eutrophic lake (DOC approximately 5 mg/L). Small DOC additions (DeltaC < 1 mg/L) affected bacterial numbers, growth, and pathways of carbon acquisition. Macrophyte and leaf detritus significantly increased TDP and color, but bacterial densities initially (+12 h) were unaffected. After 168 h, densities in systems amended with terrestrial detritus were 60% less than in controls, while production rates in mesocosms with macrophyte detritus were 4-fold greater. Detritus treatments resulted in greater per-cell production rates either through stable cell numbers and greater growth rates (macrophyte-C) or lower densities with stable production rates (terrestrial-C). After only 12 h, rates of leucine aminopeptidase (LAPase) activity were 2.5x greater in macrophyte-C systems than in controls, but LAPase and beta-N-acetylglucosamindase activities in systems amended with terrestrial-C were only 50% of rates in controls. After 168 h, beta-xylosidase rates were significantly greater in communities with terrestrial and phytoplankton detritus. Microbial utilization of >20% of 102 carbon sources tested were affected by at least one detritus addition. Macrophyte-C had positive (6% of substrates) and negative (14%) effects on substrate use; terrestrial detritus had mainly positive effects. An ordination based on carbon-use profiles (+12 h) revealed a cluster of macrophyte-amended communities with greater use of psicose, lactulose, and succinamic acid; controls and algal-detritus systems were more effective in metabolizing two common sugars and cellobiose. After 168 h, communities receiving terrestrial detritus were most tightly clustered, exhibiting greater use of raffinose, pyroglutamic acid, and sebacic acid. Results suggest that pelagic bacterial communities respond to changes in organic carbon source rapidly and by different routes, including shifts in per-cell production rates and variations in degradation of a variety of compounds comprising the DOC pool.

Journal Article↗