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Chromosomal localization of the genes for human carboxypeptidase D (CPD) and the active 50-kilodalton subunit of human carboxypeptidase N (CPN1).

Human carboxypeptidase N is a 280-kDa tetrameric enzyme consisting of two 83-kDa regulatory subunits and two catalytic 50-kDa subunits. The 83-kDa subunit is a member of the leucine-rich repeat family of proteins and has been localized to chromosome 8p22-p23. The 50-kDa subunit is a member of the regulatory B-type carboxypeptidase family, which includes carboxypeptidases M, E/H, AEBP1, and a newly described member, carboxypeptidase D, which has three tandem active site domains. The human genes for carboxypeptidase D (HGMW-approved symbol CPD) and the 50-kDa subunit of carboxypeptidase N (HGMW-approved symbol CPN1) were localized to chromosomes 17 and 10, respectively, using the polymerase chain reaction with gene-specific primers and DNAs derived from somatic cell hybrids. The carboxypeptidase D gene was further localized to the centromeric region 17p11.1-q11.1/11.2 by use of a regional mapping panel derived from somatic cell hybrids containing different portions of chromosome 17.

Carboxypeptidases↗

The crystal structure of the inhibitor-complexed carboxypeptidase D domain II and the modeling of regulatory carboxypeptidases.

The three-dimensional crystal structure of duck carboxypeptidase D domain II has been solved in a complex with the peptidomimetic inhibitor, guanidinoethylmercaptosuccinic acid, occupying the specificity pocket. This structure allows a clear definition of the substrate binding sites and the substrate funnel-like access. The structure of domain II is the only one available from the regulatory carboxypeptidase family and can be used as a general template for its members. Here, it has been used to model the structures of domains I and III from the former protein and of human carboxypeptidase E. The models obtained show that the overall topology is similar in all cases, the main differences being local and because of insertions in non-regular loops. In both carboxypeptidase D domain I and carboxypeptidase E slightly different shapes of the access to the active site are predicted, implying some kind of structural selection of protein or peptide substrates. Furthermore, emplacement of the inhibitor structure in the active site of the constructed models showed that the inhibitor fits very well in all of them and that the relevant interactions observed with domain II are conserved in domain I and carboxypeptidase E but not in the non-active domain III because of the absence of catalytically indispensable residues in the latter protein. However, in domain III some of the residues potentially involved in substrate binding are well preserved, together with others of unknown roles, which also are highly conserved among all carboxypeptidases. These observations, taken together with others, suggest that domain III might play a role in the binding and presentation of proteins or peptide substrates, such as the pre-S domain of the large envelope protein of duck hepatitis B virus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Pro-carboxypeptidase R is an acute phase protein in the mouse, whereas carboxypeptidase N is not.

Carboxypeptidase R (EC 3.4.17.20; CPR) and carboxypeptidase N (EC 3. 4.17.3; CPN) cleave carboxyl-terminal arginine and lysine residues from biologically active peptides such as kinins and anaphylatoxins, resulting in regulation of their biological activity. Human proCPR, also known as thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor, plasma pro-carboxypeptidase B, and pro-carboxypeptidase U, is a plasma zymogen activated during coagulation. CPN, however, previously termed kininase I and anaphylatoxin inactivator, is present in a stable active form in plasma. We report here the isolation of mouse proCPR and CPN cDNA clones that can induce their respective enzymatic activities in culture supernatants of transiently transfected cells. Potato carboxypeptidase inhibitor can inhibit carboxypeptidase activity in culture medium of mouse proCPR-transfected cells. The expression of proCPR mRNA in murine liver is greatly enhanced following LPS injection, whereas CPN mRNA expression remains unaffected. Furthermore, the CPR activity in plasma increased 2-fold at 24 h after LPS treatment. Therefore, proCPR can be considered a type of acute phase protein, whereas CPN is not. An increase in CPR activity may facilitate rapid inactivation of inflammatory mediators generated at the site of Gram-negative bacterial infection and may consequently prevent septic shock. In view of the ability of proCPR to also inhibit fibrinolysis, an excess of proCPR induced by LPS may contribute to hypofibrinolysis in patients suffering from disseminated intravascular coagulation caused by sepsis.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗

Electrochemiluminescence assay for basic carboxypeptidases: inhibition of basic carboxypeptidases and activation of thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor.

Carboxypeptidases catalyze the removal of the C-terminal amino acid residues in peptides and proteins and exert important biological functions. Assays for carboxypeptidase activity that rely on change of absorbance generally suffer from low sensitivity and are difficult to adapt to high-throughput screening. We have developed a sensitive, robust assay for basic carboxypeptidase activity that makes use of electrochemiluminescent (ECL) detection of reaction product. In this assay, a peptide substrate contains the epitope for antibody (G2-10) binding which is masked by a C-terminal arginine. Carboxypeptidase activity exposes the epitope, allowing the binding of ruthenylated G2-10 which is then detected using ECL. High sensitivity allowed detection limits of 1-2 pM enzyme for carboxypeptidase B and activated thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFIa). The inhibition of several basic carboxypeptidases by commercially available inhibitors was studied. This antibody-based method can be extended to other sensitive detection techniques such as amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous assay. The high sensitivity of the assay allowed the determination of the activatable levels of TAFI in human and other animal plasma in the presence of epsilon -aminocaproic acid, an active-site inhibitor that stabilizes TAFIa. A method to isolate in situ activated TAFIa from human serum in the presence of epsilon -aminocaproic acid was also developed.

Animals↗

Primary structure of carboxypeptidase T: delineation of functionally relevant features in Zn-carboxypeptidase family.

The primary structure of carboxypeptidase T--a Zn-dependent extracellular enzyme of Thermoactinomyces vulgaris--was determined from the cloned cpT gene nucleotide sequence and compared to Zn-carboxypeptidases from various organisms. The compilation and analysis of multiple alignment accompanied by consideration of available tertiary structure data have shown that in the overall spatial structure and active site arrangement CpT is similar to other enzymes constituting the Zn-carboxypeptidase family. Nine of 16 amino acid residues found to be strictly invariant are presumably located close to the active site. The preservation of His69, Glu72, Asn144, Arg145, His196, Tyr248, and Glu270 identified previously as essential catalytic site participants implicates basically the same catalytic mechanism in the Zn-carboxypeptidase family. It is proposed that Pro205 and Asp256 should play an important role in proper S1'-pocket spatial arrangement. The comparative analysis of amino acid variations in S1'-pocket enabled us to reveal structural determinants of the Zn-carboxypeptidase primary specificity. The relatively reduced size of the pocket and negative charge of Asp253 are supposed to contribute correspondingly to A- and B-type substrate preferences of carboxypeptidase T endowed with dual primary specificity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Sequence of human carboxypeptidase D reveals it to be a member of the regulatory carboxypeptidase family with three tandem active site domains.

We have cloned the cDNA for human carboxypeptidase D (CPD), a new B-type metallocarboxypeptidase that is membrane bound and has an acidic pH optimum. The 5.8 kb of cDNA sequenced contains an open reading frame of 4131 bp encoding 1377 amino acid residues. The sequence is similar (75% identity) to duck gp180, a protein that was isolated, cloned and sequenced as a hepatitis B virus-binding protein but not characterized as a carboxypeptidase. Hydropathic analysis revealed a hydrophobic region at the N-terminus, representing the signal peptide, and one near the C-terminus that probably represents the transmembrane anchor. The most striking feature is the presence of three tandem carboxypeptidase homology domains that have sequence similarity to the regulatory B-type carboxypeptidase family, typified by carboxypeptidases M, E and N. Because of the three repeats, CPD is about three times larger (175-180 kDa) than other members of this family (approx. 50-62 kDa). Domain 2 is most closely related to carboxypeptidases M, E and N (45-48% identity), followed by domain 1 (37-38%) and domain 3 (20-27%). There is a much higher sequence identity in regions containing putative active site residues, and all catalytically important residues are strictly conserved in domains 1 and 2. In domain 3, however, only 1 of 8 active site residues is conserved, indicating that this portion might not be catalytically active. Northern blotting of mRNA from human tissues and cells showed high levels of CPD mRNA in placenta, pancreas and Hep G2 hepatoma cells, and smaller amounts in skeletal muscle, heart and HT-29 colon carcinoma and melanoma cell lines.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Studies on a carboxypeptidase Y mutant of yeast and evidence for a second carboxypeptidase Activity.

Immunological studies on the carboxypeptidase Y mutant prcl-l of Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed the origin of mutation in the structural gene of carboxypeptidase Y. The absence of carboxypeptidase Y has no effect on growth, even after drastic changes of growth conditions. A double mutant (prc 1- leu2-) lacking carboxypeptidase Y and auxotrophic for leucine is able to grow on the peptide benzyloxycarbonylglycylleucine (Cbz-Gly-Leu) as sole nitrogen source, indicating the existence of a second carboxypeptidase. Using a new peptidase test, the existence of this second enzyme, called carboxypeptidase S, was confirmed biochemically.

Carboxypeptidases↗

Comparison of a spectrophotometric, a fluorometric, and a novel radiometric assay for carboxypeptidase E (EC 3.4.17.10) and other carboxypeptidase B-like enzymes.

Carboxypeptidase E (CPE) is a carboxypeptidase B-like enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of numerous peptide hormones and neurotransmitters. A sensitive assay for CPE and other carboxypeptidase B-like enzymes has been developed using 125I-acetyl-Tyr-Ala-Arg (125I-AcYAR) as the substrate. This peptide is poorly soluble in ethyl acetate whereas the product of carboxypeptidase B-like enzymatic activity (125I-AcYA) can be quantitatively extracted with this solvent, allowing the rapid separation of product from substrate. This radiometric assay can detect less than 1 pg of either CPE or carboxypeptidase B. For CPE, the assay with 125I-AcYAR is approximately 1000 times more sensitive than a fluorescent assay using dansyl-Phe-Ala-Arg (dans-FAR), and 6000 times more sensitive than a spectrophotometric assay using hippuryl-Arg (hipp-R). CPE hydrolyzes the three substrates with Kcat values of 16 s-1 for AcYAR, 13 s-1 for dans-FAR, and 8.5 s-1 for hipp-R. The Km values for CPE with AcYAR (28 microM) and dans-FAR (34 microM) are similar, and are much lower than the Km with hipp-R (400 microM). Thus, the primary reason for the increased sensitivity of the 125I-AcYAR assay over the fluorescent assay is not a result of kinetic differences but is due to the detection limit of iodinated product (10(-15) mol), compared to the fluorescent product (5 x 10(-11) mol). Applications of this rapid and sensitive radiometric assay to detect CPE in cultured cells and in subcellular fractions of the pituitary are described.

Animals↗

Carboxypeptidase U, a plasma carboxypeptidase with high affinity for plasminogen.

A novel basic carboxypeptidase clearly different from carboxypeptidase N has been isolated from human plasma. It circulates as an enzymatically inactive precursor enzyme bound to plasminogen. During fibrinolysis, it can be converted to its active form, carboxypeptidase U, through the action of plasmin. The active enzyme has an apparent molecular weight of 53,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It hydrolyzes the synthetic peptides hippuryl-L-arginine and hippuryl-L-lysine but, in contrast to other human basic carboxypeptidases, has only a limited esterase activity. After its activation, carboxypeptidase U tends to be very unstable.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Enhanced Co2+ activation and inhibitor binding of carboxypeptidase M at low pH. Similarity to carboxypeptidase H (enkephalin convertase).

Carboxypeptidases H and M differ in their distribution and other properties, but both are activated by Co2+ and inhibited by guanidinoethylmercaptosuccinic acid. The higher degree of activation or inhibition of carboxypeptidase H by these agents at acid pH has been employed to identify this enzyme in tissues. We found that the activation or inhibition of both purified and plasma-membrane-bound human carboxy-peptidase M depends on the pH of the medium. CoCl2 activated over 6-fold at pH 5.5, but less than 2-fold at pH 7.5. Guanidinoethylmercaptosuccinic acid inhibited the membrane-bound carboxypeptidase M more effectively than the purified enzyme, and the IC50 was about 25-30 times lower at pH 5.5. As purified human plasma carboxypeptidase N and pancreatic carboxypeptidase B were also activated more at pH 5.5, we conclude that the increased activation by CoCl2 is due to the enhanced dissociation of Zn2+ below the pKa of the ligands that co-ordinate the cofactor in the protein. Thus increased activation or inhibition at acid pH would not differentiate basic carboxypeptidases.

Cobalt↗

Solution conformation of a synthetic bis-headed inhibitor of trypsin and carboxypeptidase A: new structural alignment between the squash inhibitors and the potato carboxypeptidase inhibitor.

The trypsin carboxypeptidase peptide inhibitor (TCPI) which inhibits both trypsin and carboxypeptidase A has been chemically engineered by modification of the Ecballium elaterium trypsin inhibitor II (EETI-II). The solution conformation of TCPI, studied by two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance, was shown to be very close to those of squash inhibitors. Only limited deviations of the trypsin binding loop compared to its location in the EETI-II/trypsin complex were detected. It was also shown that the position of the C-terminal tail did not significantly change from the position observed in the complex between carboxypeptidase A and the potato carboxypeptidase inhibitor (PCI). The conformation of TCPI was carefully compared with the PCI one and a new structural alignment between the two microproteins is proposed. This alignment points out the very good conservation in the two inhibitors of a subdomain comprising segments 7-15, 19-22 and 25-28. Most importantly, the 2-19 disulfide bridge of TCPI was not structurally conserved in PCI and appeared to be rather unimportant for the early folding process of these molecules. This result agrees with the recent observation that the 2-19 bridge is the last to be formed in the folding of the squash inhibitor EETI-II and suggests that this is also the case during the folding of the potato carboxypeptidase inhibitor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A novel rat carboxypeptidase, CPA2: characterization, molecular cloning, and evolutionary implications on substrate specificity in the carboxypeptidase gene family.

A new member of the carboxypeptidase gene family, carboxypeptidase A2 (CPA2), has been identified from the predicted amino acid sequence of a rat pancreatic cDNA clone. In vivo recombination and in situ hybridization techniques employing the CPA2 cDNA resulted in the isolation of two genomic clones spanning the 25-kilobase pair rat CPA2 gene. Evolutionary trees built from the amino acid sequences of the known pancreatic carboxypeptidases show that CPA2 and carboxypeptidase A1 (CPA1) are the products of genes which duplicated before the mammalian radiation, and that bovine CPA is of the A1 type. The substrate specificities of CPA1 and CPA2 isolated from rat pancreas are similar to bovine CPA in that carboxyl-terminal amino acids with aromatic or branched aliphatic side chains are preferred. However, the substrate preference of rat CPA1 is skewed toward smaller amino acids, while that of rat CPA2 is skewed toward bulkier amino acids as compared to bovine CPA. The differences in the substrate specificities of these three carboxypeptidases are compatible with the nature of the amino acid replacements in their binding pockets for the carboxylterminal amino acid of the substrate.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Increase of the P1 Lys/Leu substrate preference of carboxypeptidase Y by rational design based on known primary and tertiary structures of serine carboxypeptidases.

The P1 substrate preference of serine carboxypeptidases, as expressed by the Lys/Leu ratio, differs by up to 10(5)-fold. Predictions of the major determinants of this preference are made by correlating primary and tertiary structures to substrate preferences. In carboxypeptidase Y from yeast it is predicted that Trp312 constitutes such a determinant, reducing the P1 Lys/Leu substrate preference of this enzyme. The predictions are tested by the construction and kinetic characterization of ten mutant enzymes of carboxypeptidase Y. All of these enzymes exhibit changes in their P1 substrate preference. Generally, small decreases in activity (kcat/Km) are observed with substrates containing uncharged P1 side chains. With substrates containing acidic P1 side chains, i.e., FA-Glu-Ala-OH, the activity generally increases slightly, 7-fold in the case of W312K. The most dramatic effects of the Trp312 substitutions are observed with substrates containing basic P1 side chains, i.e., kcat/Km for the hydrolysis of Fa-Lys-Ala-OH with W312E has increased 1150-fold, exclusively as a result of increased kcat values. Similar results have previously been obtained by mutational substitution at position 178 of carboxypeptidase Y. The construction and kinetic characterization of position 178 + 312 double mutants demonstrate that the kinetic effects of substitutions at these two positions are not additive. The P1 Lys/Leu substrate preference of one double mutant, L178D + W312D, has changed 380,000-fold as compared to the wild type enzyme, and the overall P1 substrate preference of this enzyme closely resembles that of carboxypeptidase WII from wheat.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structure of a novel leech carboxypeptidase inhibitor determined free in solution and in complex with human carboxypeptidase A2.

Leech carboxypeptidase inhibitor (LCI) is a novel protein inhibitor present in the medicinal leech Hirudo medicinalis. The structures of LCI free and bound to carboxypeptidase A2 (CPA2)have been determined by NMR and X-ray crystallography, respectively. The LCI structure defines a new protein motif that comprises a five-stranded antiparallel beta-sheet and one short alpha-helix. This structure is preserved in the complex with human CPA2 in the X-ray structure, where the contact regions between the inhibitor and the protease are defined. The C-terminal tail of LCI becomes rigid upon binding the protease as shown in the NMR relaxation studies, and it interacts with the carboxypeptidase in a substrate-like manner. The homology between the C-terminal tails of LCI and the potato carboxypeptidase inhibitor represents a striking example of convergent evolution dictated by the target protease. These new structures are of biotechnological interest since they could elucidate the control mechanism of metallo-carboxypeptidases and could be used as lead compounds for the search of fibrinolytic drugs.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Radiometric assay for carboxypeptidase H (EC 3.4.17.10) and other carboxypeptidase B-like enzymes.

Carboxypeptidase H, EC 3.4.17.10, also known as enkephalin convertase, carboxypeptidase E, and crino carboxypeptidase B, is an important enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of bioactive peptides. To assay the enzyme, tissues are homogenized in at least 20 vol (ml/g) of 0.025 M Tris-HCl buffer, pH 8, with 5 mg/ml of bovine serum albumin. After centrifugation, the supernatant is brought to pH 5.6 and centrifuged again. Following a 20-min preincubation in 2 mM CoCl2, the supernatant is incubated with 0.1 mM (final concentration) of the radioactive substrate [3H]benzoyl-Phe-Ala-Arg. The 100-microliters assay is stopped by the addition of 680 microliters of acetonitrile/0.25 M HCl (0.7/1). The 1.5-ml tube is transferred into a scintillation vial and is flushed with 4 ml of Econofluor, a water-immiscible scintillation fluid. The product, [3H]benzoyl-Phe-Ala, recovered in the organic phase, is counted directly with no interference from the substrate remaining in the aqueous phase. The blank is below 1%. Expressed in nanomoles per minute per milligram of tissue, the activity of the soluble enzyme in rat is 0.34 for striatum, 21.0 for pancreatic islet, 16.6 for anterior pituitary, 46.0 for intermediate pituitary, and 10.9 for neural pituitary. In every case 25 microM guanidinoethylmercaptosuccinic acid, an active site-directed inhibitor of carboxypeptidase H, completely inhibits the activity.

Animals↗

Inactivation of C3a and C5a octapeptides by carboxypeptidase R and carboxypeptidase N.

Pro-carboxypeptidase R (proCPR), also known as thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI), precursor of carboxypeptidase U and plasma carboxypeptidase B is present in plasma and following activation by thrombin/thrombomodulin and/or plasmin can remove arginine from the carboxyterminal of C3a and C5a. We have shown that this enzyme can remove terminal arginine from the C5a octapeptide much more efficiently than the classical anaphylatoxin inactivator, carboxypeptidase N (CPN). Since we have previously demonstrated that proCPR is significantly upregulated in the inflammatory state, this enzyme would appear to significantly contribute to the inactivation of C5a, the most potent of the complement derived anaphylatoxins.

Carboxypeptidase B2↗

Carboxypeptidase inhibitor from potatoes. Interaction with derivatives of carboxypeptidase A.

The mechanism of action of a carboxypeptidase inhibitor from potatoes has been probed by studying its interaction with derivatives of carboxypeptidase A containing modified residues at the active site. Arsanilazocarboxypeptidase A, a derivative containing a chromophore attached to tyrosine 248, exhibits a circular dichroism spectrum which is sensitive to the presence of ligands at the active site (Kagan, H.M., and Vallee, B.L. (1969), Biochemistry 8, 4223). Since the spectral change attending binding of the carboxypeptidase inhibitor to arsanilazocarboxypeptidase A is similar to that produced by small substrates and inhibitors, the enzyme-inhibitor interaction also involves the enzyme active site. Catalytic activity is not required for inhibitor binding. Complexes of the inhibitor with apocarboxypeptidase A anc carboxypeptidase A which was inactivated by treatment with the affinity label, N-bromoacetyl-N-methyl-L-phenylalanine, are demonstrated by gel filtration experiments. Morever, competitive binding studies reveal that the latter derivative, in which the binding pocket is presumably blocked by reagent, binds inhibitor nearly as strongly as does the native enzyme, and differences in free energy of association being only 0.4 kcal/mol of a total binding energy of - 11 kcal/mol. A model is proposed to account for both the tight binding of inhibitor to the N-bromoacetyl-N-methyl-L-phenylalanine derivative and the involvement of the active site of arsanilazocarboxypeptidase A. It is suggested that the inhibitor fits into a shallow depression at the active site of the enzyme but does not penetrate into the binding pocket.

Binding Sites↗

Digestion and assimilation of proline-containing peptides by rat intestinal brush border membrane carboxypeptidases. Role of the combined action of angiotensin-converting enzyme and carboxypeptidase P.

Two intestinal brush border membrane carboxypeptidases were found to participate in the sequential digestion of proline-containing peptides representing a novel mechanism of hydrolysis from the COOH terminus. NH2-blocked prolyl tripeptides were rapidly hydrolyzed by either brush border membrane angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE, dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase, E.C. 3.4.15.1) or carboxypeptidase P (E.C.3.4.12-) depending on the position of the proline residue. Furthermore, these two enzymes were found to participate in a concerted manner to sequentially degrade larger proline-containing pentapeptides from the COOH terminus. A brush border membrane associated neutral endopeptidase also participated in the hydrolysis of the prolyl pentapeptides. During in vivo intestinal perfusion, the NH2-blocked prolyl peptides were degraded and their constituent amino acids efficiently absorbed by the intestine. Furthermore, hydrolysis and absorption of these peptides could be dramatically suppressed by low concentrations of captopril, a specific inhibitor of ACE. These studies show that prolyl peptides are efficiently and sequentially hydrolyzed from the COOH terminus by the combined action of ACE and carboxypeptidase P, and that these enzymes may play an important role in the digestion and assimilation of proline-containing peptides.

Animals↗