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PubMed1991

Age-dependent changes in extracellular proteins, aminopeptidase and proteinase activities in Frankia isolate BR.

To investigate protein secretion by the nitrogen-fixing actinomycete Frankia isolate BR, we designed a rapid DEAE adsorption, salt elution and Biogel P6DG desalination method to concentrate protein from the growth medium. Secreted proteins reached a maximum concentration (5.6 gm l-1) in the medium at growth arrest. Analysis by SDS-PAGE detected up to 63 extracellular polypeptides when Frankia cells were grown under stirred conditions in BAP medium supplemented with phosphatidylcholine and MES buffer and 65 proteins in stirred BAP media alone. The pattern of extracellular polypeptides changed during growth. Several extracellular proteolytic activities were detected and compared with intracellular ones. The substrate specificity of the extracellular and intracellular aminopeptidase activities were the same. Also, the electrophoretic migration patterns of secreted and intracellular aminopeptidases could not be distinguished. Secretion of the proline-specific aminopeptidase FAP proteinase (PF) were secreted: 10 had the same electrophoretic mobility as their intracellular counterparts after SDS-gelatine-PAGE while five (PF - 39.5, PF - 38.5, PF - 36.5, PF - 25.5 and PF - 20.5 kDa) had a different electrophoretic mobility and, therefore, appeared to be exclusively extracellular. At least seven extracellular proteinases appeared to increase coordinately in activity shortly before growth arrest.

Aminopeptidases↗

PubMed2003

PepN is the major aminopeptidase in Escherichia coli: insights on substrate specificity and role during sodium-salicylate-induced stress.

PepN and its homologues are involved in the ATP-independent steps (downstream processing) during cytosolic protein degradation. To obtain insights into the contribution of PepN to the peptidase activity in Escherichia coli, the hydrolysis of a selection of endopeptidase and exopeptidase substrates was studied in extracts of wild-type strains and two pepN mutants, 9218 and DH5alphaDeltapepN. Hydrolysis of three of the seven endopeptidase substrates tested was reduced in both pepN mutants. Similar studies revealed that hydrolysis of 10 of 14 exopeptidase substrates studied was greatly reduced in both pepN mutants. This decreased ability to cleave these substrates is pepN-specific as there is no reduction in the ability to hydrolyse exopeptidase substrates in E. coli mutants lacking other peptidases, pepA, pepB or pepE. PepN overexpression complemented the hydrolysis of the affected exopeptidase substrates. These results suggest that PepN is responsible for the majority of aminopeptidase activity in E. coli. Further in vitro studies with purified PepN revealed a preference to cleave basic and small amino acids as aminopeptidase substrates. Kinetic characterization revealed the aminopeptidase cleavage preference of E. coli PepN to be Arg>Ala>Lys>Gly. Finally, it was shown that PepN is a negative regulator of the sodium-salicylate-induced stress in E. coli, demonstrating a physiological role for this aminoendopeptidase under some stress conditions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2006

Overexpression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of a proline-specific aminopeptidase from Aneurinibacillus sp. strain AM-1.

To elucidate the structure and molecular mechanism of a characteristic proline-specific aminopeptidase produced by the thermophile Aneurinibacillus sp. strain AM-1, its gene was cloned and the recombinant protein was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. X-ray diffraction data were collected to 1.8 A resolution from the recombinant aminopeptidase crystal. The crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = 93.62, b = 68.20, c = 76.84 A. A complete data set was also obtained from crystals of SeMet-substituted aminopeptidase. Data in the resolution range 20-2.1 A from the MAD data set from the SeMet-substituted crystal were used for phase determination.

Aminopeptidases↗

PubMed1999

The extracellular regions of PSMA and the transferrin receptor contain an aminopeptidase domain: implications for drug design.

The Aeromonas proteolytica aminopeptidase (AMP), Pseudomonas sp. (RS-16) carboxypeptidase G2 (CPG2), and Streptomyces griseus aminopeptidase (SGAP) are zinc dependent proteolytic enzymes with cocatalytic zinc ion centers and a conserved aminopeptidase fold. A BLAST search with the sequence of the solved AMP structure indicated that a similar domain could be found in prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and the transferrin receptor (TfR). When the PSMA or TfR sequence was input into the THREADER program, the top structural matches were SGAP and AMP confirming that these are structurally conserved domains. Optimal sequence alignment of PSMA and TfR using the known three-dimensional structures of AMP, CPG2, and SGAP shows that the critical amino acids involved in forming the catalytic pocket are conserved in PSMA but absent in the TfR. The specificity pocket in AMP is formed from four aromatic side chains and the equivalent region in CPG2/PSMA has a changed sequence pattern. Since CPG2 and PSMA are folate hydrolases, the changed specificity pocket leaves space to accommodate the large pteroate moiety of folic acid. In contrast, no enzyme function has been ascribed to the TfR.

Aeromonas↗

PubMed1994

The receptor for Bacillus thuringiensis CrylA(c) delta-endotoxin in the brush border membrane of the lepidopteran Manduca sexta is aminopeptidase N.

A 120 kDa glycoprotein in the larval midgut membrane of the lepidopteran Manduca sexta, previously identified as a putative receptor for Bacillus thuringiensis CrylA(c) delta-endotoxin, has been purified by a combination of protoxin affinity chromatography and anion exchange chromatography. In immunoblotting experiments, the purified glycoprotein has the characteristics predicted of the receptor: it binds CrylA(c) toxin in the presence of GlcNAc but not GalNAc; it binds the lectin SBA; but it does not bind CrylB toxin. N-terminal and internal amino acid sequences obtained from the protein show a high degree of similarity with the enzyme aminopeptidase N (EC 3.4.11.2). When assayed for aminopeptidase activity, purified receptor preparations were enriched 5.3-fold compared to M. sexta brush border membrane vesicles. We propose that the receptor for CrylA(c) toxin in the brush border membrane of the lepidopteran M. sexta is the metalloprotease aminopeptidase N.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

Aminopeptidase resistant Arg-Gly-Asp analogs are stable in plasma and inhibit platelet aggregation.

Tetrapeptides containing the sequence Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) antagonize fibrinogen binding to its platelet receptor (gp IIb/IIIa, integrin alpha IIb beta 3) and inhibit platelet aggregation in vitro. The peptides RGDS and RGDY(Me)-NH2 were rapidly degraded when incubated in human, rat, and dog plasma. HPLC analysis indicated that amino acids were sequentially removed from the peptide N-terminus, and this degradation was prevented by the aminopeptidase inhibitor bestatin. Analogs of RGDY(Me)-NH2 with an acetylated or deleted alpha-amino group were prepared. Both analogs were stable when incubated in plasma, blocked 125I-fibrinogen binding to activated platelets (IC50 = 10-30 microM) and inhibited ADP induced platelet aggregation (IC50 = 10-30 microM). This study concludes that aminopeptidase rapidly degrades RGD peptides in plasma, an important issue for in vivo testing of RGD peptides and analogs. RGD analogs intrinsically stabilized against aminopeptidase are stable in plasma and are important tools for antithrombotic studies involving antagonism of gp IIb/IIIa.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1975

Spin-labeling studies of urea-treated leucine aminopeptidase.

1. Leucine aminopeptidase (EC 3-4-11-1) from bovine eye lens was spin-labeled at the most reactive thiol groups with 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-[2-iodoacetamido]-piperidine-1-oxyl. 2. Electron spin resonance spectra show two spectral parts corresponding to two local conformational states in the environment of bound label. One state (A) exhibits a strong immobilizing effect on the mobility of the bound label whereas the other one (B) immobilizes weakly. Independently on the degree of labeling a ratio of A:B approximately 4:1 was estimated. In B a hydrophobic environment of label was observed. 3. Treatment of leucine aminopeptidase by 6.2 M urea leads to the following structural changes. a) An additional weakly immobilizing conformational state (B') with reduced hydrophobic interactions and increased mobility representing an unfolded conformational state appears. B' shows a time-dependent increase of its extent at the expense of B and A' (half conversion time about 0.5 h). The extent of this conformational change is larger, if the enzyme is additionally complexed with Mn2+. b) Mn2+ complexed with the protein is partly released producting hydrated Mn2+. c) After withdrawal of urea the observed conformational changes in leucine aminopeptidase are fully reversible, giving the initial ratio of A:B approximately 4:1 even after long incubation. 4. 6.2 M urea is not able to destroy the strongly immobilizing conformational state A completely.

Animals↗

PubMed1980

The insertion of pig microvillus aminopeptidase into the membrane as probed by [125I]iodonaphthylazide.

The insertion of pig intestinal microvillus aminopeptidase (EC 3.4.11.2) into the membrane was studied by the hydrophobic photolabel [125I]iodonaphthylazide. The aminopeptidase was either labelled in the microvillus membrane and purified, or labelled after detergent solubilization and purification in a buffer containing Triton X-100, and then isolated from the reaction mixture. Of the three subunits A (Mr 162000), B (Mr 123000) and C (Mr 62000) of the aminopeptidase, A and B, but not C contained radioactivity, indicating that both subunit A and B carry anchoring peptide. The radioactivity when released from the subunits by trypsin treatment was connected to low-molecular-weight material.

Aminopeptidases↗

PubMed1982

Changes of the quaternary structure of microvillus aminopeptidase in the membrane.

Microvillus aminopeptidase (EC 3.4.11.2) is an enzyme with a molecular weight around 300 000. Normal preparations contain three different subunits (subunit A, Mr 162 000; subunit B, Mr 123 000; subunit C, Mr 61 000). The relationship between the three subunits was studied by immunoelectrophoresis using specific antibodies against individual denatured subunits and by densitometric scanning of polyacrylamide gels after separation of the three subunits. The results suggest that microvillus aminopeptidase initially appears in the membrane as a symmetric molecule built up to two identical A subunits. These subunits are then split into equimolar amounts of subunit B and subunit C by trypsin. Subunit B cannot generate subunit C but may be further degraded. The reaction sequence described is one which occurs in vivo. Treatment of purified aminopeptidase with trypsin increases the specific activity twofold. This phenomenon does not seem to be correlated to the generation of subunit B and subunit C or to the transformation of amphiphilic form into hydrophilic form.

Aminopeptidases↗

PubMed1982

Fluorogenic substrates for bacterial aminopeptidase P and its analogs detected in human serum and calf lung.

A sensitive fluorimetric assay was developed for bacterial aminopeptidase P, based on intramolecularly quenched fluorogenic substrates. Two substrates were synthesized. Phe(NO2)-Pro-HN-CH2-CH2-NH-ABz (substrate I) and Phe(NO2)-Pro-Pro-HN-CH2-CH2-NH-ABz (substrate II), in which the Phe(NO2) group (rho-nitro-L-phenylalanyl) quenches the fluorescence of the ABz group (omicron-aminobenzoyl). Both substrates were readily cleaved by aminopeptidase P from Escherichia coli, releasing rho-nitro-L-phenylalanine and causing a proportional increase in fluorescence. Complete hydrolysis of the two substrates resulted in a 7.5-fold and 3.4-fold fluorescence increase, respectively. Applying this fluorogenic assay, we were able to detect and measure quantitatively amino-peptidase P-like activity in the human serum and calf-lung extracts. Substrate II was shown to be specifically cleaved by aminopeptidase P in these preparations, while substrate I was apparently cleaved by other enzymes as well. In both preparations, the enzyme activity was independent of Co2+ ions, and Pro-HN-CH2-CH2-NH-ABz (Cbz) was inhibitory. The kinetic constant Km was determined as 0.35 mM and 0.28 mM for the human serum and the calf-lung enzymes respectively. The enzyme activity was only slightly dependent on pH in the range 7.0-8.4.

Aminopeptidases↗

PubMed1985

Metal binding to yeast aminopeptidase I.

Binding of Zn(II) and Co(II) to homogeneous dodecameric aminopeptidase I from yeast was studied. Apparent binding constants were estimated from the dependence of enzyme activity on metal levels in solution as established by metal buffer systems. The binding curves were sigmoidal with Hill coefficients of 1.2-1.6, depending on the metal and on pH. Metal concentrations at half-saturation were 28 nM with Zn(II), and 390 nM with Co(II) at pH 7.0, they increased with decreasing pH. Equilibrium binding studies yielded binding stoichiometries of 0.5-0.6 mol metal/mol subunit for both Zn(II) and Co(II). However, after oxidation of Co(II)-substituted enzyme with H2O2 almost stoichiometric amounts of cobalt (greater than 0.9 mol/mol subunit) were found. The oxidized enzyme was inactive and did not exchange cobalt with the solvent. Native aminopeptidase I was also affected by H2O2, however only after prolonged incubation and at a much lower rate. Apoenzyme modified by ethoxyformic anhydride could not be reconstituted by Zn(II) or Co(II). On the other hand, either metal afforded full protection against ethoxyformic anhydride. This finding, and the pH dependence of stability constants suggest that histidine residues are involved in metal binding. Both the reconstitution of active enzyme from apoprotein and metal and its inactivation due to loss of metal are slow processes with half-times in the minute range. The rate of reconstitution did not depend on Zn(II) concentration. The rates of metal loss were not enhanced by chelating agents containing carboxylate functions. In contrast, chelators coordinating via nitrogen atoms and 2,3-dimercaptopropanol accelerated dissociation. A model is proposed that accounts for the substoichiometric metal contents of aminopeptidase I and for the slow time course of reconstitution. It is assumed that reconstitution involves a slow, monomolecular transition, leading to an active enzyme conformation with lower affinity for metal ions.

Aminopeptidases↗

PubMed1985

Purification and characterization of two Cl- -activated aminopeptidases hydrolysing basic termini from human skeletal muscle.

Two aminopeptidases (I and II), hydrolysing basic termini, were purified to homogeneity (as judged by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) from human quadriceps muscle by anion-exchange chromatography and preparative electrophoresis. The electrophoretic migration rate of II was approximately 80% of that of I. Both enzymes had the following properties: optimum activity was at pH 6.5; addition of 0.15 M Cl- or Br- anions resulted in a 20-fold or 10-fold increase in activity respectively. There was little or no increase in activity on the addition of other anions, or divalent cations (0.05-5mM). Approximately 50% inhibition of activity was obtained in the presence of bestatin (0.1 microM), rho-hydroxymercuriphenylsulphonic acid (0.1 microM), EDTA (10 mM), 1,10-phenanthroline (100 microM), N-ethylmaleimide (1 mM) and But-Thr-Phe-Pro (0.5 mM). The molecular mass was 72 000 Da (gel filtration). Only the arginyl and lysyl 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin (Amc) derivatives were appreciably hydrolysed; approximate Km values for the reaction of I and II with these substrates (10-250 microM) were estimated as follows: Arg-Amc, KmI = 70 microM, KmII = 270 microM; Lys-Amc KmI = 280 microM, KmII = 400 microM. Both enzymes hydrolysed dipeptides with Arg or Lys as the NH2-terminal amino acid, however this was not an absolute requirement for dipeptide hydrolysis. The action of I and II on physiologically active oligopeptides was very restricted, with only bradykinin, proangiotensin and neurotensin being appreciably degraded. The breakdown of these peptides did not occur by classical aminopeptidase action (i.e. hydrolysis of the NH2-terminal residues), but via cleavage of internal peptide bonds. These results suggest that I and II may be isoenzymes of a Cl- -requiring, thiol-type aminopeptidase, which hydrolyses basic termini. These enzymes may act primarily as dipeptidases, with a very restricted mode of action in the degradation of naturally occurring oligopeptides.

Aminopeptidases↗

PubMed1993

Specificity of Streptomyces griseus aminopeptidase and modulation of activity by divalent metal ion binding and substitution.

Streptomyces griseus aminopeptidase is a calcium-activated zinc metalloenzyme characterized by a high enzymic reactivity, high thermal stability and low molecular mass [Spungin, A. and Blumberg, S. (1989) Eur. J. Biochem. 183, 471-477]. A study of the specificity of S. griseus aminopeptidase using amino acid 4-nitroanilide substrates shows that the leucine derivative is the best substrate. Derivatives of other hydrophobic amino acids, methionine and phenylalanine, are also excellent substrates for the enzyme. The 4-nitroanilides of alanine, valine, proline and lysine are good substrates whereas those of the small size glycine and the acidic amino acids are very poor. No hydrolysis of a terminal Xaa residue can be detected with Xaa-proline N-terminal sequences. Calcium ions bind to the enzyme and modulate its activity in a substrate-dependent manner. The catalytically essential zinc of S. griseus aminopeptidase is removed by dialysis against 1,10-phenanthroline and replaced by manganese or cobalt ions, resulting in enzyme derivatives of altered specificities. Thus, whereas the zinc enzyme hydrolyzes leucine 4-nitroanilide at a 10-fold faster rate than the manganese or cobalt enzymes, the cobalt enzyme hydrolyzes alanine 4-nitroanilide at a more than 20-fold faster rate than the zinc or manganese enzymes.

Aminopeptidases↗

PubMed1981

Inhibitors of a rat brain enkephalin aminopeptidase.

Eight protease inhibitors of microbiological origin were examined as potential inhibitors of a homogeneous rat brain enkephalin aminopeptidase. Bestatin [(2S,3R)-3-amino-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutanoyl]-L-leucine and analogs of bestatin having basic, acid, and other neutral amino acids substituted for the Leu residue exhibited inhibition constants ranging from 3.3 X 10(-5) to 8.3 X 10(-8) M. The best inhibitor had a positively charged amino acid (Lys) substituted for Leu. A series of phenylalanyl dipeptides were examined as substrates with the aminopeptidase. The amino acid residue on the carboxyl side of the peptide bond undergoing cleavage was varied systematically in the dipeptides to include neutral, acidic, and basic residues. Again, a positively charged amino acid (Arg) adjacent to the bond undergoing scission was kinetically preferred. These results may be used to design highly specific inhibitors of the enkephalin aminopeptidase.

Aminopeptidases↗

PubMed1993

Characterization of the Rickettsia prowazekii pepA gene encoding leucine aminopeptidase.

The pepA gene, encoding a protein with leucine aminopeptidase activity, was isolated from Rickettsia prowazekii, an obligate intracellular parasitic bacterium. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed an open reading frame of 1,502 bp that would encode a protein of 499 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 53,892, a size comparable to that of the protein produced in Escherichia coli minicells containing the rickettsial gene. Also, heat-stable leucine aminopeptidase activity was demonstrable in an E. coli peptidase-deficient strain containing R. prowazekii pepA. Comparison of the amino acid sequence of the R. prowazekii PepA with the characterized leucine aminopeptidases from E. coli, Arabidopsis thaliana, and bovine eye lens revealed that 39.8, 34.9, and 34.0% of the residues were identical, respectively. Residues proposed to be part of the active site or involved in the binding of metal ions in the bovine metalloenzyme were all conserved in R. prowazekii PepA. However, despite the structural and enzymatic similarity to E. coli PepA, the R. prowazekii protein was unable to complement the cer site-specific, PepA-dependent recombination system found in E. coli that resolves ColE1-type plasmid multimers into their monomeric forms.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2001

Loss of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PhpA aminopeptidase activity results in increased algD transcription.

Inactivation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa phpA, encoding a putative leucine aminopeptidase, results in increased transcription of algD. The homologous protein in Escherichia coli, PepA, is multifunctional, possessing independent aminopeptidase and DNA-binding activities. Here we provide in vitro evidence that PhpA is an aminopeptidase and show that this activity is the relevant property with regard to algD expression. This regulation occurred at the previously mapped algD transcription initiation site and was not due to activation of an alternative promoter.

Carbohydrate Dehydrogenases↗

PubMed1993

CD13 (human aminopeptidase N) mediates human cytomegalovirus infection.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infects cells by a series of processes including attachment, penetration via fusion of the envelope with the plasma membrane, and transport of the viral DNA to the nucleus. The details of the early events of HCMV infection are poorly understood. We have recently reported that CD13, human aminopeptidase N, a metalloprotease, is present on blood cells susceptible in vitro to HCMV infection (C. Söderberg, S. Larsson, S. Bergstedt-Lindqvist, and E. Möller, J. Virol. 67:3166-3175, 1993). Here we report that human CD13 is involved in HCMV infection. Antibodies directed against human CD13 not only inhibit infection but also block binding of HCMV virions to susceptible cells. Compounds known to inhibit aminopeptidase activity block HCMV infection. HCMV-resistant murine fibroblasts have heightened susceptibility to HCMV infection after transfection with complementary DNA encoding human CD13. A significant increase in binding of HCMV was observed in the CD13-expressing transfectants compared with neomycin-resistant control mouse cells. However, murine fibroblasts transfected with mutant CD13, lacking a portion of the aminopeptidase active site, remained susceptible to HCMV infection. Thus, human CD13 appears to mediate HCMV infection by a process that increases binding, but its enzymatic domain is not necessary for infection.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1983

Some properties of aminopeptidase associated with rat brain cortical synaptosomes.

To understand the breakdown of peptides in the brain, we studied the aminopeptidase associated with synaptosome particles. A continuous spectrophotometric assay in stirred cuvettes was used to follow the kinetics of inactivation by EDTA and by diethyl pyrocarbonate. The sensitivity of the enzyme towards puromycin and leucine hydroxamate was also determined. The results are consistent with the presence of a single species of aminopeptidase in freshly prepared synaptosome. This enzyme is capable of degrading Met-enkephalin in vitro and is distinct from microsomal leucine aminopeptidase. Storage of synaptosomes by freezing and subsequent thawing changed some properties of the enzyme and partially solubilized the enzyme. These studies suggest that there are advantages in studying the enzyme in its native particle-bound state.

Aminopeptidases↗