A possible evolutionary relationship between plant trypsin inhibitor, alpha-amylase inhibitor, and mammalian pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor (Kazal)

The amino acid sequence of the carboxyl-terminal half of barley trypsin inhibitor was found to be significantly similar to the whole sequence of bovine pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor (Kazal). Kazal type inhibitors and related proteins are known for the extraordinary mode of divergence among animals, and the present observation extends this to a plant for the first time. The present observation together with our previous finding of sequence homology between barley trypsin inhibitor and wheat alpha-amylase inhibitor (Odani, S., Koide, T., & Ono, T. (1982) FEBS Lett. 141, 279-282) suggest an unusual evolutionary relationship between cereal enzyme inhibitors and animal proteinase inhibitors of the Kazal type.     

Primary structure and reactive site of a novel wheat proteinase inhibitor of subtilisin and chymotrypsin

The proteinase inhibitor WSCI, active in inhibiting bacterial subtilisin and a number of animal chymotrypsins, was purified from endosperm of exaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum, c.v. San Pastore) by ion exchange chromatography and its complete amino acid sequence was established by automated Edman degradation. WSCI consists of a single polypeptide chain of 72 amino acid residues, has a molecular mass of 8126.3 Da and a pl of 5.8. The inhibition constants (Ki) for Bacillus licheniformis subtilisin and bovine pancreatic alpha-chymotrypsin are 3.92 x 10(-9) M and 7.24 x 10(-9) M, respectively. The inhibitor contains one methionine and of tryptophan residue and has a high content of essential amino acids (41 over a total of 72 residues), but no cysteines. The primary structure of WSCI shows high similarity with barley subtilisin-chymotrypsin isoinhibitors of the Cl-2 type and with maize subtilisinchymotrypsin inhibitor MPI. Significant degrees of similarity were also found between sequences of WSCI and of other members of the potato inhibitor I family of the serine proteinase inhibitors. The wheat inhibitor WSCI has a single reactive site (the peptide bond between methionyl-48 and glutamyl-49 residues) as identified by affinity chromatography and sequence analysis.     

一种水稻蛋白酶抑制剂基因的克隆及其结构分析

参照水稻蛋白酶抑制剂部分氨基酸序列 ,利用水稻偏爱密码子设计引物 ,经 PCR扩增 ,从我国水稻 (Oryza sativa)品种“中花 8号”中克隆到一个长 40 8bp的基因。序列测定和分析表明 ,克隆到的是一个未见报道的新的水稻蛋白酶抑制剂基因 ,该基因编码了一个由 1 33个氨基酸组成 ,具有重复双功能结构域和以抑制胰蛋白酶为主的活性中心的包曼 -伯克 (Bowman- Birk)型蛋白酶抑制剂 ,该基因推导的氨基酸序列与大麦、小麦、豆类等的某些蛋白酶抑制剂的氨基酸序列具有较高的同源性 ,与该家族的水稻的一种胰蛋白酶抑制剂氨基酸全序列同源性高达 75%。     

Molecular Cloning and Sequence Analysis of a Gene Encoding Rice Proteinase Inhibitor

With the primers designed basing on the terminal amino acid sequences of rice proteinase inhibitors and the preferred codons of rice genes, a new gene coding for a rice proteinase inhibitor has been amplified and cloned from Oryza sativa var. japonica (cv. Zhonghua 8) using PCR technique. The gene contains 408 basepairs and encodes 133 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence with duplicated Bowman-Birk type structure and active sites specific to trypsin has relatively high homology with that of proteinase inhibitors from wheats, beans etc. As for rice, the new gene shares 74.8% homology with a rice bran trypsin inhibitor reported previously. The evolutionary characteristics of the proteinase inhibitor family has also been discussed.     

Proteinase inhibitors from Erythrina corallodendron and Erythrina cristagalli seeds

Eight and five proteinase inhibitors were purified from Erythrina corallodendron and E. cristagalli seeds, respectively, by gel filtration followed by ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and DEAE-sepharose. Each inhibitor consists of 161–163 amino acids (M_r 18 000) including four half-cystine residues and resembles the Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitors. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of trypsin inhibitor DE-7 from E. corallodendron seed resembles those of other Erythrina species. For the other inhibitors no free N-terminal amino acid was found. DE-1,-2,-3,-4 and -5 from the seed of E. corallodendron contain potent inhibitors for α-chymotrypsin and they have practically no action on trypsin. From the same seed, inhibitors DE-6, -7 and -8 strongly inhibit trypsin and also inhibit α-chymotrypsin to varying degrees. From the seeds of E. cristagalli, inhibitors DE-1 and -8 inhibit trypsin strongly and DE-2, -3 and -4 are strongly inhibitory for α-chymotrypsin. On summarizing the inhibitor characteristics of the Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitors from the seeds of eight different species of Erythrina, it was obvious that there is a relationship between the alanine content of the inhibitors and their activities. A high alanine content is associated with potent α-chymotrypsin activities and low alanine content with strong trypsin activities.     

Amino acid sequence of winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC.) chymotrypsin inhibitor, WCI-3

The complete amino acid sequence of winged bean chymotrypsin inhibitor 3 (WCI-3) was determined by the conventional methods. WCI-3 consisted of 183 amino acid residues, but was heterogeneous in the carboxyl terminal region owing to the loss of one to four carboxyl terminal amino acid residues. The sequence of WCI-3 was highly homologous with those of soybean trypsin inhibitor Tia, winged bean trypsin inhibitor WTI-1, and Erythrina latissima trypsin inhibitor DE-3. One of the reactive site peptide bonds of WCI-3 was identified as Leu(65)-Ser(66), which was located at the same position as those of the other Kunitz-family leguminous proteinase inhibitors.     

Purification and amino acid sequence of Kunitz-type protease inhibitor found in the hemocytes of horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus)

A low molecular weight protein protease inhibitor was purified from Japanese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus) hemocytes. It consisted of a single polypeptide with a total of 61 amino acid residues. This protease inhibitor inhibited stoichiometrically the amidase activity of trypsin (Ki = 4.60 X 10(-10) M), and also had inhibitory effects on alpha-chymotrypsin (Ki = 5.54 X 10(-9) M), elastase (Ki = 7.20 X 10(-8) M), plasmin, and plasma kallikrein. However, it had no effect on T. tridentatus clotting enzyme and factor C, mammalian blood coagulation factors (activated protein C, factor Xa and alpha-thrombin), papain, and thermolysin. The complete amino acid sequence of this inhibitor was determined and its sequence was compared with those of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) and other Kunitz-type inhibitors. It was found that the amino acid sequence of this inhibitor has a high homology of 47 and 43% with those of sea anemone inhibitor 5-II and BPTI, respectively. Thus, this protease inhibitor appeared to be one of the typical Kunitz-type protease inhibitors.     

The amino acid sequence and reactive site of a single-headed trypsin inhibitor from wheat endosperm

The sequence of a trypsin inhibitor, isolated from wheat endosperm, is reported. The primary structure was obtained by automatic sequence analysis of the S-alkylated protein and of purified peptides derived from chemical cleavage by cyanogen bromide and digestion withStaphylococcus aureus V8 protease. This protein, named wheat trypsin inhibitor (WTI), which is comprised of a total of 71 amino acid residues, has 12 cysteines, all involved in disulfide bridges. The primary site of interaction (reactive site) with bovine trypsin has been identified as the dipeptide arginyl-methionyl at positions 19 and 20. WTI has a high degree of sequence identity with a number of serine proteinase inhibitors isolated from both cereal and leguminous plants. On the basis of the findings presented, this protein has been classified as a single-headed trypsin inhibitor of Bowman-Birk type.     

Subtilisin Protein Inhibitor from Potato Tubers

A protein with molecular weight of 21 kD denoted as PKSI has been isolated from potato tubers (Solanum tuberosum L., cv. Istrinskii). The isolation procedure includes precipitation with (NH4)2SO4, gel chromatography on Sephadex G-75, and ion-exchange chromatography on CM-Sepharose CL-6B. The protein effectively inhibits the activity of subtilisin Carlsberg (Ki = 1.67 +/- 0.2 nM) by stoichiometric complexing with the enzyme at the molar ratio of 1 : 1. The inhibitor has no effect on trypsin, chymotrypsin, and the cysteine proteinase papain. The N-terminal sequence of the protein consists of 19 amino acid residues and is highly homologous to sequences of the known inhibitors from group C of the subfamily of potato Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitors (PKPIs-C). By cloning PCR products from the genomic DNA of potato, a gene denoted as PKPI-C2 was isolated and sequenced. The N-terminal sequence (residues from 15 to 33) of the protein encoded by the PKPI-C2 gene is identical to the N-terminal sequence (residues from 1 to 19) of the isolated protein PKSI. Thus, the inhibitor PKSI is very likely encoded by this gene.     

Kunitz-type protease inhibitor found in rat mast cells. Purification, properties, and amino acid sequence

A low molecular weight serine protease inhibitor, named trypstatin, was purified from rat peritoneal mast cells. It is a single polypeptide with 61 amino acid residues and an Mr of 6610. Trypstatin markedly inhibits blood coagulation factor Xa (Ki = 1.2 x 10(-10) M) and tryptase (Ki = 3.6 x 10(-10) M) from rat mast cells, which have activities that convert prothrombin to thrombin. It also inhibits porcine pancreatic trypsin (Ki = 1.4 x 10(-8) M) and chymase (Ki = 2.4 x 10(-8) M) from rat mast cells, but not papain, alpha-thrombin, or porcine pancreatic elastase. Trypstatin forms a complex in a molar ratio of 1:1 with trypsin and one subunit of tryptase. The complete amino acid sequence of this inhibitor was determined and compared with those of Kunitz-type inhibitors. Trypstatin has a high degree of sequence homology with human and bovine inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitors, A4(751) Alzheimer's disease amyloid protein precursor, and basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor. However, unlike other known Kunitz-type protease inhibitors, it inhibits factor Xa most strongly.     

Purification and characterization of proteinase inhibitors from adzuki beans (Phaseolus angularis).

Two proteinase inhibitors, designated as inhibitors I and II, were purified from adzuki beans (Phaseolus angularis) by chromatographies on DEAE- and CM-cellulose, and gel filtration on a Sephadex G-100 column. Each inhibitor shows unique inhibitory activities. Inhibitor I was a powerful inhibitor of trypsin [EC 3.4.21.4], but essentially not of chymotrypsin ]EC 3.4.21.1]. On the other hand, inhibitor II inhibited chymotrypsin more strongly than trypsin. The molecular weights estimated from the enzyme inhibition were 3,750 and 9,700 for inhibitors I and II, respectively, assuming that the inhibitions were stoichiometric and in 1 : 1 molar ratio. The amino acid compositions of both inhibitors closely resemble those of low molecular weight inhibitors of other leguminous seeds: they contain large amounts of half-cystine, aspartic acid and serine, and little or no hydrophobic and aromatic amino acids. Inhibitor I lacks both tyrosine and tryptophan residues. The molecular weights were calculated to be 7,894 and 8,620 for inhibitors I and II, respectively. The reliability of these molecular weights was confirmed by the sedimentation equilibrium and 6 M guanidine gel filtration methods. On comparison with the values obtained from enzyme inhibition, it was concluded that inhibitor I and two trypsin inhibitory sites on the molecule, whereas inhibitor II had one chymotrypsin and one trypsin inhibitory sites on the molecule.     

Purification and amino acid sequence of a bitter gourd inhibitor against an acidic amino acid-specific endopeptidase of Streptomyces griseus.

An inhibitor (BGIA) against an acidic amino acid-specific endopeptidase of Streptomyces griseus (Glu S. griseus protease) was isolated from seeds of the bitter gourd Momordica charantia L., and its amino acid sequence was determined. The molecular weight of BGIA based on the amino acid sequence was calculated to be 7419. BGIA competitively inhibited Glu S. griseus protease with an inhibition constant (Ki) of 70 nM, and gel filtration analyses suggested that BGIA forms a 1:1 complex with this protease. However, two other acidic amino acid-specific endopeptidases, protease V8 from Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis proteinase (Glu B. subtilis protease), were not inhibited by BGIA. BGIA had no inhibitory activity against chymotrypsin, trypsin, porcine pancreatic elastase, and papain, although subtilisin Carlsberg was strongly inhibited. The amino acid sequence of BGIA shows similarity to potato chymotrypsin inhibitor, barley subtilisin-chymotrypsin inhibitor CI-1 and CI-2, and leech eglin C, especially around the reactive site. Although the residue at the putative reactive site of these inhibitors is leucine or methionine, the corresponding amino acid in BGIA is alanine.     

High-resolution structure of a potent, cyclic proteinase inhibitor from sunflower seeds.

Proteinaceous serine proteinase inhibitors are widespread throughout the plant kingdom where they play an important role in protection against pests and pathogens. Here, we describe the isolation and characterisation of a novel 14 amino acid residue cyclic peptide from sunflower seeds, which is a potent inhibitor of trypsin (Ki=100 pM). The crystal structure of this peptide in complex with bovine beta-trypsin shows both sequence and conformational similarity with the trypsin-reactive loop of the Bowman-Birk family of serine proteinase inhibitors. This inhibitor, however, is unique in being monofunctional, cyclic and far shorter (14 amino acid residues) than inhibitors belonging to this family (typically 60-70 amino acid residues). The high potency of this peptide is likely to arise from the considerable structural rigidity achieved through its cyclic nature which is further stabilised by a single internal disulphide bond. This study helps delineate the minimal unit required for effective peptide inhibitors of serine proteinases, and will assist in the further design of inhibitors to this widespread class of enzymes.     

Isolation, expression and characterization of a novel dual serine protease inhibitor, OH-TCI, from king cobra venom

Snake venom Kunitz/BPTI members are good tools for understanding of structure-functional relationship between serine proteases and their inhibitors. A novel dual Kunitz/BPTI serine proteinase inhibitor named OH-TCI (trypsin- and chymotrypsin-dual inhibitor from Ophiophagus hannah) was isolated from king cobra venom by three chromatographic steps of gel filtration, trypsin affinity and reverse phase HPLC. OH-TCI is composed of 58 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 6339Da. Successful expression of OH-TCI was performed as the maltose-binding fusion protein in E. coli DH5alpha. Much different from Oh11-1, the purified native and recombinant OH-TCI both had strong inhibitory activities against trypsin and chymotrypsin although the sequence identity (74.1%) between them is very high. The inhibitor constants (K(i)) of recombinant OH-TCI were 3.91 x 10(-7) and 8.46 x10(-8)M for trypsin and chymotrypsin, respectively. To our knowledge, it was the first report of Kunitz/BPTI serine proteinase inhibitor from snake venom that had equivalent trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory activities.     

Characterization of urinary proteinase inhibitors with segments of amino acids sequences identical to sequences of pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor

1. Slow migrating proteinase inhibitors were isolated from pathological human urine. 2. The N-terminal amino acid sequence including 23 amino acids was identical to the one in pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor. 3. The slow migrating proteinase inhibitors occurred in 3 forms with different electrophoretic mobility. 4. Time of flight mass spectrometry showed that the Mw of one of the forms was 6241 while the Mw of another form was 5923. 5. The Ki of complexes with trypsin was determined to be 1 x 10(-10) M, with chymotrypsin and plasmin Ki was 1 x 10(-7) M. Elastase, kallikrein and thrombin were not inhibited.     

Proteinase inhibitors from lonchocarpus capassa (appleleaf) seed

Four proteinase inhibitors (DE-1 to DE-4) were purified from L. capassa seed by chromatographic procedures involving Sephadex G-50 and DEAE-cellulose. They comprise each 80 amino acids (MW ca 10 000) including fourteen half-cystine residues. The partial amino acid sequence of inhibitor DE-4 was determined; 60 of the 80 residues have been sequenced. The MW, cystine content and partial sequence of DE-4 resemble those of the Bowman-Birk-type proteinase inhibitors. The properties of inhibitors DE-1 and DE-4 are very similar. Each contains a potent inhibitor for porcine trypsin but they inhibit bovine α-chymotrypsin only weakly.     

A serine protease inhibitor from the anemone Radianthus macrodactylus: isolation and physicochemical characteristics

A serine protease inhibitor with a molecular mass of 6106 +/- 2Da (designated as InhVJ) was isolated from the tropical anemone Radianthus macrodactylus by a combination of liquid chromatography methods. The molecule of InhVJ consists of 57 amino acid residues, has three disulfide bonds, and contains no Met or Trp residues. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the inhibitor (19 aa residues) was established. It was shown that this fragment has a high degree of homology with the N-terminal amino acid sequences of serine protease inhibitors from other anemone species, reptiles, and mammals. The spatial organization of the inhibitor at the levels of tertiary and secondary structures was studied by the methods of UV and CD spectroscopy. The specific and molar absorption coefficients of InhVJ were determined. The percentage of canonical secondary structure elements in the polypeptide was calculated. The inhibitor has a highly ordered tertiary structure and belongs to mixed alpha/beta or alpha + beta polypeptides. It was established that InhVJ is highly specific toward trypsin (Ki 2.49 x 10(-9) M) and alpha-chymotrypsin (Ki 2.17 x 10(-8) M) and does not inhibit other proteases, such as thrombin, kallikrein, and papain. The inhibitor InhVJ was assigned to the family of the Kunitz inhibitor according to its physicochemical properties.     

The complete amino acid sequence of the major Kunitz trypsin inhibitor from the seeds of Prosopsis juliflora.

The major inhibitor of trypsin in seeds of Prosopsis juliflora was purified by precipitation with ammonium sulphate, ion-exchange column chromatography on DEAE- and CM-Sepharose and preparative reverse phase HPLC on a Vydac C-18 column. The protein inhibited trypsin in the stoichiometric ratio of 1:1, but had only weak activity against chymotrypsin and did not inhibit human salivary or porcine pancreatic alpha-amylases. SDS-PAGE indicated that the inhibitor has a Mr of ca 20,000, and IEF-PAGE showed that the pI is 8.8. The complete amino acid sequence was determined by automatic degradation, and by DABITC/PITC microsequence analysis of peptides obtained from enzyme digestions of the reduced and S-carboxymethylated protein with trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, the Glu-specific protease from S. aureus and the Lys-specific protease from Lysobacter enzymogenes. The inhibitor consisted of two polypeptide chains, of 137 residues (alpha chain) and 38 residues (beta chain) linked together by a single disulphide bond. The amino acid sequence of the protein exhibited homology with a number of Kunitz proteinase inhibitors from other legume seeds, the bifunctional subtilisin/alpha-amylase inhibitors from cereals and the taste-modifying protein miraculin.     

Isolation and primary structure of proteinase inhibitors from Erythrina variegata (Linn.) var. Orientalis seeds.

The Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors, ETIa and ETIb, and chymotrypsin inhibitor ECI were isolated from the seeds of Erythrina variegata. The proteins were extracted from a defatted meal of seeds with 10 mM phosphate buffer, pH 7.2, containing 0.15 M NaCl, and purified by DEAE-cellulose and Q-Sepharose column chromatographies. The stoichiometry of trypsin inhibitors with trypsin was estimated to be 1:1, while that of chymotrypsin inhibitor with chymotrypsin was 1:2, judging from the titration patterns of their inhibitory activities. The complete amino acids of the two trypsin inhibitors were sequenced by protein chemical methods. The proteins ETIa and ETIb consist of 172 and 176 amino acid residues and have M(r) 19,242 and M(r) 19,783, respectively, and share 112 identical amino acid residues, which is 65% identity. They show structural features characteristic of the Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor (i.e., identical residues at about 45% with soybean trypsin inhibitor STI). Furthermore, the trypsin inhibitors show a significant homology to the storage proteins, sporamin, in sweet potato and the taste-modifying protein, miraculin, in miracle fruit, having about 30% identical residues.     

Complete amino acid sequences of three proteinase inhibitors from white sword bean (Canavalia gladiata)

Three major serine proteinase inhibitors (SBI-1, -2, and -3) were purified from the seeds of white sword bean (Canavalia gladiata) by FPLC and reversed-phase HPLC. The sequences of these inhibitors were established by automatic Edman degradation and TOF-mass spectrometry. SBI-1, -2, and -3 consisted of 72, 73, and 75 amino acid residues, with molecular masses of 7806.5, 7919.8, and 8163.4, respectively. The sequences of SBI-1 and -2 coincided with those of CLT I and II [Terada et al. (1994) Biosci. Biotech. Biochem., 58, 376-379] except only N- or C-terminal amino acid residues. Analysis of the amino acid sequences showed that the active sites of the inhibitors contained a Lys21-Ser22 against trypsin and Leu48-Ser49 against chymotrypsin, respectively. Further, it became apparent that about seven disulfide bonds were present. These results suggest that sword bean inhibitors are members of the Bowman-Birk proteinase inhibitor family.