The amino acid sequence of component 7c, a type II intermediate-filament protein from wool.

Component 7c is one of the four homologous type II intermediate-filament proteins that, by association with the complementary type I proteins, form the microfibrils or intermediate filaments in wool. Component 7c was isolated as the S-carboxymethyl derivative from Merino wool and its amino acid sequence was determined by manual and automatic sequencing of peptides produced by chemical and enzymic cleavage reactions. It is an N-terminally blocked molecule of 491 residues and Mr (not including the blocking group) of 55,600; the nature of the blocking group has not been determined. The predicted secondary structure shows that component 7c conforms to the now accepted pattern for intermediate-filament proteins in having a central rod-like region of approximately 310 residues of coiled-coil alpha-helix flanked by non-helical N-and C-terminal regions. The central region is divided by three non-coiled-coil linking segments into four helical segments 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B. The N-and C-terminal non-helical segments are 109 and 71 residues respectively and are rich in cysteine. Details of procedures use in determining the sequence of component 7c have been deposited as a Supplementary Publication SUP 50152 (65 pages) at the British Library Document Supply Centre, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7BQ, U.K., from whom copies can be obtained on the terms indicated in Biochem. J. (1989) 257,5. The information comprises: (1) details of chemical and enzymic methods used for cleavage of component 7c, peptides CN1, CN2 and CN3, and various other peptides, (2) details of the procedures used for the fractionation and purification of peptides from (1), including Figures showing the elution profiles from the chromatographic steps used, (3) details of methods used to determine the C-terminal sequence of peptide CN3, and (4) detailed evidence to justify a number of corrections to the previously published sequence.     

The Cu(II)-repressible plastidic cytochrome c. Cloning and sequence of a complementary DNA for the pre-apoprotein

We have cloned a complementary DNA for pre-apocytochrome c-552 from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The deduced sequence of the mature protein shows high homology to those of cytochromes c-553 from cyanobacteria. Its homology to mitochondrial cytochrome c or bacterial photosynthetic cytochrome c2 is lower and appears to be concentrated in sequences around amino acids involved in the interaction with heme. With respect to primary sequence, the "transit sequence" for cytochrome c-552 appears to show no homology to other transit sequences for nuclear encoded chloroplast proteins. However, based on analogy to transit sequences for other proteins (Daldal, F., Cheng, S., Applebaum, J., Davidson, E., and Prince, R. C. (1986) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 2012-2016; Goldschmidt-Clermont, M., and Rahire, M. (1986) J. Mol. Biol. 191, 421-432; Smeekens, S., de Groot, M., van Binsbergen, J., and Weisbeek, P. (1986) Cell 46, 365-375) the transit sequence of cytochrome c-552 can be divided into envelope-traversing and thylakoid-traversing domains. Cytochrome c-552 appears to encoded by a single nuclear gene in C. reinhardtii. The gene is expressed exclusively in Cu(II)-deficient cells.     

The preparation and properties of a group of proteins from the high-sulphur fraction of wool

A method is reported for the preparation of a group of three proteins from the S-carboxymethylated high-sulphur fraction of wool. These proteins have been partially characterized by their tryptic peptides. All have similar structural features and show an interesting homology within the group and some similarities of sequence with a different group of wool high-sulphur proteins. The evidence for the sequence of some of the peptides is given in a supplementary paper that has been deposited as Supplementary Publication 50008 at the National Lending Library for Science and Technology, Boston Spa, Yorks. LS23 7BQ, U.K., from whom copies can be obtained on the terms indicated in Biochem. J. (1972) 126, 5.     

Secondary structure of component 8c-1 of alpha-keratin. An analysis of the amino acid sequence.

The amino acid sequence of component 8c-1 from alpha-keratin was analysed by using secondary-structure prediction techniques, homology search methods, fast Fourier-transform techniques to detect regularities in the linear disposition of amino acids, interaction counts to assess possible modes of chain aggregation and assessment of hydrophilicity distribution. The analyses show the following. The molecule has two lengths of coiled-coil structure, each about 20 nm long, one from residues 56-202 with a discontinuity from about residue 91 to residue 101, and the other from residues 219-366 with discontinuities from about residue 238 to residue 245 and at about residue 306. The acidic and basic residues in the coiled-coil segment between residues 102 and 202 show a 9,4-residue structural period in their linear disposition, whereas between residues 246 and 366 a period of 9.9 residues is observed in the positioning of ionic residues. Acidic and basic residues are out of phase by 180 degrees. Similar repeats occur in corresponding regions of other intermediate-filament proteins. The overall mean values for the repeats are 9.55 residues in the N-terminal region and 9.85 residues in the C-terminal region. The regions at each end of the protein chain (residues 1-55 and 367-412) are not alpha-helical and contain many potential beta-bends. The regions specified in have a significant degree of homology mainly due to a semi-regular disposition of proline and half-cystine residues on a three-residue grid; this is especially apparent in the C-terminal segment, in which short (Pro-Cys-Xaa)n regions occur. The coiled-coil segments of component 8c-1 bear a striking similarity to corresponding segments of other intermediate-filament proteins as regards sequence homology, structural periodicity of ionic residues and secondary/tertiary-structure predictions. The assessments of the probabilities that these homologies occurred by chance indicate that there are two populations of keratin filament proteins. The non-coiled-coil regions at each end of the chain are less hydrophilic than the coiled-coil regions. Ionic interactions between the heptad regions of components 8c-1 and 7c from the microfibrils of alpha-keratin are optimized when a coiled-coil structure is formed with the heptad regions of the constituent chains both parallel and in register.     

Organization of the coiled-coils in the wool microfibril

Two helix-enriched fragments were isolated from a partial tryptic digest of the microfibrillar proteins of wool. From the known sequences of two of the constituent microfibrillar polypeptides, components 7c and 8c-1, one of these fragments was identified as arising from the N-terminal half of the helix-rich region and the other from the C-terminal half of this region. On the basis of the molecular weight in benign and dissociating solvents, crosslinking with dimethylsuberimidate, and amino acid and sequence analyses the N-terminal fragment was shown to be a tetrameric structure, consisting of two segments from each of the components 7 and 8 families. The C-terminal fragment was shown to be a two-stranded coiled-coil containing one chain segment from each of components 7 and 8. The evidence is not compatible with anything but a two-stranded coiled-coil as the basic molecular structure for the wool microfibril and provides experimental proof of a parallel arrangement of the chains. The thermal stabilities of the two fragments and of the parent microfibrillar complex from which they are derived are very similar indicating that the non-helical end regions of the polypeptide chains do not greatly affect the stability of the α-helical rod domain.     

Structure of intermediate filaments

Recent amino acid sequence data have revealed that the microfibrils in hard α-keratin contain proteins with highly significant homologies and closely similar structural characteristics to the intermediate filament (IF) proteins known as desmin and vimentin. This result implies that microfibrils in hard α-keratin may be classified as a member of the IF and that the major features of these various filamentous structures are the same. Consequently, data obtained using X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, amino acid sequence structural analysis and physicochemical techniques have been collated from the hitherto diverse fields of keratin and IF structure and used to formulate a more detailed model for the 7–8 nm diameter filaments than has previously been possible. Two models consisting of four-chain units arranged with the helical symmetry deduced for hard α-keratin¹ (Fraser et al. J. Mol. Biol. 1976, 108, 435–452) are in accord with the data. The structural unit comprises an oppositely directed pair of molecules each consisting of a two-stranded parallel-chain coiled-coil rope of length ～45 nm stabilized by both interchain and intermolecular ionic interactions. For a perfectly regular structure the filament may be likened either to a seven-stranded cable with a supercoil pitch length of about 345 nm (pitch angle ～2.9°), or a ten-stranded cable (Fraser, R. D. B. and MacRae, T. P. Polymer 1973, 14, 61–67) with a supercoil pitch length of about 1293 nm (pitch angle ～0.8°). The models also provide some insight into the self-assembly mechanism of the IF.     

The isolation and partial sequence of peptides produced by cyanogen bromide cleavage of calf thymus non-histone chromosomal high-mobility-group protein 2. Sequence homology with non-histone chromosomal high-mobility-group protein 1.

Peptides produced by CNBr cleavage of non-histone chromosomal protein HMG 2 (CNBr peptides) were isolated and characterized, and their partial sequences were determined. The present sequence data account for over half of the sequence of the protein HMG (high-mobility-group) 2 molecule, and, together with previously published results, provide interesting information on the charge distribution within the molecule. Comparison of the CNBr-peptide-sequence data for protein HMG 2 with the previously published data on the CNBr peptides from protein HMG 1 reveals extensive sequence homology between the two proteins. Detailed evidence for the amino acid-sequence data has been deposited as Supplementary Publication SUP 50095 (6 pages) at the British Library Lending Division, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7BQ, U.K., from whom copies may be obtained on the terms given in Biochem. J. (1978) 169, 5.     

Protein-sequence studies on Rh-related polypeptides suggest the presence of at least two groups of proteins which associate in the human red-cell membrane.

The Rh D blood-group antigen forms part of a complex, involving several other polypeptides, that is deficient in the red cells of individuals who lack all the antigens of the Rh blood-group system (Rhnull red cells). These include components recognized by anti-(Rh D) antibodies and the murine monoclonal antibodies R6A and BRIC 125. We have carried out protein-sequence studies on the components immunoprecipitated by these antibodies. Anti-(Rh D) antibodies immunoprecipitate an Mr-30,000-32,000 polypeptide (the D30 polypeptide) and an Mr-45,000-100,000 glycoprotein (D50 polypeptide). Antibody R6A immunoprecipitates two glycoproteins of Mr 31,000-34,000 (R6A32 polypeptide) and Mr 35,000-52,000 (R6A45 polypeptide). The D30 and R6A32 polypeptides were found to have the same N-terminal amino acid sequences, showing that they are closely related proteins. The D50 polypeptide and the R6A45 polypeptide also had indistinguishable N-terminal amino acid sequences that differed from that of the D30 and R6A32 polypeptides. The putative N-terminal membrane-spanning segments of the two groups of proteins showed homology in their amino acid sequence, which may account for the association of each of the pairs of proteins during co-precipitation by the antibodies. Supplementary data related to the protein sequence have been deposited as Supplementary Publication SUP 50417 (6 pages) at the British Library Document Supply Centre, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7BQ, U.K., from whom copies can be obtained on the terms indicated in Biochem. J. (1988) 249, 5.     

Correspondence of homologies in amino acid sequence and tertiary structure of protein molecules

According to the method developed previously (Kubota, Y., Takahashi, S., Nishikawa, K. and Ooi, T. (1981) J. Theor, Biol. 91, 347-361), homology among proteins may be estimated quantitatively. We extended the method to investigate the relationship of an amino acid sequence to its teritary structure and identify homologous segments which have homologous native conformations in proteins. First, we selected proper indices for the computation of correlation coefficients from 32 properties inherent to amino acids, such as hydrophobicity. The arithmetic average of correlation coefficients using six indices gave rise to a good correlation for the CD- and EF-hand regions (Ca2+ binding sites) in carp parvalbumin, but poor ones for other segments. We then applied the method to homologous proteins, the three-dimensional structures of which are known: horse hemoglobin alpha-chain and beta-chain; cytochrome c and c2; serine proteases, chymotrypsinogen and elastase; alpha-lytic protease and protease A from prokaryotic organisms. The results show that the sequence homology estimated by the present method has a good correspondence to the homology in three-dimensional structures and therefore the method is promising for the identification of important sites in sequences which have similar native conformations. For an example of the application of the method, two sequences of human interferon, one from fibroblast and the other from leukocyte, are compared, suggesting functional sites in the molecule.     

The V-region sequence of the H chain from a third rabbit anti-pneumococcal antibody.

The amino acid sequence of the V (variable) region of the heavy (H) chain of rabbit antibody BS-1, raised against type III pneumococcal vaccine, is reported. Together with the sequence data of the V region of the light (L) chain previously determined [Jaton (1974a) Biochem. J. 141, 1-13], the present work completes the analysis of the V domain of the homogeneous antibody BS-1. The V domains (VL + VH regions) of this antibody are compared with those of two other anti-(type III) pneumococcal antibodies BS-5 and K-25 [Jaton (1975) Biochem. J. 147, 235-247]. Except for the second hypervariable section of the L chains, these antibodies have very different sequences in the hypervariable segments of the V domains. Within the third hypervariable region of the H chain, each antibody has a different length: BS-1 is three amino acids shorter than K-25 and two amino acids shorter than BS-5. When the sequences in that section are aligned for maximal homology, only two residues, glycine-97 and leucine-101, are common to the three antibodies. On the basis of the amino acid sequences of these three anti-pneumococcal antibodies, the results do not support the concept of a simple correlation between primary structure in the hypervariable sections (known to determine the shape of the combining site) and antigen-binding specificity.     

The amino acid sequence of cytochromes c-551 from three species of Pseudomonas

The amino acid sequences of the cytochromes c-551 from three species of Pseudomonas have been determined. Each resembles the protein from Pseudomonas strain P6009 (now known to be Pseudomonas aeruginosa, not Pseudomonas fluorescens) in containing 82 amino acids in a single peptide chain, with a haem group covalently attached to cysteine residues 12 and 15. In all four sequences 43 residues are identical. Although by bacteriological criteria the organisms are closely related, the differences between pairs of sequences range from 22% to 39%. These values should be compared with the differences in the sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome c between mammals and amphibians (about 18%) or between mammals and insects (about 33%). Detailed evidence for the amino acid sequences of the proteins has been deposited as Supplementary Publication SUP 50015 at the National Lending Library for Science and Technology, Boston Spa, Yorks. LS23 7BQ, U.K., from whom copies can be obtained on the terms indicated in Biochem. J. (1973), 131, 5.     

Not all transmembrane helices are born equal: Towards the extension of the sequence homology concept to membrane proteins

Background

Sequence homology considerations widely used to transfer functional annotation to uncharacterized protein sequences require special precautions in the case of non-globular sequence segments including membrane-spanning stretches composed of non-polar residues. Simple, quantitative criteria are desirable for identifying transmembrane helices (TMs) that must be included into or should be excluded from start sequence segments in similarity searches aimed at finding distant homologues.

Results

We found that there are two types of TMs in membrane-associated proteins. On the one hand, there are so-called simple TMs with elevated hydrophobicity, low sequence complexity and extraordinary enrichment in long aliphatic residues. They merely serve as membrane-anchoring device. In contrast, so-called complex TMs have lower hydrophobicity, higher sequence complexity and some functional residues. These TMs have additional roles besides membrane anchoring such as intra-membrane complex formation, ligand binding or a catalytic role. Simple and complex TMs can occur both in single- and multi-membrane-spanning proteins essentially in any type of topology. Whereas simple TMs have the potential to confuse searches for sequence homologues and to generate unrelated hits with seemingly convincing statistical significance, complex TMs contain essential evolutionary information.

Conclusion

For extending the homology concept onto membrane proteins, we provide a necessary quantitative criterion to distinguish simple TMs (and a sufficient criterion for complex TMs) in query sequences prior to their usage in homology searches based on assessment of hydrophobicity and sequence complexity of the TM sequence segments.

Reviewers

This article was reviewed by Shamil Sunyaev, L. Aravind and Arcady Mushegian.     

Isolation of a gene that encodes a new retinal protein, archaerhodopsin, from Halobacterium sp. aus-1

We have cloned and sequenced the gene that encodes archaerhodopsin, a light-driven H+ pump in Halobacterium sp. aus-1 (Mukohata, Y., Sugiyama, Y., Ihara, K., and Yoshida, M. (1988) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 151, 1339-1345). The nucleotide sequence of this gene contained an open reading frame which corresponded to a protein of 260 amino acids with a molecular mass of 27,851 daltons, including a precursor sequence of 6 amino acids at the amino terminus and 2 amino acids at the carboxyl terminus. The deduced amino acid sequence of archaerhodopsin exhibited 59 and 32% homology to the sequences of bacteriorhodopsin and halorhodopsin, respectively, from Halobacterium halobium. Three charged residues (Asp-121, Asp-218, and Lys-222) are conserved in the transmembrane segments among the three retinal proteins. Residues Asp-91 and Asp-102 which, it has been suggested, may be essential for the pumping of protons (Mogi, T., Stern, L. J., Marti, T., Chao, B. H., and Khorana, H. G. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 85,4148-4152) are conserved between archaerhodopsin and bacteriorhodopsin.     

Proteins with spectrin motifs which do not belong to the spectrin-alpha-actinin-dystrophin family

Using several consensus sequences for the 106 amino acid residue alpha-spectrin repeat segment as probes we searched animal sequence databases using the BLAST program in order to find proteins revealing limited, but significant similarity to spectrin. Among many spectrins and proteins from the spectrin-alpha-actinin-dystrophin family as well as sequences showing a rather high degree of similarity in very short stretches, we found seven homologous animal sequences of low overall similarity to spectrin but showing the presence of one or more spectrin-repeat motifs. The homology relationship of these sequences to alpha-spectrin was further analysed using the SEMIHOM program. Depending on the probe, these segments showed the presence of 6 to 26 identical amino acid residues and a variable number of semihomologous residues. Moreover, we found six protein sequences, which contained a sequence fragment sharing the SH3 (sarc homology region 3) domain homology of 42-59% similarity. Our data indicate the occurrence of motifs of significant homology to alpha-spectrin repeat segments among animal proteins, which are not classical members of the spectrin-alpha-actinin-dystrophin family. This might indicate that these segments together with the SH3 domain motif are conserved in proteins which possibly at the early stage of evolution were close cognates of spectrin-alpha-actinin-dystrophin progenitors but then evolved separately.     

The amino acid sequence of chicken muscle desmin provides a common structural model for intermediate filament proteins.

The complete amino acid sequence of muscle desmin reported here is the first for an intermediate filament protein. Alignment with partial data available for vimentin, glial fibrillary acid protein, neurofilament 68 K, two wool alpha-keratins, and a recently described DNA clone covering 90% of an epidermal keratin shows that all seven proteins have extensive homologies and therefore form a complex multigene family, the intermediate filament proteins. The hard alpha-keratins of wool appear to be a special subset of epithelial keratins. The sequence information reveals, as the dominant structural principle, a rod-like middle domain arising from several alpha-helical segments able to form interchain coiled-coil elements. The proposed helices are separated by short spacers, which like the two terminal domains seem built from non-alpha-helical material. Attention is drawn to the sometimes very striking sequence homologies along the rod and the high sequence variability in the terminal domains. Finally, chemical cross-linking experiments performed on the isolated desmin rod show that intermediate filament structure seems not to be based on triple-stranded coiled-coils as currently thought, but rather reflects protofilament units built as a dimer of normal interchain double-stranded coiled-coils.     

Relationship of human variable region heavy chain germ-line genes to genes encoding anti-DNA autoantibodies

In order to identify the V region genes encoding systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-derived anti-DNA autoantibodies, we have determined the nucleotide sequence of heavy chain mRNA from several DNA-binding immunoglobulins secreted by human hybridomas. We used the technique of cDNA primer extension for determining sequences of the VH, D, and JH gene segments of anti-DNA autoantibodies from three different primary hybridoma growths from an SLE patient and one hybridoma from a leprosy patient. Immunoglobulins from two of the SLE hybridomas expressed the same idiotype, Id-16/6, which is also expressed on immunoglobulins in sera of patients with active SLE. Their mRNA sequences showed complete homology to each other in the V, D, and J genes and more than 99% homology to the VH26 germ-line gene sequence, a member of the human VHIII gene family. The VH mRNA sequence of the third SLE hybridoma, 21/28, which was idiotypically unrelated to the other two, was 93% homologous to a different VH germ-line gene sequence, HA2, a member of the human VHI gene family. The fourth anti-DNA-producing hybridoma, 8E10, was derived from a leprosy patient of different ethnic origin than the SLE patient. It was idiotypically related to 21/28 and expressed a VH segment gene identical to that of 21/28. Hybridomas 21/28 and 8E10 shared sequence homology with the VH26 anti-DNA antibodies in the first complementarity-determining region. In addition, 21/28 shared sequence homology with the Id-16/6+ group in the region encoded by the D and J gene segments. Our findings indicate that some SLE autoantibodies are encoded by unmodified or scarcely modified VH germ-line genes that are conserved in the human population and identify two distinct VH germ-line genes that can encode segments of anti-DNA immunoglobulins.     

Interactions of intermediate filament proteins from wool.

Filaments of wool are heteropolymers formed by interaction of type I and type II intermediate filament (IF) proteins. There are four proteins in each of these two classes. Interaction of the reduced wool IF proteins was studied by two-dimensional electrophoresis which showed that complexes between type I and type II proteins were formed in solution at urea concentrations below 6 M. Complex formation between the carboxymethyl derivatives of wool IF proteins was studied using a filter binding assay in which radio-labelled individual components were allowed to react under various conditions with SDS-PAGE separated components after transfer to nitrocellulose. The results suggested that (i) absolute type specificity of interaction was maintained, (ii) fine specificity, i.e. preferential reaction between specific components is observed, (iii) wool IF proteins (hard keratins) also react, with the same type specificity, with soft keratins isolated from cow snout, (iv) the initial step in the polymerization sequence that leads to filament formation yields heterodimers.     

Amino acid sequence of the sex steroid binding protein of human blood plasma

The amino acid sequence of the sex steroid binding protein (SBP) from human plasma has been determined. The SBP subunit consists of a 373-residue polypeptide chain containing two disulfide bonds and three oligosaccharide chains. The sequence was solved primarily by analysis of peptides derived by cleavage at either lysyl or methionyl residues. In our preparations, approximately half of the protein molecules have the amino-terminal sequence Arg-Pro-Val-Leu-Pro; the other half lack Arg-Pro and begin with the valine. Preparations of Hammond et al. [Hammond, G. L., Robinson, P. A., Sugino, H., Ward, D. N., & Finne, J. (1986) J. Steroid Biochem. 24, 815] have an additional leucine at the amino terminus, making a total of 373 residues in the chain. Oligosaccharide chains are placed at Thr-7 and at Asn residues 351 and 367. The two disulfide bonds connect Cys-164 to Cys-188 and Cys-333 to Cys-361. The reported heterogeneity of preparations of the molecule may result in part from the amino-terminal microheterogeneity, in part from variations in the oligosaccharide moieties, and possibly in part from rearrangements involving cyclic imide formation in two Asn-Gly sequences. Certain hydrophobic segments are suggested as possible components of the steroid-binding sites. The protein shows no homology either with the cDNA-derived sequences of the estrogen and glucocorticoid receptors found by others to be homologous with each other or with any other protein sequence in the 1986 data base.     

The amino acid sequence of rabbit cardiac troponin I.

The complete amino acid sequence of troponin I from rabbit cardiac muscle was determined by the isolation of four unique CNBr fragments, together with overlapping tryptic peptides containing radioactive methionine residues. Overlap data for residues 35-36, 93-94 and 140-145 are incomplete, the sequence at these positions being based on homology with the sequence of the fast-skeletal-muscle protein. Cardiac troponin I is a single polypeptide chain of 206 residues with mol.wt. 23550 and an extinction coefficient, E 1%,1cm/280, of 4.37. The protein has a net positive charge of 14 and is thus somewhat more basic than troponin I from fast-skeletal muscle. Comparison of the sequences of troponin I from cardiac and fast skeletal muscle show that the cardiac protein has 26 extra residues at the N-terminus which account for the larger size of the protein. In the remainder of sequence there is a considerable degree of homology, this being greater in the C-terminal two-thirds of the molecule. The region in the cardiac protein corresponding to the peptide with inhibitory activity from the fast-skeletal-muscle protein is very similar and it seems unlikely that this is the cause of the difference in inhibitory activity between the two proteins. The region responsible for binding troponin C, however, possesses a lower degree of homology. Detailed evidence on which the sequence is based has been deposited as Supplementary Publication SUP 50072 (20 pages), at the British Library Lending Division, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7QB, U.K., from whom copies may be obtained on the terms given in Biochem. J. (1976) 153, 5.