棉铃虫卵内蛋白酶性质研究

在棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera卵母细胞内检测到蛋白酶活性,其作用Ph在酸性范围,酶活性受E-64、Pepstatin和iPr₂P-F等多种抑制剂抑制。在Ph4.0时蛋白酶对牛血红蛋白有较高水解率。抗蓖麻蚕Philosamia cynthia ricini卵半胱氨酸蛋白酶血清和抗蓖麻蚕卵天冬氨酸蛋白酶血清可以识别棉铃虫卵内成分。实验结果表明;棉铃虫卵内可能存在半胱氨酸蛋白酶类、丝氨酸蛋白酶类和天冬氨酸蛋白酶类,并且与蓖麻蚕卵内蛋白酶有一定的相似性。     

家蚕卵半胱氨酸蛋白酶纯化及抗血清制备

据报道,家蚕卵中存在半胱氨酸蛋白酶(Cysteine proteinase,CP),其性质与哺乳类溶酶体半胱氨酸蛋白酶类的组织蛋白酶L相似,最佳作用pH为3.5,体外最适作用底物为牛血红蛋白,体内最适作用底物为卵黄磷蛋白。经SDS—PAGE分析,分子量47KD。其主要作用是在胚胎发育过程中降解卵黄蛋白质,供胚胎发育之需要。 在成熟卵中具很高含量的半胱氨酸蛋白酶,在胚胎发育开始前,并不发生卵黄蛋白质的水解,其作用机制尚待阐明。为了进一步研究半胱氨酸蛋白酶的组织分布、合成位点、及cDNA克隆等,作者从家蚕卵中纯化了半胱氨酸蛋白酶,并制备了抗血清。     

寄生虫的蛋白酶

蛋白酶(PA)是催化肽键水解的酶,从病毒到人的生物中都存在。对多肽末端起降解作用的酶叫肽酶;而催化肽链内部裂解的酶为内切酶。依其活性部位的重要化学基团不同,蛋白酶可分为四大类:丝氨酸,金属,半胱氨酸(硫醇)及天冬氨酸     

柞蚕卵组织蛋白酶B纯化及性质

昆虫卵内蛋白酶在胚胎发育中水解卵黄蛋白,为胚胎发育提供氨基酸,昆虫中已报道过几类卵蛋白酶,如家蚕中半胱氨酸蛋白酶和丝氨酸蛋白酶等。但是,目前尚不清楚这些蛋白酶是否存在于其他鳞翅目昆虫。了解这些蛋白酶的作用机理可以为我们提供害虫防治的新方法。并且,由于蛋白水解在许多生理过程中具有重要作用,如蛋白质的成熟和转运、受精、萌芽、肿瘤转移和其他形态发生等。因此,阐明这些蛋白酶的生物功能具有重要意义。由于（ｉ蚕卵粒大产卵量也很大,因此被选作研究鳞翅目昆虫卵蛋白酶的材料,我们希望通过对数种昆虫卵内蛋白酶的研究、找出卵黄蛋白水解的一般规律。在我们前一篇文章中报道了（ｉ蚕组织蛋白酶Ｂ的鉴定,该蛋白酶属于半胱氨酸蛋白酶类的组织蛋或最适ｐＨ为３．５,可被Ｅ－６４抑制。本文报道蛋白酶的纯化和性质。经过５步纯化过程,从（ｉ蚕卵母细胞中纯化出组织蛋白酶Ｂ,用ＳＤＳ聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳测得蛋白酶的亚基分子量在４７ｋＤａ左右。纯化的蛋白酶活性可被Ｅ－６４和Ｌｅｕｐｅｐｔｉｎ抑制。因此,该蛋白酶属于半胱氨酸蛋白酶。天冬氨酸蛋白酶特异性抑制剂ｐｅｐｓｔａｔｉｎ不抑制其活性。其活性可被ＤＦＰ和ＰＭＳＦ部分抑制。这两种抑制剂通常抑制丝氨酸蛋白酶活性     

棉铃虫组织蛋白酶B组织分布与合成部位的研究

蛋白酶是指裂解肽链的所有酶类 ,根据作用位点的催化基团将蛋白酶分为 4大类 ,即丝氨酸蛋白酶、半胱氨酸蛋白酶 (ＣｙｓｔｅｉｎｅＰｒｏｔｅｉｎａｓｅｓ ,ＣＰ)、天冬氨酸蛋白酶和金属蛋白酶。每一大类又包括多种不同的蛋白酶 ,其中半胱氨酸蛋白酶是一类细胞内蛋白酶 ,包括组织蛋白酶Ｂ、Ｌ、Ｈ、Ｎ、Ｓ、Ｔ等 ,其活性中心含有活性必需的半胱氨酸残基 ,细胞内高度的还原环境对它们的作用非常重要 (Ｔｕｒｋ＆Ｂｏｂｔ,1991)。蛋白酶参与多种生理、病理性蛋白水解 ,在昆虫中的分布和功能也有报道 ,如蚊子卵中含有组织蛋白酶Ｂ ,参与胚胎发…     

钙蛋白酶及其与疾病的关系

钙蛋白酶(calpain)是一族钙离子依赖性的、水解半胱氨酸的蛋白酶。病理状态下,钙离子浓度异常增高可激活钙蛋白酶,使其对多种细胞骨架和蛋白质水解酶产生降解作用。在肌肉营养不良、白内障和老年性痴呆症等疾病中钙蛋白酶的活性都异常增强。     

棉铃虫组织蛋白酶B酶原在毕赤酵母中的表达

棉铃虫组织蛋白酶B（ Helicoverpa armigera Cathepsin B ,HCB）属于半胱氨酸蛋白酶类,参与胚胎发育中卵黄蛋白水解供给胚胎发育的氨基酸。本研究将HCB基因克隆到pPIC9K载体并转化毕赤酵母KM71菌株,经甲醇诱导,HCB表达并分泌到培养上清中。表达产物经SDS-PAGE测定分子量为38 kD, 与HCB基因编码的蛋白质分子量一致。用HCB的特异性抗体检测表明重组表达产物为棉铃虫组织蛋白酶B,原位水解实验显示重组表达的蛋白酶具有蛋白水解活性,表明在毕赤酵母中表达了有活性的棉铃虫组织蛋白酶B, 可用于组织蛋白酶B酶原活化机理研究及开发新蛋白酶产品。     

柞蚕卵组织蛋白酶B纯化及性质

昆虫卵内蛋白酶在胚胎发育中水解卵黄蛋白,为胚胎发育提供氨基酸。昆虫中已报道过几类卵蛋白酶,如家蚕中半胱氨酸蛋白酶和丝氨酸蛋白等。但是,目前尚不清楚这些蛋白酶是否存在于其他鳞翅目昆虫。了解这些蛋白酶的作用机理可以为我们提供害虫防治的新方法,并且,由于蛋白水解在许多生理过程中具有重要作用。如蛋白质的成熟和转运、受精、萌芽、肿瘤转移和其他形态发生等。因此,阐明这些蛋白酶的生物功能具有重要意义。由于Oi蚕卵粒大,产卵量也很大,因此被选作研究鳞翅目昆虫卵蛋白酶的材料,我们希望通过对数种昆虫卵内蛋白酶的研究,找出卵黄蛋白水解的一般规律。在我们前一篇文章中报道了oi蚕组织蛋白酶B的鉴定。该蛋白酶属于半胱酸蛋白酶类的组织蛋白,最适pH为3．5,可被E－64抑制。本文报道蛋白酶的纯化和蛋白质。经过5步纯化过程,从oi蚕卵母细胞中纯化出组织蛋白酶B,用SDS聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳测得蛋白酶的亚基分子量在47kDa左右。纯化的蛋白酶活性可被E－64和Leupeptin抑制。因此,该蛋白酶属于半胱氨酸蛋白酶。天冬氨酸蛋白酶特异性抑制Pepstatin不抑制其活性。其活性可被DFP和PMSF部分抑制制。这两种抑制剂通常抑制丝氨酸蛋白酶活性,但在家蚕中有报道,半氨酸蛋白也可被这两种抑制剂抑制。推测该知性中心除含有半胱氨酸残基外,可能还含有丝氨酸残基。由牛血红蛋白测得蛋白酶的最适pH为3．5。在pH3．5条件下对胚胎发育中蛋白酶活性变化进行了研究,并用纯化的蛋白酶制备了抗血清,采用单向免疫扩散对胚胎发育中组织蛋白酶B的含量进行了测定,结果表明这种蛋白酶在胚胎发育中含量较高,是胚肥发育中蛋白酶活性来源之一。     

浙江蝮蛇蛇毒蛋白水解酶(蛋白酶a)的酶学性质及生物学活性研究

应用离子交换及凝胶柱层析,从浙江蝮蛇(Agkistrodon halys Pallas)蛇毒中分离纯化出一种具有酪蛋白水解活性的蛋白酶a。经研究表明,以酪蛋白为底物,该蛋白酶a作用的最适pH值为9.5,最适温度为45℃,Km值为1.33×10~(-5)mol/L,酶活性受EDTA抑制。蛋白酶a不水解TAME,BAEE等精氨酸脂。实验表明,蛋白酶a具有纤维蛋白溶解作用而无出血毒性,EDTA和半胱氨酸可抑制其纤溶活性。     

番木瓜乳管蛋白酶类

番木瓜是著名的热带水果,其乳管中含量丰富的蛋白酶类是近年来研究的一个十分活跃的领域。该文主要介绍番木瓜乳汁中木瓜蛋白酶、木瓜凝乳蛋白酶、蛋白酶Ω和甘氨酰内切酶等4种重要的半胱氨酸蛋白酶及其他蛋白酶类的研究新进展,并对它们的研究与应用前景做了展望。     

Cysteine proteinases from Schistosoma haematobium adult worms.

To identify and characterize cysteine proteinases from Schistosoma haematobium, lyophilized adult worms were homogenized, and enzymes were isolated and purified. From extracts prepared in acidic buffer, 3 putative cysteine proteinases were identified either directly or indirectly. The first proteinase (ShCP1) was identified by labeling with a radioiodinated inhibitor, Z-Tyr-Ala-CHN2, as a 35-kDa protein. However, it could not be detected by silver staining, amino acid sequencing, or by a monoclonal antibody specific for a similar molecule from Schistosoma mansoni. A second cysteine proteinase, ShCP2, was purified by gel filtration and dialysis. This 32-kDa molecule was thiol-dependent and was labeled with Z-Tyr-Ala-CHN2. The amino terminal amino acid sequence of ShCP2 showed remarkable similarity (up to 77%) to that of S. mansoni cathepsin B (SmCP2) as well as to mammalian cysteine proteinases. Both ShCP1 and ShCP2 reacted with polyclonal antibodies against S. mansoni, suggesting the existence of shared antigenic epitopes. A third activity, ShCP3, was identified as possibly a distinct proteinase based on its similarities to a 28-kDa cysteine proteinase from S. mansoni. This preliminary investigation demonstrates that the overall profile of cysteine proteinases in S. haematobium is very similar to that of S. mansoni.     

The cysteine proteinases of the pineapple plant.

The pineapple plant (Ananas comosus) was shown to contain at least four distinct cysteine proteinases, which were purified by a procedure involving active-site-directed affinity chromatography. The major proteinase present in extracts of plant stem was stem bromelain, whilst fruit bromelain was the major proteinase in the fruit. Two additional cysteine proteinases were detected only in the stem: these were ananain and a previously undescribed enzyme that we have called comosain. Stem bromelain, fruit bromelain and ananain were shown to be immunologically distinct. Enzymic characterization revealed differences in both substrate-specificities and inhibition profiles. A study of the cysteine proteinase derived from the related bromeliad Bromelia pinguin (pinguinain) indicated that in many respects it was similar to fruit bromelain, although it was found to be immunologically distinct.     

Protein A immunocapture assay detecting antibodies to fluke cysteine proteinases for immunodiagnosis of human paragonimiasis and fascioliasis

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) which detect specific antibodies to fluke cysteine proteinases have provided good sensitivity and specificity for the immunodiagnosis of trematode diseases. To detect specific antibodies without the need for purified proteinase antigens, an immunocapture assay using Protein A was applied for the immunodiagnosis of paragonimiasis and fascioliasis. ELISA plate wells were coated with Protein A, incubated with diluted patient sera, then incubated with a preparation containing fluke cysteine proteinases, excretory-secretory (ES) products of adult Paragonimus westermani or Fasciola sp. The activity of fluke cysteine proteinases bound on the wells was measured by adding fluorogenic peptidyl substrate, Z-Phe-Arg-MCA or Boc-Val-Leu-Lys-MCA. This assay detected specific immunoglobulin G to cysteine proteinases of P. westermani and Fasciola sp. by measuring proteinase activity on the plate wells. Patient sera showed significant high values of proteinase activity when the wells were treated with the respective homologous ES products, whereas the sera had low values after treatment with the heterologous ES products. The sera of patients with other parasitoses and uninfected healthy individuals also showed low values after treatment with the above fluke ES products. Thus, Protein A immunocapture assay, which detected IgG specific for fluke cysteine proteinases, provided a high sensitivity and specificity for immunodiagnosis of paragonimiasis and fascioliasis.     

Purification of cysteine proteinases from trichomonads using bacitracin-sepharose

Abstract Bacitracin affinity chromatography has been used to purify proteinases of the parasitic protozoon Tritrichomonas foetus . It proved superior to other affinity chromatography methods we have tested for the purification of trichomonad proteinases and should prove a useful procedure for purifying cysteine proteines from these parasites and other parasitic protozoa. The main cysteine proteinases of T. foetus were purified over 100-fold to be free from the majority of other cell proteins. About 90 μg of protein containing 1.56-fold more proteinase activity than was detectable in the original cell lysate was obtained from 10⁹ cells (7.2 mg protein). SDS-PAGE revealed that the eluate contained two main Coomassie blue-staining bands. N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of these proteins confirmed that one of them was a cysteine proteinase with unusuall features. Cysteine proteinases were also purified from cell lysates of Trichomonas vaginalis and a N-terminal sequence determined. This is the first amino acid sequence information that has been obtained for trichomonad cysteine proteinases. The method was also used to purify proteinases from the medium of T. foetus cultures. Some selectivity in binding of the proteinases to the affinity column was found.     

Molecular cloning and characterization of onchocystatin, a cysteine proteinase inhibitor of Onchocerca volvulus.

A cDNA clone designated OV7 encodes a polypeptide that corresponds to a highly antigenic Onchocerca volvulus protein. OV7 has significant amino acid sequence homology to the cystatin superfamily of cysteine proteinase inhibitors. In this report we establish that the OV7 recombinant protein is active as a cysteine proteinase inhibitor, and we have named it onchocystatin. It contains a cystatin-like domain that inhibits the activity of cysteine proteinases at physiological concentrations. Recombinant glutathione S-transferase-OV7 (GST-OV7, 1 microM) and maltose-binding protein-OV7 (MBP-OV7, 4 microM) fusion polypeptides inhibit 50% of the enzymatic activity of the bovine cysteine proteinase cathepsin B. Neither fusion polypeptide inhibits serine or metalloproteinases activity. The Ki for GST-OV7 fusion polypeptide is 170 nM for cathepsin B and 70 pM or 25 nM for cysteine proteinases purified from a protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica or the free living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, respectively. The 5' end of the OV7 clone was isolated by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced, thus extending the previous cDNA clone to 736 base pairs. This represents the complete coding sequence of the mature onchocystatin (130 amino acids). A hydrophobic leader sequence of 32 amino acids was found, indicating a possible extracellular function of the onchocerca cysteine proteinase inhibitor.     

Hydrolysis of L-leucine methyl ester by Leishmania mexicana mexicana amastigote cysteine proteinases.

The main cysteine proteinases of the amastigote form of Leishmania mexicana mexicana were partially purified by gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography. The latter procedure resulted in the separation of some individual cysteine proteinases, as demonstrated by gelatin-sodium dodecyl sulphatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Fractions containing the partially purified proteinases rapidly hydrolysed L-leucine methyl ester to leucine. The activity towards this compound co-eluted with and resembled the parasite's cysteine proteinase activity. The results suggest that amastigotes of L.m.mexicana are susceptible to L-leucine methyl ester because this compound is rapidly hydrolysed by cysteine proteinases that occur in abundance in the megasomes of this stage.     

Characterization of midgut proteinase activities of white grubs: Lepidiota noxia,Lepidiota negatoria,and Antitrogus consanguineus (scarabaeidae,melolonthini)

The proteinases in the midguts of three scarab white grub species, Lepidiota noxia, L. negatoria, and Antitrogus consanguineus, were investigated to classify the proteinases present and to determine the most effective proteinase inhibitor for potential use as an insect control agent. pH activity profiles indicated the presence of serine proteinases and the absence of cysteine proteinases. This was confirmed by the lack of inhibition by specific cysteine proteinase inhibitors. Trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, and leucine aminopeptidase activities were detected by using specific synthetic substrates. A screen of 32 proteinase inhibitors produced 9 inhibitors of trypsin, chymotrypsin, and elastase which reduced proteolytic activity by greater than 75%. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Compensatory proteolytic responses to dietary proteinase inhibitors in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Increasing levels of inhibitors that target cysteine and/or serine proteinases were fed to Tribolium castaneum larvae, and the properties of digestive proteinases were compared in vitro. Cysteine proteinases were the major digestive proteinase class in control larvae, and serine proteinase activity was minor. Dietary serine proteinase inhibitors had minimal effects on either the developmental time or proteolytic activity of T. castaneum larvae. However, when larvae ingested cysteine proteinase inhibitors, there was a dramatic shift from primarily cysteine proteinases to serine proteinases in the proteinase profile of the midgut. Moreover, a combination of cysteine and serine proteinase inhibitors in the diet prevented this shift from cysteine proteinase-based digestion to serine proteinase-based digestion, and there was a corresponding substantial retardation in growth. These data suggest that the synergistic inhibitory effect of a combination of cysteine and serine proteinase inhibitors in the diet of T. castaneum larvae on midgut proteolytic activity and beetle developmental time is achieved through the prevention of the adaptive proteolytic response to overcome the activity of either type of inhibitor.     

Involvement of cysteine proteinases in excystment of Paragonimus ohirai metacercariae induced by sodium cholate and A23187

The involvement of intrinsic proteinases in the excystment of Paragonimus ohirai metacercariae was studied in in vitro excystment induced by sodium (Na) cholate, a bile salt and A23187, a Ca2+ ionophore. The effects of various proteinase inhibitors on the in vitro excystment were examined and similar inhibitory profiles were obtained. Benzyloxycarbonyl-L-leucyl-L-leucinal (Z-Leu-Leu-H), a cysteine proteinase inhibitor and 4-(2-aminoethyl)-benzenesulfonyl fluoride (Pefabloc SC), a serine proteinase inhibitor completely inhibited excystment, while L-3-carboxy-2,3-trans-epoxypropionyl-leucylamido (4-guanidino)-butane (E-64), a cysteine proteinase inhibitor and leupeptin, a cysteine/serine proteinase inhibitor permitted partial excystment at a lower rate, but inhibited it from proceeding from the partial excystment stage. In secretions released from metacercariae during excystment, proteinase activities detected towards various fluorogenic peptidyl substrates were almost completely inhibited by Z-Leu-Leu-H and E-64, but not by Pefabloc SC. Sodium cholate induced a higher secretion of cysteine proteinases and a higher rate of excystment than A23187. Profiles of cysteine proteinase activities towards five peptidyl substrates detected were markedly different among the two secretions and the lysate of newly excysted juveniles. Newly excysted juveniles released cysteine proteinases with similar activity profiles and levels to metacercariae induced by Na cholate-incubation, whereas the release of cysteine proteinases was reduced compared with metacercariae induced by A23187-incubation. These results provide valuable information about the involvement of intrinsic proteinases in metacercarial excystment.     

Expression, purification, and inhibitory activities of mouse cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-2alpha

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-2 (CTLA-2) is a novel cysteine proteinase inhibitor. The protein sequence is homologous to the proregion of mouse cathepsin L. Here, we report the expression, purification, and characterization of recombinant CTLA-2 (CTLA-2alpha). CTLA-2alpha was cloned into the pET16b vector and the plasmid was transformed into Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3) pLysS. The recombinant CTLA-2alpha was highly expressed and purified by His-Bind affinity chromatography, Factor Xa digestion, and hydrophobic chromatography. Throughout these procedures, 3mg recombinant CTLA-2alpha was obtained from 450 ml of bacterial culture medium. The purified protein exhibited inhibitory activities towards certain cysteine proteinases and was properly refolded, as indicated by circular dichroism spectroscopy. Recombinant CTLA-2alpha fully inhibited Bombyx cysteine proteinase (BCP) (overall Kd (Ki*) = 0.23 nM) and and cathepsin L (overall Kd (Ki*) = 0.38 nM). Inhibition of cathepsin H ( Ki = 86 nM) and papain ( Ki = 560 nM) was much weaker, while inhibition of cathepsin B was negligible ( Ki > 1 microM). Our results indicate that mouse CTLA-2alpha is a selective inhibitor of the cathepsin L-like cysteine proteinases.