Purification and characterization of an acidic trypsin/subtilisin inhibitor from tortoise egg white

Egg whites of three species of tortoise and turtle have been compared by gel chromatography for inhibitory activity against proteases. The egg white of Geomda trijuga trijuga Schariggar contains trypsin/subtilisin inhibitor while the egg white of Caretta caretta Linn. contains both trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitors. No protease inhibitory activity has been detected in the egg white of Trionyx gangeticus Cuvier. An acidic trypsin/subtilisin inhibitor has been purified to homogeneity from the egg white of tortoise (G. trijuga trijuga). It is a single polypeptide chain of 100 amino acid residues, having a molecular weight of 11 700. It contains six disulphide bonds and is devoid of methionine and carbohydrate moiety. Its isoelectric point is at pH 5.95 and is stable at 100°C for 4 h at neutral pH. The inhibitor inhibits both trypsin and subtilisin by forming enzyme-inhibitor complexes at a molar ratio close to unity. Their dissociation contants are 7.2·10^?9 M for bovine trypsin adn 5.5·10^?7 M for subtilisin. Chemical modification of amino groups with trinitrobenzene sulfonate has reduced its inhibitory activities against both trypsin and subtilisin, but the loss of its trypsin inhibitory activity is faster than of its subtilisin inhibitory activity. It has independent binding sites for inhibition of trypsin and subtilisin.     

Basic trypsin-subtilisin inhibitor from marine turtle egg white: Hydrodynamic and inhibitory properties

A basic trypsin-subtilisin inhibitor has been isolated from the egg white of marine turtle (Caretta caretta Linn.) and purified to homogeneity by gel filtration followed by ion-exchange chromatography. It has a single polypeptide chain of 117 amino acid residues, having a molecular weight of 13,600. It lacks methionine and tryptophan. Its isoelectric point is atpH 10.0 and the sedimentation coefficient (s_20,w) value of 1.62 S is independent of protein concentration. It has a Stokes radius of 18.8 Å, an intrinsic viscosity of 0.048 dl g^–1 and a diffusion coefficient of 10.17×10^–7 cm² sec^–1. Its fluorescence emission spectrum is similar to that of free tyrosine and the bimolecular quencing rate constant of its tyrosine residues with acrylamide is 3.15×10⁹ M^–1 sec^–1. The inhibitor strongly inhibits both trypsin and subtilisin by forming enzyme-inhibitor complexes at a molar ratio of unity. The nature of inhibition toward both enzymes is not temporary. It has independent binding sites for inhibition of trypsin and subtilisin. Chemical modification with tetranitromethane suggests the presence of three tyrosine residues on the surface of the inhibitor molecule.     

cDNA cloning of the lysozyme of the white shrimp Penaeus vannamei

Lysozyme, an antibacterial protein, has been implicated in innate immunity in invertebrates, but its activity in shrimp remained to be determined. We cloned the white shrimp lysozyme cDNA using a PCR strategy and detected its activity in haemocytes using a lytic-zone assay against Micrococcus luteus. The cloning was based on a reported EST (dbEST BE18831). The deduced amino acid sequence resulted in 150 amino with 46% identity to hen egg white lysozyme. RT-PCR was used to detect lysozyme mRNA in haemocytes. Analysis of the amino acid sequence of the shrimp lysozyme showed that it belongs to the C-type family of lysozymes. Furthermore, the lysozyme amino acid sequence contained extra residues at its C-terminus, which are characteristic of marine invertebrates. This information will be useful in future studies on the molecular mechanisms of immunity in marine invertebrates.     

Alpha-2-macroglobulin-like protease inhibitor from the egg white of cuban crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer)

A high molecular weight protease inhibitor was purified from the egg white of Cuban crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer). It inhibited the casein hydrolyzing activity of trypsin, subtilisin and papain. Its native molecular weight was 730,000 and it consisted of four subunits of equal molecular weight, each pair of which were disulfide bonded. The amino acid composition, circular dichroic spectrum and electron micrographs of this protein are also presented. Upon incubation with trypsin this protein yielded a fragment of Mr = 80,000, similar in size to the one known to originate from alpha 2-macroglobulin under the same conditions. The molecular parameters of this protein and the broad inhibitory activity towards thiol and serine proteases with different substrate specificities suggest that it is a protein closely related to alpha 2-macroglobulin in mammalian serum. From its native molecular weight and amino acid composition we believe that this protein is also a reptilian counterpart of the avian ovomacroglobulin described by Miller and Feeney (3).     

Isolation and complete amino acid sequence of a basic low molecular weight protein from black swan egg white

The following complete amino acid sequence of a low molecular weight basic protein (Mr 4,454) from black swan egg white has been determined: less than Glu-Val-Arg-Lys-Tyr-Cys-Pro-Lys-Val-Gly-Tyr-Cys-Ser-Ser-Lys-Cys-Ser-Lys-Ala-Asp-Val-Trp-Ser-Leu-Ser-Ser-Asp-Cys-Lys-Phe-Tyr-Cys-Cys-Leu-Pro-Pro-Gly-Trp-Lys. There is significant homology between this protein, provisionally designated cygnin, and the NH2-terminal region of the second domain of chicken ovotransferrin. The disulfide bonds have not been assigned; however, the arrangement of half-cystines in cygnin is sufficiently different from that of the known transferrins to suggest that cygnin is derived from another gene.     

Small cationic protein from a marine turtle has beta-defensin-like fold and antibacterial and antiviral activity

Egg white of marine turtle Caretta caretta contains a small cationic protein but lacks lysozyme. The protein was sequenced by a combination of sequential Edman degradation, carboxypeptidase digestion, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The protein contains 36 amino acid residues of which six are half-cysteines. The three-dimensional structure of the protein was deduced from two-dimensional NMR experiments and was observed to be similar to vertebrate beta-defensins. However, disulfide connectivity is C1-C6/C2-C5/C3-C4; different from that of the vertebrate beta-defensins. The protein showed strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. The protein also showed significant antiviral activity against an enveloped rhabdovirus, Chandipura virus, which is an emerging human pathogen. This virus is also closely related to the vesicular stomatitis virus, whose growth was also inhibited. This small cationic protein is part of the innate immunity of this organism and replaces lysozyme in the egg. It has the potential to be developed as an antibacterial and antiviral agent.     

Avian egg's white ovomucoid as food-allergen for human

Hen eggs are considered as the most common reason of a food allergy in humans. The most important allergens of egg white proteins are as follows: ovomucoid, lysozyme, ovalbumin and ovomucin. Ovomucoid is a Kazal-type protease inhibitor which accounts for about 10% of avian egg white protein. It is a glycoprotein containing 20 through 25% carbohydrates. The molecule of ovomucoid is composed of three homologous domains. All avian ovomucoid domains contain six cysteines in similar location that form three intradomain disulfide bonds. Ovomucoid (Gal d1) is one of the major allergen in hen's egg. It is a glycoprotein comprising 186 amino acids, and it has a molecular weight of 28000 Da and an isoelectric point of 4.1. Ovomucoid has antibacterial activity resulting from its ability to inhibit bacterial proteolytic enzymes crucial for microbial growth. Many studies reveal that ovomucoid is a thermo stable molecule.     

Hen egg white ovomacroglobulin has a protease inhibitory activity

Hen egg white ovomacroglobulin purified by Miller and Feeney without reference to its activity was shown to have a protease inhibitory activity towards trypsin, papain, and thermolysin. It has four subunits of equal molecular weight (175,000 by SDS-PAGE) and each two of which are disulfide bonded. Upon incubation with trypsin it yields a fragment of Mr = 80,000 plus smaller ones. The subunit composition, amino acid composition and a newly found protease inhibitory activity place ovomacroglobulin as a closely related protein to human serum alpha 2-macroglobulin.     

General Properties of Endo-N-acetylmuramidase of Bacillus subtilis YT-25

The enzymatic behaviour, amino acid composition and some physical properties of a new endo-N-acetylmuramidase (B-enzyme) of Bacillus subtilis YT–25 were determined and compared with hen’s egg white lysozyme. The molecular weight was estimated to be about 13000 by the sedimentation equilibrium method. The isoelectric point was pH 9.8. The amino acid composition indicates that the enzyme is rich in basic amino acids, especially lysin. Maximal activity on the lysis of cell walls of M. lysodeikticus occurred at pH 6.2. The enzyme was stable at pH 3.5 ~ 6.0. The specific activity for the lysis of cell walls of M. lysodeikticus was less than fourth part of that of hen’s egg white lysozyme. Digest of cell walls of M. lysodeikticus with B-enzyme consisted greater numbers of high molecular products than digest with egg white lysozyme. Substrate specificity of B-enzyme seemed to be different from that of egg white lysozyme.     

Phosphorylation heterogeneity of tryptic phosphopeptides of chicken riboflavin-binding protein

The tryptic phosphopeptide of hen egg white riboflavin-binding protein has been found to exist as a mixture of peptides which differ only with respect to the number of covalently bound phosphoryl groups. Anion-exchange chromatography was used to separate homologues of the tryptic phosphopeptide of egg white riboflavin-binding protein. Four peptide peaks were obtained and analyzed using plasma desorption mass spectrometry. Molecular ions obtained agree closely with calculated molecular weight values for phosphopeptides with 8, 7 and 5 phosphoryl groups. Amino acid analyses showed that the octa- and hepta-phosphorylated peptides were pure and had the same amino acid compositions.     

Physical and chemical properties of microvitellogenin. A protein from the egg of the tobacco hornworm moth, Manduca sexta

Microvitellogenin belongs to a new class of low molecular weight female-specific proteins in insects. The protein is found in the hemolymph (blood) and egg of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta. The isolation of microvitellogenin has been achieved by a combination of gel permeation, cation-exchange, and adsorption chromatographic steps. Microvitellogenin is synthesized by the fat body and appears in the hemolymph 17 days before adult emergence, or 16 days before the onset of egg development. The protein is sequestered from the hemolymph into the egg where it accumulates to a relatively high concentration. The proteins isolated from the hemolymph and the egg are identical in their molecular weight, amino acid compositions, isoelectric points, circular dichroic spectra, immunological properties, and NH2-terminal amino acid sequence. Thus, microvitellogenin does not seem to undergo any modifications before or after it is sequestered in the egg. In solution, the protein exists in a monomeric form and has a secondary structure composed of approximately 38% alpha-helix, as estimated by CD analysis. The CD spectrum of microvitellogenin is unusual in that it has a strong positive band between 220 and 240 nm that may be due to contributions from the aromatic amino acid residues. Unlike the major egg yolk protein of insects, vitellogenin, microvitellogenin does not contain measurable carbohydrate or lipid, and has no immunological, chemical, or physical similarities to vitellogenin. The amino acid composition of microvitellogenin is low in cysteine, but is rich in aspartate. The sex specificity of the protein and its accumulation in the egg justifies the name microvitellogenin, first given to an analogous protein in the egg of the giant silkmoth, Hyalophora cecropia.     

SDS-PAGE法测定His-tag融合蛋白分子量产生偏差的原因

Ｈｉｓｔａｇ／ＮｉＮＴＡ系统是新发展起来的一个亲和纯化重组蛋白的有用工具,现常用于基因编码产物的特性研究中。ＳＤＳＰＡＧＥ是实验室测定蛋白质分子量通常采用的方法,而许多实验室用此方法检测Ｈｉｓｔａｇ融合蛋白时却常发现测得的分子量偏大,产生偏差的原因尚未阐明。为弄清这一问题,本实验室在研究一个Ｈｉｓｔａｇ融合蛋白Ｐ７３Ｈｉｓ时,首先用ＳＤＳＰＡＧＥ法测得其分子量确实比理论计算值大,然后对其进行Ｃ末端氨基酸顺序测定、电喷雾质谱分析,结果证实其实际分子量与理论值一致。酶切去除包括Ｈｉｓｔａｇ在内的部分肽段使ＳＤＳＰＡＧＥ法测量蛋白分子量的偏差大大降低,证实Ｈｉｓｔａｇ确实是造成偏差的原因之一。推测由于Ｈｉｓｔａｇ中的碱性氨基酸的作用造成蛋白在ＳＤＳＰＡＧＥ中迁移变慢,而导致偏差。这一现象值得引起有关研究者的注意。     

Lysozyme in egg whites of tortoises and turtle. Purification and properties of egg white lysozyme of Trionyx gangeticus Cuvier.

Egg white proteins of three species of tortoises and turtle and of hen have been compared by electrophoretic and immunochemical methods. The proteins lacked similarity in electrophoresis, but tortoise and turtle egg white proteins which did not crossreact with those of the hen showed some cross-reaction among themselves. The occurrence of lysozyme as two allelic variants which were distinguishable in electrophoresis was noted only in the egg white of one of the species of tortoise, namely, Trionyx gangeticus Cuvier. Tortoise lysozyme which showed strong lytic activity toward cell walls of Micrococcus lysodeikticus did not exhibit any cross-reaction with hen lysoyzme. It was purified, crystallized, and found to be homogeneous in sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, immunochemical tests, and sedimentation. The physicochemical and enzymatic properties of tortoise lysozyme were found to be strikingly similar to those of hen lysozyme with minor differences which could be due to differences in their primary structure. Its average molecular weight of 15,400 was determined from sedimentation and diffusion coefficient values, Archibald experiment, and amino acid composition. The molecule appeared to undergo pH-dependent expansion at pH 2 and dimerization above pH 5.7. In enzymatic properties, tortoise lysozyme showed a specific activity of 29,000–31,000 units and gave a pH optimum at pH 7.5 and an apparent K_a value of 250 mg· liter^?1. Like hen lysozyme, its activity showed strong ionic strength dependence, weak chitinase activity, susceptibility to inhibition by N-acetyl-glucosamine, and stability toward heat.     

Studies on the apoproteins of the major lipoprotein of the yolk of hen's eggs. I. Isolation and properties of the low-molecular-weight apoproteins.

In a continuing study of protein-lipid interactions in egg yolk, the total apoprotein mixture (i.e. the 'apovitellenins') from the high-lipid, low-density lipoprotein (density 0.97 g/ml) of the yolk from hen's eggs has been isolated in a soluble form. By gel-filtration chromatography in 6M urea the mixture has been separated into several fractions from which three new low-molecular-weight proteins (I, Ia, and II), making up about 30% of the total, have been isolated. The most plentiful of these (I) consists of stable aggregates with several identical subunits each of molecular weight about 10 000. This protein is analogous to the principal protein from the corresponding lipoprotein of emu's egg yolk, i.e. emu's apovitellenin I. Hen's apovitellenin I has a slightly different amino acid composition from that of the emu; notably it contains a sulphydryl group. The hen's protein also forms more stable aggregates that are dissociated by detergent and by guanidine hydrochloride but are stable in urea. The molecular weight of Ia is similar to that of I and the amino acid composition is the same, with the exception that Ia has a higher proportion of amide groups. It aggregates less readily than I under the same conditions. The third new protein (II, 'hens's apovitellenin II') has a molecular weight of about 20 000. It has no tyrosine or methionine residues, but contains glucosamine and has several disulphide groups. It has been isolated in very small amount only.     

The Ch21 protein, developmentally regulated in chick embryo, belongs to the superfamily of lipophilic molecule carrier proteins

Ch21, a developmentally regulated low molecular weight protein observed in chick embryo skeletal tissues, is expressed "in vitro" by differentiating chondrocytes at a late stage of development. Here we report the complete amino acid sequence of the protein. 86% of the total amino acid sequence was deduced by sequences of 17 high performance liquid chromatography-separated proteolytic fragments and 33 amino acid residues at the amino-terminal end of protein purified from spent culture medium of hypertrophic chondrocytes. Furthermore we isolated by molecular cloning the corresponding cDNA and determined its nucleotide sequence. By combining protein and nucleotide sequence data we determined the primary structure of the entire Ch21. It consists of 158 amino acids and has a molecular mass of 18.065 kDa. Computer-assisted analysis showed that the Ch21 belongs to the superfamily of low molecular weight proteins sharing a basic framework for binding and transport of small hydrophobic molecules.     

中华鳖肝金属硫蛋白的分离、纯化及鉴定

金属硫蛋白metallothionein,MT)是一类低分子量、富含半胱氨酸的金属结合蛋白。MT几乎广泛分布于所有生物,包括哺乳动物、两栖动物、鱼、植物、真菌和蓝细菌,不同生物金属硫蛋白理化特性和其氨基酸序列及中心片段的比较研究,对研究MT的结构和生物功能及生物的分子进化提供重要依据。哺乳动物MT研究较多,爬行动物鳖MT的研究尚属空白,本文报道鳖肝的金属硫蛋白,中华鳖（Pelodiscus sinensis)分别经皮下注射ZnSO4,CuSO4和CdCl2溶液诱导后,取乙醇沉淀的肝脏无细胞提取液再经SephadexG-50、DEAE-SepharoseCL-6B及SephadexG-25凝胶过滤和离子交换柱层析分离,自鳖肝脏中分别获得Zn-MT、Cu-MT和Cd-MT,未经诱导的鳖肝脏中无MT,质谱和HPLC分析其分子量约为6300dalton。根据氨基酸组成分析。鳖肝脏MT含61个氨基酸残基,其中MT的典型氨基酸Cys含量占17%。Lys,Glu和Asp含量较高,而芳香族氨基酸和组氨酸含量极低,从紫外光谱特性分析,Zn-MT、Cu-MT、Cd-MT紫外吸收肩分别在220nm、270nm和250nm。表明确为鳖肝脏MT。从氨基酸残基数和分子量看,鳖肝脏MT与哺乳动物MT类似;而从氨基酸组成和结合金属离子的量看,又与低等生物蚯蚓酵母菌的MT类似。鳖MT的特性介于哺乳动物MT与低等生物MT之间,体现了鳖这种生物进化的特点。     

Calcium-binding modulator protein from the unfertilized egg of the sea urchin Arbacia punctulata

We have purified and partly characterized a calcium-binding protein from the unfertilized egg of the sea urchin Arbacia punctulata. This protein closely resembles the calcium-binding modulator protein of bovine brain in its molecular weight, electrophoretic mobility, amino acid analysis, and peptide map. It activates bovine brain phosphodiesterase in the presence of calcium but has no effect on the phosphodiesterase of the Arbacia egg. Densitometric scanning of acrylamide gels of arbacia egg homogenates shows the modulator protein to represent 0.1% of the total protein of the egg. At 10(-4) M free calcium, the protein binds four calcium ions per 17,000-dalton molecule. We have used a column of rabbit skeletal muscle troponin-I covalently coupled to Sepharose 4B as an affinity column to selectively purify the Arbacia egg calcium-binding protein. This column has also been used to purify bovine brain modulator protein and may prove of general use in isolating similar proteins from other sources. The technique may be particularly helpful when only small quantities of starting material are available.     

Structural and physicochemical characteristics of novel basic proteins isolated from duck egg white

Novel basic proteins, duck basic protein small 1 (dBPS(1)) and 2 (dBPS(2)), were isolated from duck egg white by cation-exchange and gel filtration chromatography. Protein sequence analyses indicated that they possessed 39 amino acid residues with three disulfide bonds. The amino acid sequence of dBPS(1) showed 45% identity with dBPS(2). The amino acid sequence of dBPS(2) was the same as cygnin, a small protein from black swan, and strongly homologous with meleagrin from turkey and chicken. Phylogenic relationships implied that dBPS(1) and dBPS(2) share a common ancestry with cygnin and meleagrin. Based on MALDI-TOF mass spectra, the molecular masses of dBPS(1) and dBPS(2) were 4,373, and the 4,486 Da. pI of dBPS(1) and dBPS(2) elucidated by isoelectric focusing were 9.35 and 9.44. FT-IR spectra classified these proteins as (beta) proteins. Both dBPS(1) and dBPS(2), possessed high heat stability, Td 101.2 and 98.3 degrees C. Indirect ELISA results showed that the dBPS(1)/dBPS(2)-related proteins were distributed in the oviduct and gallbladder.     

中华鳖肝金属硫蛋白的分离、纯化及鉴定（英文）

金属硫蛋白(metallothionein,MT)是一类低分子量、富含半胱氨酸的金属结合蛋白.MT几乎广泛分布于所有生物,包括哺乳动物、两栖动物、鱼、植物、真菌和蓝细菌.不同生物金属硫蛋白理化特性和其氨基酸序列及中心片段的比较研究,对研究MT的结构和生物功能及生物的分子进化提供重要依据.哺乳动物MT研究较多,爬行动物鳖MT的研究尚属空白,本文报道鳖肝的金属硫蛋白.中华鳖 (Pelodiscus sinensis) 分别经皮下注射ZnSO4、CuSO4和CdCl2 溶液诱导后,取乙醇沉淀的肝脏无细胞提取液再经Sephadex G-50、DEAE-SepharoseCL-6B 及SephadexG-25凝胶过滤和离子交换柱层析分离,自鳖肝脏中分别获得Zn-MT、Cu-MT和Cd-MT,未经诱导的鳖肝脏中无MT.质谱和HPLC分析其分子量约为6 300 dalton.根据氨基酸组成分析,鳖肝脏MT含61个氨基酸残基,其中MT的典型氨基酸Cys含量占17%.Lys、Glu和Asp含量较高,而芳香族氨基酸和组氨酸含量极低.从紫外光谱特性分析,Zn-MT、Cu-MT、Cd-MT紫外吸收肩分别在220 nm、270 nm和250 nm.表明确为鳖肝脏MT.从氨基酸残基数和分子量看,鳖肝脏MT与哺乳动物MT类似;而从氨基酸组成和结合金属离子的量看,又与低等生物蚯蚓及酵母菌的MT类似.鳖MT的特性介于哺乳动物MT与低等生物MT之间,体现了鳖这种生物进化的特点.