Biochemical and immunological studies of bovine and porcine neurofilament triplet proteins by peptide mapping after cyanogen bromide cleavage

Peptide mapping of the three bovine and porcine neurofilament protein subunits ("L", "M" and "H") with apparent mol. wts of 70, 160 and 210 kDa were performed with CNBr, leading to the cleavage of methionyl bonds. We have obtained two characteristic large fragments with molecular weights of 85 kDa for the "M" bovine subunit and 135 kDa for the "H" subunit of bovine neurofilament. A comparison of the electrophoretic patterns of CNBr generated polypeptides of "L" subunit from beef and pig showed that they are highly related structures. The peptide mappings of CNBr peptides of "M" and "H" subunits from beef and pig were significantly different. Antibodies were raised against the 85 kDa and 135 kDa CNBr fragments. Immunoblotting results with anti-85 kDa and anti-135 kDa of beef are in favour of large differences of structure between the "M" subunits from pig and beef. The "H" proteins were very similar and they also showed that the C-terminal part of bovine "H" and "M" proteins share common antigenic determinants.     

CNBr/Formic Acid Reactions of Methionine- and Trifluoromethionine-Containing Lambda Lysozyme: Probing Chemical and Positional Reactivity and Formylation Side Reactions by Mass Spectrometry

The cyanogen bromide (CNBr)/formic acid cleavage reactions of wild-type and trifluoromethionine (TFM)-containing recombinant lambda lysozyme were studied utilizing ESI and MALDI mass spectrometry. Detailed analysis of the mass spectra of reverse-phase HPLC-purified cleavage fragments produced from treatment of the wild-type and labeled proteins with CNBr indicated cleavage solely of methionyl peptide bonds with no observation of cleavage at TFM. N-Acetyl-TFM was also found to be resistant to reaction with CNBr, in contrast to N-acetyl-methionine. The analysis also indicated differential reactivity among the three methionine positions in the wild-type enzyme. Additionally, formylation of intact enzyme as well as peptide fragments were observed and characterized and indicated that serine, threonine, as well as C-terminal homoserine side chains are partially formylated under standard cleavage protocols.     

Selective cleavage of variant surface glycoproteins from Trypanosoma brucei.

Two conformationally distinct regions were revealed by tryptic cleavage of six undenatured variant surface glycoproteins purified from clones of Trypanosoma brucei. Within 5 min, the native glycoproteins (65,000 mol.wt.) were cleaved, yielding a large N-terminal fragment (48,000-55,000 mol.wt. depending on the variant) together with one or more C-terminal fragments. After 30-60 min incubation, further breakdown of the large fragment occurred in some variants. The ultimate large product (40,000-52,000 mol.wt.) was very resistant to further degradation by trypsin (in the absence of denaturation). The distinction between N-terminal and C-terminal domains may be significant in relation to the organization and function of these glycoproteins on the trypanosome surface.     

Factor D of the alternative pathway of human complement. Purification, alignment and N-terminal amino acid sequences of the major cyanogen bromide fragments, and localization of the serine residue at the active site.

The serine esterase factor D of the complement system was purified from outdated human plasma with a yield of 20% of the initial haemolytic activity found in serum. This represented an approx. 60 000-fold purification. The final product was homogeneous as judged by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis (with an apparent mol.wt. of 24 000), its migration as a single component in a variety of fractionation procedures based on size and charge, and its N-terminal amino-acid-sequence analysis. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the first 36 residues of the intact molecule was found to be homologous with the N-terminal amino acid sequences of the catalytic chains of other serine esterases. Factor D showed an especially strong homology (greater than 60% identity) with rat 'group-specific protease' [Woodbury, Katunuma, Kobayashi, Titani, & Neurath (1978) Biochemistry 17, 811-819] over the first 16 amino acid residues. This similarity is of interest since it is considered that both enzymes may be synthesized in their active, rather than zymogen, forms. The three major CNBr fragments of factor D, which had apparent mol.wts. of 15 800, 6600 and 1700, were purified and then aligned by N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis and amino acid analysis. By using factor D labelled with di-[1,3-14C]isopropylphosphofluoridate it was shown that the CNBr fragment of apparent mol.wt. 6600, which is located in the C-terminal region of factor D, contained the active serine residue. The amino acid sequence around this residue was determined.     

Sequence analysis of peptide fragments from the intrinsic membrane protein of calf lens fibers MP26 and its natural maturation product MP22

Calf lens fiber plasma membranes, containing only the intrinsic membrane protein MP26 and its maturation product MP22 were treated with proteolytic enzymes such as trypsin, protease V8 from S. aureus or with chemical agents as CNBr in formic acid. The cleavage products, purified by electrophoresis, were analysed for their amino acid composition and N-terminal sequences. Proteolysis gave rise to peptides which were mainly shortened at the C-terminal end of the molecules. While the V8 protease produced a fragment with a similar N-terminal sequence as the maturation product MP22, trypsin yielded another cleavage product. Chemical hydrolysis yielded large fragments (11-15 kDa) with hydrophobic N-terminal sequences. Our results suggest that MP26 is characterised by an N-terminal signal sequence and possesses other hydrophobic domains which could function as untranslocated insertion sequences.     

Active fragments obtained by cyanogen bromide cleavage of ovomucoid.

Cleavage of the two methionine residues in the glycoprotein trypsin inhibitor ovomucoid, variant O1, with CNBr resulted in two fragments whose mol.wts. were approx. 16 600 (fragment LS) and 11 000 (fragment M). Both fragments formed precipitates with antisera to ovomucoid. Fragment LS retained 56% of the trypsin-inhibitory activity of ovomucoid, but fragment M did not inhibit. After reduction and alkylation, the molecular weight of fragment M was unchanged, but fragment LS could be resolved into two segments of peptide chain with mol.wts. of approx. 12000 (fragment L) and 4700 (fragment S). Each of these peptides contained carbohydrate. Marked heterogeneity was observed in the hexose and hexosamine contents of fragment L. This may account for much of the heterogeneity in neutral carbohydrate occurring in ovomucoid preparations. It was found that fragment M was located at the N-terminal end, fragment S was in the centre and fragment L made up the C-terminal portion of the molecule.     

Iron-binding fragments from the carboxyl-terminal region of hen ovotransferrin.

1. When iron-saturated hen ovotransferrin was treated with subtilisin the N-terminal half was digested at a faster rate than the C-terminal half, allowing the latter to be isolated as a single-chain fragment of mol.wt 35000. 2. In mildly acid conditions iron-ovotransferrin loses iron preferentially from its N-terminal binding site. Trypsin digestion of the resulting monoferric ovotransferrin also gave rise to a C-terminal fragment. 3. Comparison of the N-terminal fragment with the C-terminal fragments shows differences in composition, peptide 'maps', CNBr-cleavage patterns and antigenic structures. The C-terminal fragments carry the carbohydrate group of ovotransferrin. 4. Both N-terminal and C-terminal fragments donate their bound iron to rabbit reticulocytes.     

Molecular basis for the temperature-dependent insolubility of cryoglobulins. X. The amino acid sequence of the heavy chain variable region of McE

The amino acid sequence of the VH region of McE, a monoclonal IgM cryoimmunoglobulin, has been determined employing automated sequencing methodology. Digestion of the intact Fab mu component, derived by trypsin cleavage of the parent protein at elevated temperature with CNBr, followed by complete reduction and alkylation, yielded the intact light chain as well as the 2 CNBr fragments that constituted the VH. N-terminal sequencing of the larger unblocked CNBr fragment, along with a component fragment derived by cleavage by BNPS-Skatole, established the structure of the VH from position 88 through the V leads to C switch region. Citraconylation of the smaller, blocked fragment effected sufficient solubilization for enzymatic deblocking and direct sequencing of the N-terminal 20 residues of the VH. Complete trypsin digestion of the N-terminal CNBr fragment yielded 9 peptides that could be isolated by preparative cation exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The complete sequence of these peptides along with 4 chymotryptic peptides completed the primary structure of the VH region. The primary structure of McE appears to resemble that of He, previously identified as belonging to the VH II subgroup. The presence of characteristic CDR and FR regions as well as the identification of a probable site of glycosylation suggest that the cryoimmunoglobulin closely resembles noncryoglobulins in terms of overall structural composition. The cryoglobulin property may arise through alterations in individual residues or unfavorable arrangements of CDR and FR segments.     

The polypeptides of isolated brain 10nm filaments and their association with polymerized tubulin.

Brain 10 nm filaments were isolated from bovine, rabbit and rat brains by a modification of an existing procedure. The overall polypeptide composition of these preparations was similar to that previously reported for brain neurofilaments. In addition to the major polypeptide component, which has mol. wt. approx. 50 000, three other polypeptides with chain mol. wts. approx. 210 000, 155 000 and 70 000, which correspond to peripheral-nerve neurofilament polypeptides, were consistently found to be present. The mol. wt.-50 000 species was found to be heterogeneous and may contain a component derived from the mol. wt. 70 000 polypeptide. The three higher-molecular-weight polypeptides did not appear to be obviously homologous or to be homologous with myosin or Myxicola neurofilament polypeptides. These same three higher-molecular-weight components were shown to be identical with the polypeptides probably responsible for the 10 nm filaments formed during the early cycles of the tubulin-purification protocol.     

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Investigation on the regions responsible for self-assembly of subunits

1. In glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) (EC 1.2.1.12) the four S-loop form the core of the tetramer. 2. Amino acid sequence of the S-loop of the regions of GAPDH from carp muscle was established through the analysis of tryptic digests of the enzyme treated alternatively with bromocyanate and o-iodosobenzoic acid. 3. Enzyme had been oxidized with performic acid. After treatment with trypsin the peptide mixture was fractionated into fragments. 4. CNBr cleavage of this enzyme was performed after S-carboxymethylation. The respective cyanogen bromide fragments have been isolated and characterized. 5. The procedure of protein fragmentation by o-iodosobenzoic acid used to split tryptophanyl peptide bonds. 6. Each peptide obtained after enzymatic or chemical fragmentation was purified to homogeneity by Bio-Gel or Sephadex chromatography, high voltage electrophoresis and descending paper chromatography and characterized by electrochromatography, N- and C-terminal sequence and amino acid composition. 7. The results are compared with those obtained from studies on GAPDH from other sources.     

Structural disulfide bonds in the Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis protein crystal.

We examined disulfide bonds in mosquito larvicidal crystals produced by Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. Intact crystals contained 2.01 X 10(-8) mol of free sulfhydryls and 3.24 X 10(-8) mol of disulfides per mg of protein. Reduced samples of alkali-solubilized crystals resolved into several proteins, the most prominent having apparent molecular sizes of 28, 70, 135, and 140 kilodaltons (kDa). Nonreduced samples contained two new proteins of 52 and 26 kDa. When reduced, both the 52- and 26-kDa proteins were converted to 28-kDa proteins. Furthermore, both bands reacted with antiserum prepared against reduced 28-kDa protein. Approximately 50% of the crystal proteins could be solubilized without disulfide cleavage. These proteins were 70 kDa or smaller. Solubilization of the 135- and 140-kDa proteins required disulfide cleavage. Incubation of crystals at pH 12.0 for 2 h cleaved 40% of the disulfide bonds and solubilized 83% of the crystal protein. Alkali-stable disulfides were present in both the soluble and insoluble portions. The insoluble pellet contained 12 to 14 disulfides per 100 kDa of protein and was devoid of sulfhydryl groups. Alkali-solubilized proteins contained both intrachain and interchain disulfide bonds. Despite their structural significance, it is unlikely that disulfide bonds are involved in the formation or release of the larvicidal toxin.     

Human complement component C4. Structural studies on the fragments derived from C4b by cleavage with C3b inactivator.

1. One of the activation products of C4, C4b, was prepared, and the reactive thiol group on the alpha'-chain was radioactively labelled with iodo[2-14C]acetic acid. The alpha'-chain was isolated and the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the first 13 residues was determined. 2. C4b was cleaved by C3bINA in the presence of C4b-binding protein and C4d and C4c isolated. The radioactive label and therefore the reactive thiol group were located to C4d. 3. C4c was reduced and alkylated and the two alpha'-chain fragments of C4c were separated. 3. The molecular weights, amino acid analyses and carbohydrate content of the three alpha'-chain fragments were determined. C4d has a mol.wt. of 44500 and a carbohydrate content of 6%. The two alpha'-chain fragments of C4c have mol.wts. of 25000 (alpha 3) and 12000 (alpha 4) and carbohydrate contents of 10 and 22% respectively. 4. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of C4d, the alpha 3 and the alpha 4 fragments were determined for 18, 24 and 11 residues respectively and, by comparison with the N-terminal sequence of the C4b alpha'-chain, the 25000-mol.wt. fragment (alpha 3) was shown to be derived from the N-terminal part of the alpha'-chain. 5. C-Terminal analyses were done on the alpha'-chain and its three fragments. Arginine was found to be the C-terminal residue of C4d and of the alpha 3 fragment. The C-terminal residue of the alpha'-chain and of the alpha 4 fragment could not be identified. The order of the three fragments of the alpha'-chain is therefore: alpha 3(25000)--C4d(44500)--alpha 4(12000). The specificity of C3bINA is for an Arg--Xaa peptide bond.     

Specific processing of tenascin-C by the metalloprotease meprinβ neutralizes its inhibition of cell spreading

The metalloprotease meprin has been implicated in tissue remodelling due to its capability to degrade extracellular matrix components. Here, we investigated the susceptibility of tenascin-C to cleavage by meprinβ and the functional properties of its proteolytic fragments. A set of monoclonal antibodies against chicken and human tenascin-C allowed the mapping of proteolytic fragments generated by meprinβ. In chicken tenascin-C, meprinβ processed all three major splicing variants by removal of 10 kDa N-terminal and 38 kDa C-terminal peptides, leaving a large central part of subunits intact. A similar cleavage pattern was found for large human tenascin-C variant where two N-terminal peptides (10 or 15 kDa) and two C-terminal fragments (40 and 55 kDa) were removed from the intact subunit. N-terminal sequencing revealed the exact amino acid positions of cleavage sites. In both chicken and human tenascin-C N-terminal cleavages occurred just before and/or after the heptad repeats involved in subunit oligomerization. In the human protein, an additional cleavage site was identified in the alternative fibronectin type III repeat D. Whereas all these sites are known to be attacked by several other proteases, a unique cleavage by meprinβ was located to the 7th constant fibronectin type III repeat in both chicken and human tenascin-C, thereby removing the C-terminal domain involved in its anti-adhesive activity. In cell adhesion assays meprinβ-digested human tenascin-C was not able to interfere with fibronectin-mediated cell spreading, confirming cleavage in the anti-adhesive domain. Whereas the expression of meprinβ and tenascin-C does not overlap in normal colon tissue, inflamed lesions of the mucosa from patients with Crohn's disease exhibited many meprinβ-positive leukocytes in regions where tenascin-C was strongly induced. Our data indicate that, at least under pathological conditions, meprinβ might attack specific functional sites in tenascin-C that are important for its oligomerization and anti-adhesive activity.     

Structure and function of L-lactate dehydrogenases from thermophilic and mesophilic bacteria, IV. The primary structure of the mesophilic lactate dehydrogenase from Bacillus subtilis

The complete amino-acid sequence of lactate dehydrogenase from the mesophilic Bacillus subtilis (B. X1) was determined. Approximately 70% of the sequence was obtained by sequence analysis of intact protein (N-terminal sequence) and of four CNBr fragments (CNBr3, CNBr4, CNBr5 and CNBr6). Sequences overlapping the CNBr fragments were determined from polypeptide fragments obtained by cleavage using o-iodosobenzoic acid (cleavage at Trp) or clostripain (cleavage at Arg). The C-terminal amino-acid residue (Asn) was detected by carboxypeptidase Y-degradation. Lactate dehydrogenase from B. subtilis shows a 69% sequence homology to that from the thermophilic strain B. stearothermophilus, and a 34% sequence homology to those from higher organism. The homology of these enzymes is particularly high at the active site regions (the coenzyme and substrate binding sites). The relatively high sequence conservation of the lactate dehydrogenases from B. subtilis and B. stearothermophilus (and from other bacilli) allows a structural comparison of this temperature variants.     

Expression of murine and human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factors in S. cerevisiae: mutagenesis of the potential glycosylation sites.

Murine (m) and human (h) granulocyte--macrophage colony-stimulating factors (GM-CSF) have been expressed in large quantities in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using a secretion vector containing the promoter and leader sequences of the mating pheromone alpha-factor. Functionally active mGM-CSF was identified by a proliferation assay with a factor-dependent cell line and by a granulocyte--macrophage colony formation assay using bone marrow cells. The activity of hGM-CSF was confirmed by stimulation of granulocyte--macrophage colony formation using human cord blood cells. Murine GM-CSF with various apparent mol. wts (13, 18, 24, 34 and 40 kd, as well as a smear of higher mol. wts) was detected in yeast culture medium by protein blotting using a rat monoclonal antibody specific for the mGM-CSF N-terminal region peptide. Protein blotting using a rat monoclonal antibody specific for the hGM-CSF N-terminal region demonstrated that a 15.6-kd and higher mol. wt heterogeneous species were secreted. Mutations introduced at each of the two potential N-linked glycosylation sites in mGM-CSF showed that the 13-kd protein is not glycosylated and the major 18-kd protein is mainly glycosylated at the more C-terminal site, whereas the heterogeneous higher mol. wt species were not affected by the mutations. The N-terminal amino acid of the 13-kd protein was shown to be Ser which was four amino acids in the C-terminal direction from the fusion point.     

Limited proteolysis of filamin is catalyzed by caspase-3 in U937 and Jurkat cells

Members of the caspase family have been implicated as key mediators of apoptosis in mammalian cells. However, few of their substrates are known to have physiological significance in the apoptotic process. We focused our screening for caspase substrates on cytoskeletal proteins. We found that an actin binding protein, filamin, was cleaved from 280 kDa to 170, 150, and 120 kDa major N-terminal fragments, and 135, 120, and 110 kDa major C-terminal fragments when apoptosis was induced by etoposide in both the human monoblastic leukemia cell line U937, and the human T lymphoblastic cell line Jurkat. The cleavage of filamin was blocked by a cell permeable inhibitor of caspase-3-like protease, Ac-DEVD-cho, but not by an inhibitor of caspase-1-like protease, Ac-YVAD-cho. These results suggest that filamin is cleaved by a caspase-3-like protease. To examine whether caspase-3 cleaves filamin in vitro, we prepared a recombinant active form of caspase-3 directly using a Pichia pastoris overexpression system. When we applied recombinant active caspase-3 to the cell lysate of U937 and Jurkat cells, filamin was cleaved into the same fragments seen in apoptosis-induced cells in vivo. Platelet filamin was also cleaved directly from 280 kDa to 170, 150, and 120 kDa N-terminal fragments, and the cleavage pattern was the same as observed in apoptotic human cells in vivo. These results suggest that filamin is an in vivo substrate of caspase-3.     

Restoration of β-galactosidase to Escherichia coli M15. Complementation studies

Carboxymethylated beta-galactosidase from Escherichia coli was dissociated at 100 degrees C to form carboxymethylated fragments A and B. The mol.wts. of carboxymethylated fragments A and B were determined by gel filtration to be 64300 and 22400 respectively. Sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis of carboxymethylated fragments A and B that had been pretreated with 2-mercaptoethanol and sodium dodecyl sulphate yielded mol.wts. of 64000 and 22100 respectively. Carboxymethylated fragments A and B had arginine as their C-terminal amino acid. When a crude extract of E. coli M15 was filtered through a column of Sepharose 6B, it was found that carboxymethylated fragment B could restore beta-galactosidase activity when added to fractions having mol.wts. estimated to be 123000, 262000 and 506000. These fractions are referred to as ;complementable fractions'. Similarly, it was found that carboxymethylated fragment A could restore enzyme activity to tractions having mol.wts. estimated to be 63000, 253000 and 506000. Estimates of the molecular weights of the beta-galactosidase activity obtained by restoration with carboxymethylated fragments A and B were made by filtering the active enzyme through another column of Sepharose 6B. The enzyme obtained by complementation with carboxymethylated fragment B, i.e. the complemented enzyme, had mol.wt. 525000, and that obtained with carboxymethylated fragment A had mol.wts. of 525000, 646000 and 2000000. The latter finding suggests that multiple forms of complemented beta-galactosidase can exist.     

The purification and properties of the second component of human complement.

The second component of human complement (C2) was purified by a combination of euglobulin precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography, (NH4)2SO4 precipitation and affinity chromatography. The final product was homogeneous by the criterion of polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and represents a purification of about 4000-fold from serum with 15-20% yield. Component C2 comprises a single carbohydrate-containing polypeptide chain, with an apparent mol.wt. of 102000; alanine is the N-terminal amino acid. The molecule is rapidly cleaved by activated subcomponent C1s with the loss of haemolytic activity to yield two fragments with apparent mol.wts. of 74000 and 34000. These fragments are not linked by disulphide bonds and can be easily separated. A second protein isolated during the purification of component C2 was identified by its haemolytic and antigenic properties as complement Factor B, the protein serving an analogous function to component C2 in the alternative pathway. The protein, which is also a single carbohydrate-containing polypeptide chain, has an apparent mol.wt. of 95000 and threonine as N-terminal amino acid. The amino acid analyses of component C2 and Factor B are compared.     

Study of the 10-nm-filament fraction isolated during the standard microtubule preparation.

The cold non-depolymerizable fractions obtained during the standard procedure for the isolation of microtubules from ox brain stem-cerebral hemispheres and spinal cord have been studied. The cerebral-hemisphere preparation was composed of 10-nm filaments but also contained large amounts of membranes. The polypeptide content included tubulin, microtubule-associated proteins and minor proteins corresponding to the neurofilament triplet of proteins of mol.wt. 210 000, 160 000 and 70 000 respectively. The brain-stem preparation contained more 10-nm filaments than membranes. The polypeptide content consisted of the neurofilament triplet (35%), tubulin (30%) and minor proteins. In contrast, the spinal-cord preparation was mainly composed of 10-nm filaments, free of membranes and containing essentially the neurofilament protein triplet (64%). These filaments appeared very similar to the peripheral-nervous-system neurofilaments described by several authors. Since the best neurofilament from the central nervous system often contained less than 15% of the neurofilament protein triplet, our spinal-cord preparation is an improvement on the usual neurofilament preparation. This simple and rapid method gave large amounts of 10-nm filaments (100 mg per 100 g of spinal cord) characterized by the absence of membranous material, a low content of tubulin and the 50 000-mol.wt.-protein component, and a high content of neurofilament peptides. Thus, the presence of tubulin in 10-nm filament preparations seems to be related to the contaminant membranous material and not to be linked to the interaction in vitro of tubulin or microtubules with neurofilaments, as has been suggested previously.     

Labelling of the cytoplasmic domains of ovine rhodopsin with hydrophilic chemical probes

The disposition of polypeptide chain of ovine rhodopsin in the photoreceptor disc membrane was investigated by using two hydrophilic reagents, 3,5-di-[125I]iodo-4-diazobenzenesulphonate [( 125I]DDISA) and [14C]succinic anhydride. Both reagents were used to modify rhodopsin in intact disc membranes under conditions where no loss of A500 occurred. Reaction of [125I]DDISA with rhodopsin approached completion after 30 min. Binding was saturated at a 75-fold molar excess of reagent, which gave binding ratios of up to 2 mol/mol of rhodopsin. Proteolysis of rhodopsin, using Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase, yielded two membrane-bound fragments, both of which contained bound radioactive probe. Subsequent CNBr cleavage of these fragments produced five radiolabelled peptides which corresponded to the C-terminal region and cytoplasmic loops of rhodopsin. Similar studies with [14C]-succinic anhydride also gave binding ratios of up to 2 mol/mol of rhodopsin. Sequencing of the [14C]succinylated peptides identified the location of the reactive sites as lysine residues 66, 67, 141, 245, 248, 311, 325 and 339 in the polypeptide chain. Non-permeability of both probes was demonstrated by the absence of any radioactivity associated with the intradiscal N-terminal glycopeptide. Sonication of membranes in the presence of [125I]DDISA led to the incorporation of label in this peptide.