Introduction of a cysteine protease active site into trypsin

Active site serine 195 of rat anionic trypsin was replaced with a cysteine by site-specific mutagenesis in order to determine if a thiol group could function as the catalytic nucleophile in serine protease active site environment. Two genetically modified rat thiol trypsins were generated; the first variant contained a single substitution of Ser195 with Cys (trypsin S195C) while the second variant contained the Ser195 to Cys as well as an Asp102 to Asn substitution (trypsin D102N,S195C) that more fully mimics the putative catalytic triad of papain. Both variants were expressed as his J signal peptide-trypsin fusion proteins to high levels under the control of the tac promoter. The mature forms of both variants were secreted into the periplasmic space of Escherichia coli. Trypsin S195C shows a low level of activity toward the activated ester substrate Z-Lys-pNP, while both trypsin S195C and trypsin D102N,S195C were active toward the fluorogenic tripeptide substrate Z-GPR-AMC. Esterase and peptidase activities of both thiol trypsin variants were inhibited by known Cys protease inhibitors as well as by specific trypsin inhibitors. The kcat of trypsin S195C was reduced by a factor of 6.4 x 10(5) relative to that of trypsin while the kcat of trypsin D102N,S195C was lowered by a factor of 3.4 x 10(7) with Z-GPR-AMC as substrate. Km values were unaffected. The loss of activity of trypsin D102N,S195C was partially attributed to an inappropriate Asn102-His57 interaction that precludes the formation of the catalytically competent His57-Cys195 ion pair although loss of the negative charge of D102 at the active site probably contributes to diminished activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Crystal structures of two engineered thiol trypsins

We have determined the three-dimensional structures of engineered rat trypsins which mimic the active sites of two classes of cysteine proteases. The catalytic serine was replaced with cysteine (S195C) to test the ability of sulfur to function as a nucleophile in a serine protease environment. This variant mimics the cysteine trypsin class of thiol proteases. An additional mutation of the active site aspartate to an asparagine (D102N) created the catalytic triad of the papain-type cysteine proteases. Rat trypsins S195C and D102N,S195C were solved to 2.5 and 2.0 A, respectively. The refined structures were analyzed to determine the structural basis for the 10(6)-fold loss of activity of trypsin S195C and the 10(8)-fold loss of activity of trypsin D102N,S195C, relative to rat trypsin. The active site thiols were found in a reduced state in contrast to the oxidized thiols found in previous thiol protease structures. These are the first reported structures of serine proteases with the catalytic centers of sulfhydryl proteases. Structure analysis revealed only subtle global changes in enzyme conformation. The substrate binding pocket is unaltered, and active site amino acid 102 forms hydrogen bonds to H57 and S214 as well as to the backbone amides of A56 and H57. In trypsin S195C, D102 is a hydrogen-bond acceptor for H57 which allows the other imidazole nitrogen to function as a base during catalysis. In trypsin D102N,S195C, the asparagine at position 102 is a hydrogen-bond donor to H57 which places a proton on the imidazole nitrogen proximal to the nucleophile. This tautomer of H57 is unable to act as a base in catalysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Human rhinovirus 3C protease: a cysteine protease showing the trypsin(ogen)-like fold

Viral-encoded proteases cleave precursor polyprotein(s) leading to maturation of infectious virions. Strikingly, human rhinovirus 3C protease shows the trypsin(ogen)-like serine protease fold based on two topologically equivalent six-stranded β-barrels, but displays residue Cys147 as the active site nucleophile. By contrast, papain, which is representative of most cysteine proteases, does not display the trypsin(ogen)-like fold. Remarkably, in human rhinovirus 3C cysteine protease, the catalytic residues Cys147, His40 and Glu71 are positioned as Ser195, His57 and Asp102, respectively, building up the catalytic triad of serine proteases in the chymotrypsin–trypsin–elastase family. However, as compared to trypsin-like serine proteases and their zymogens, residue His40 and the oxyanion hole of human rhinovirus 3C cysteine protease, both key structural components of the active site, are located closer to the protein core. Human rhinovirus 3C cysteine protease cleaves preferentially GlnGly peptide bonds or, less commonly, the GlnSer, GlnAla, GluSer or GluGly pairs. Finally, human rhinovirus 3C cysteine protease and the 3CD cysteine protease–polymerase covalent complex bind the 5′ non-coding region of rhinovirus genomic RNA, an essential function for replication of the viral genome.     

Reactivity of small thiolate anions and cysteine-25 in papain toward methyl methanethiosulfonate

The dependence on thiol pK of the second-order rate constant (kS) for reaction of thiolate anions with MMTS was shown to follow the Br?nsted equation log kS = log G + beta pK with log G = 1.44 and 3.54 and beta = 0.635 and 0.309 for aryl and alkyl thiols, respectively. The reactivity toward MMTS of the protonated thiol group was found to be negligible in comparison to that of the thiolate anion. For 2-mercaptoethanol the reactivity toward MMTS of the protonated form of the thiol group was shown to be at least 5 X 10(9) smaller than that of the thiolate anion. The pH dependence of the second-order rate constant for reaction of the thiolate group of Cys-25 at the active site of papain was determined and shown to be consistent with the previously determined low pK for Cys-25 and its electrostatic interaction with His-159. The small dependence of the reactivity of Cys-25 on thiol pK (beta approximately 0.09) suggested that the charge-charge interactions that act through space to perturb the pK of the nucleophile at the active site of papain and perhaps other enzymes may serve to increase the fraction of nucleophile present in the reactive basic form without introducing the decrease in nucleophilic reactivity seen in model systems where pK's are lowered primarily by charge-dipole interactions.     

Thiolate-imidazolium ion pair is not an obligatory catalytic entity of cysteine peptidases: the active site of picornain 3C

Cysteine peptidases are thought to attack the substrate by a thiolate-imidazolium ion-pair, as demonstrated with the most extensively studied papain. Picornavirus proteinases (picornains), a different family of cysteine peptidases, are structurally related to the trypsin family of serine peptidases, whose catalytically competent histidine operates as a general base catalyst. Measuring the absorbance change upon alkylation of picornains at 250 nm, where the nondissociated thiol group has a negligible absorbance relative to the ionized form, one can test the ionization state of the catalytic cysteine. For such studies, we have prepared and used a mutated variant of the poliovirus proteinase 3C, which contains a single thiol group. The pH dependence of the molar extinction coefficient has undoubtedly shown that picornain 3C contains an ordinary thiol group rather than the usual ion-pair. Therefore, the imidazole assistance, demonstrated in alkylation reactions, is presumably general base catalysis, as found with serine peptidases. Kinetic studies on k(cat)/K(m) gave large inverse deuterium isotope effects, which may overcompensate the reverse values characteristic of the potential general base catalysis. The inverse effects is associated with the stabilization of the protein structure in heavy water.     

Crystal structure of bovine duodenase, a serine protease, with dual trypsin and chymotrypsin-like specificities

The three-dimensional structure of duodenase, a serine protease from bovine duodenum mucosa, has been determined at 2.4A resolution. The enzyme, which has both trypsin-like and chymotrypsin-like activities, most closely resembles human cathepsin G with which it shares 57% sequence identity and similar specificity. The catalytic Ser195 in duodenase adopts the energetically favored conformation typical of serine proteinases and unlike the strained state typical of lipase/esterases. Of several waters in the active site of duodenase, the one associated with Ser214 is found in all serine proteinases and most lipase/esterases. The conservation of the Ser214 residue in serine proteinase, its presence in the active site, and participation in a hydrogen water network involving the catalytic triad (His57, Asp107, and Ser195) argues for its having an important role in the mechanism of action. It may be referred to as a fourth member of the catalytic triad. Duodenase is one of a growing family of enzymes that possesses trypsin-like and chymotrypsin-like activity. Not long ago, these activities were considered to be mutually exclusive. Computer modeling reveals that the S1 subsite of duodenase has structural features compatible with effective accommodation of P1 residues typical of trypsin (Arg/Lys) and chymotrypsin (Tyr/Phe) substrates. The determination of structural features associated with functional variation in the enzyme family may permit design of enzymes with a specific ratio of trypsin and chymotrypsin activities.     

Chemical modification of the RTEM-1 thiol beta-lactamase by thiol-selective reagents: evidence for activation of the primary nucleophile of the beta-lactamase active site by adjacent functional groups

The RTEM-1 thiol beta-lactamase (Sigal, I.S., Harwood, B.G., Arentzen, R., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79:7157-7160, 1982) is inactivated by thiol-selective reagents such as iodoacetamide, methyl methanethiosulfonate, and 4,4'-dipyridyldisulfide, which modify the active site thiol group. The pH-rate profiles of these inactivation reactions show that there are two nucleophilic forms of the enzyme, EH2 and EH, both of which, by analogy with the situation with cysteine proteinases, probably contain the active site nucleophile in the thiolate form. The pKa of the active site thiol is therefore shown by the data to be below 4.0. This low pKa is thought to reflect the presence of adjacent functionality which stabilizes the thiolate anion. The low nucleophilicity of the thiolate in both EH2 and EH, with respect to that of cysteine proteinases and model compounds, suggests that the thiolate of the thiol beta-lactamase is stabilized by two hydrogen-bond donors. One of these, of pKa greater than 9.0, is suggested to be the conserved and essential Lys-73 ammonium group, while the identity of the other group, of pKa around 6.7, is less clear, but may be the conserved Glu-166 carboxylic acid. beta-Lactamase activity is associated with the EH2 form, and thus the beta-lactamase active site is proposed to contain one basic or nucleophilic group (the thiolate in the thiol beta-lactamase) and two acidic (hydrogen-bond donor) groups (one of which is likely to be the above-mentioned lysine ammonium group).     

Thiol-activated serine proteinases from nymphal hemolymph of the African migratory locust,Locusta migratoria migratorioides

Two unique serine proteinase isoenzymes (LmHP-1 and LmHP-2) were isolated from the hemolymph of African migratory locust (Locusta migratoria migratorioides) nymphs. Both have a molecular mass of about 23 kDa and are activated by thiol-reducing agents. PMSF abolishes enzymes activity only after thiol activation, while the cysteine proteinase inhibitors E-64, iodoacetamide, and heavy metals fail to inhibit the thiol-activated enzymes. The N-terminal sequence was determined for the more-abundant LmHP-2 isoenzyme. It exhibits partial homology to that of other insect serine proteinases and similar substrate specificity and inhibition by the synthetic and protein trypsin inhibitors pABA, TLCK, BBI, and STI. The locust trypsins LmHP-1 and LmHP-2 constitute a new category of serine proteases wherein the active site of the enzyme is exposed by thiol activation without cleavage of peptide bonds.     

Direct NMR observation of the Cys-14 thiol proton of reduced Escherichia coli glutaredoxin-3 supports the presence of an active site thiol-thiolate hydrogen bond.

The active site of Escherichia coli glutaredoxin-3 (Grx3) consists of two redox active cysteine residues in the sequence -C11-P-Y-C14-H-. The 1H NMR resonance of the cysteine thiol proton of Cys-14 in reduced Grx3 is observed at 7.6 ppm. The large downfield shift and NOEs observed with this thiol proton resonance suggest the presence of a hydrogen bond with the Cys-11 thiolate, which is shown to have an abnormally low pKa value. A hydrogen bond would also agree with activity data of Grx3 active site mutants. Furthermore, the activity is reduced in a Grx3 H15V mutant, indicating electrostatic contributions to the stabilization of the Cys-11 thiolate.     

A marked gradation in active-centre properties in the cysteine proteinases revealed by neutral and anionic reactivity probes. Reactivity characteristics of the thiol groups of actinidin, ficin, papain and papaya peptidase A towards 4,4'-dipyridyl disulphide and 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoate) dianion.

1. The kinetics of the reactions of the catalytic-site thiol groups of actinidin (the cysteine proteinase from Actinidia chinensis), ficin (EC 3.4.22.3), papain (EC 3.4.22.2) and papaya peptidase A (the other monothiol cysteine proteinase component of Carica papaya) with 4,4'-dipyridyl disulphide (4-Py-S-S-4-Py) and with 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoate) dianion (Nbs22-) were studied in the pH range approx. 6-10. These studies provided the pH-independent second-order rate constants (k) for the reactions of the two probe reagents with the catalytic-site thiolate anions each in the environment of a neutral histidine side chain where an active-centre carboxy group would be ionized. 2. The ratio R equal to kNbs22-/k4-Py-S-S-4-Py provides an index of the catalytic-site solvation properties of the four cysteine proteinases and varies markedly from one enzyme to another, being 0.80 for papaya peptidase A (0.86 for the model thiol, 2-mercaptoethanol), 29 for actinidin, 0.18 for ficin and 0.015 for papain. These differences appear to derive mainly from the response of the enzyme to the negative charge on Nbs22-. 3. Possible implications of these results for (a) mechanisms of cysteine proteinase catalysis and (b) the possibility of using series of functionally related enzymes in the study of mechanism are discussed.     

Chymopapain A. Purification and investigation by covalent chromatography and characterization by two-protonic-state reactivity-probe kinetics, steady-state kinetics and resonance Raman spectroscopy of some dithioacyl derivatives.

Chymopapain A was isolated from the dried latex of papaya (Carica papaya) by ion-exchange chromatography followed by covalent chromatography by thiol-disulphide interchange. The latter procedure was used to produce fully active enzyme containing one essential thiol group per molecule of protein, to establish that the chymopapain A molecule contains, in addition, one non-essential thiol group per molecule and to recalculate the literature value of epsilon 280 for the enzyme as 36 000 M-1 X cm -1. The Michaelis parameters for the hydrolysis of L-benzoylarginine p-nitroanilide and of benzyloxy-carbonyl-lysine nitrophenyl ester at 25 degrees C, and I 0.1 at several pH values catalysed by chymopapain A, papaya proteinase omega, papain (EC 3.4.22.2) and actinidin (EC 3.4.22.14) were determined. Towards these substrates chymopapain A has kcat./km values similar to those of actinidin and of papaya proteinase omega and significantly lower than those of papain or ficin. The environment of the catalytic site of chymopapain A is markedly different from those of other cysteine proteinases studied to date, as evidenced by the pH-dependence of the second-order rate constant (k) for the reaction of the catalytic-site thiol group with 2,2'-dipyridyl disulphide. The striking bell-shaped component that is a characteristic feature of the reactions of S-/ImH+ (thiolate/imidazolium) ion-pair components of many cysteine-proteinase catalytic sites with the 2,2'-dipyridyl disulphide univalent cation is not present in the pH-k profile for the chymopapain A reaction. The result is consistent with the presence of an additional positive charge in, or near, the catalytic site that repels the cationic form of the probe reagent. Resonance Raman spectra were collected at pH values 2.5, 6.0 and 8.0 for each of the following dithioacyl derivatives of chymopapain A: N-benzoylglycine-, N-(Beta-phenylpropionl)glycine- and N-methoxycarbonylphenylalanylglycine-. The main conclusion of the spectral study is that in each case the acyl group binds as a single population known as conformer B in which the glycinic N atom is in close contact with the thiol S atom of the catalytic-site cysteine residue, as is the case also for papain and other cysteine proteinases studied. Thus the abnormal catalytic-site environment of chymopapain A detected by the reactivity-probe studies, which may have consequences for the acylation step of the catalytic act, does not perturb the conformation of the bound acyl group at the acyl-enzyme-intermediate stage of catalysis.     

The unusual catalytic triad of poliovirus protease 3C

Picornaviruses are small pathogen RNA viruses, like poliovirus, hepatitis A virus, rhinovirus, and others. They produce a large polyprotein, which is cleaved by virally encoded cysteine peptidases, picornains 2A and 3C. Picornain 3C represents an intermediate between the serine peptidase chymotrypsin and the cysteine peptidase papain. Its steric structure resembles chymotrypsin, but its nucleophile is a thiol instead of the hydroxyl group. The histidine is a general base catalyst in chymotrypsin but forms a thiolate-imidazolium ion pair in papain. The third member of the catalytic triad is an acid (Glu71) as in chymotrypsin rather than an amide found in papain. Transformation of poliovirus 3C peptidase into a serine peptidase results in lower activity by a factor of 430, but the activity extends toward higher pH with the more basic hydroxyl group. The decrease in activity is caused by the less ordered active site, as supported by the unfavorable entropy of activation. At 25 degrees C the specificity rate constant for the thiol enzyme approaches k(1), the rate constant for the formation of the enzyme-substrate complex, but k(2), the acylation constant, becomes predominant with the increase in temperature. In contrast, for the serine peptidase the specificity constant is less than k(1) over the entire temperature range, and the transition state is controlled by both k(1) and k(2). The acidic component of the catalytic triad is essential for activity, but its negative charge does not influence the ionization of the thiol group.     

Molecular cloning and partial characterization of a trypsin-like protein in salivary glands of Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae)

Trypsin-like enzymes from the salivary gland complex (SGC) of Lygus hesperus Knight were partially purified by preparative isoelectric focusing (IEF). Enzyme active against Nalpha-benzoyl-L-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BApNA) focused at approximately pH 10 during IEF. This alkaline fraction gave a single activity band when analyzed with casein zymograms. The serine proteinase inhibitors, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and lima bean trypsin inhibitor, completely inhibited or suppressed the caseinolytic activity in the crude salivary gland extract as well as the IEF-purified sample. Chicken egg white trypsin inhibitor also inhibited the IEF-purified sample but was not effective against a major caseinolytic band in the crude salivary gland extract. These data indicated the presence of serine proteinases in the SGC of L. hesperus. Cloning and sequencing of a trypsin-like precursor cDNA provided additional direct evidence for serine proteinases in L. hesperus. The encoded trypsin-like protein included amino acid sequence motifs, which are conserved with five homologous serine proteinases from other insects. Typical features of the putative trypsin-like protein from L. hesperus included residues in the serine proteinase active site (His(89), Asp(139), Ser(229)), conserved cysteine residues for disulfide bridges, residues (Asp(223), Gly(252), Gly(262)) that determine trypsin specificity, and both zymogen signal and activation peptides.     

Molecular cloning and functional characterisation of a cathepsin L-like proteinase from the fish kinetoplastid parasite Trypanosoma carassii

Trypanosoma carassii is a fish kinetoplastid parasite that belongs to the family Trypanosomatida. In the present study we cloned a cathepsin L-like proteinase from T. carassii. The nucleotide sequence of 1371bp translated into a preproprotein of 456 amino acids. The preproprotein contained the oxyanion hole (Gln), the active triad formed by Cys, His and Asn and the conserved ERFNIN-like, GNFD and GCNGG motifs, characteristic for cathepsin L proteinases. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the T. carassii cysteine proteinase clustered with other cathepsin L-like proteinases from the Trypanosomatida. We produced a recombinant T. carassii cysteine proteinase in Escherichia coli and demonstrated that it has cathepsin L activity. Immunization of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) with the recombinant protein induced a very high increase in proteinase-specific antibodies but only slightly lowered parasitaemia. Our findings suggest that the T. carassii cysteine proteinase is highly conserved within the Trypanosomatida with respect to structure and activity but is not a major protective antigen in carp.     

Proteinase inhibitors from Vigna unguiculata subsp. cylindrica: I. Occurrence of thiol proteinase inhibitors in plants and purification from Vigna unguiculata subsp. cylindrica

Inhibitors of the thiol proteinase, papain (EC 3.4.22.2), were shown to be present in 11 species of 10 genera of plants. The inhibitor activity was nondialyzable, and precipitated by ammonium sulfate. Tissue cultures from a number of plant genera consisting of rapidly dividing cells contained latent papain inhibitor that could be activated upon heating. Four isoinhibitors of plant thiol proteinases from seeds of the legume Vigna unguiculata subsp. cyclindrica were purified to apparent homogeneity by acrylamide gel electrophoresis with or without sodium dodecyl sulfate. The inhibitors were present in very small amounts compared to the trypsin inhibitors and the degree of purification of the homogeneous isoinhibitors on the assumption that all were present initially in equal amounts was 15,000- to 60,000-fold. The isoinhibitors did not inhibit pepsin, bromelain, and the serine proteinases, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and subtilisin. They were specific for papain, chymopapain, and ficin but their inhibition of the proteinase, esterase, and amidase activities of the three enzymes differed.     

The electrostatic driving force for nucleophilic catalysis in L-arginine deiminase: a combined experimental and theoretical study

L-arginine deiminase (ADI) catalyzes the hydrolysis of L-arginine to form L-citrulline and ammonia via two partial reactions. A working model of the ADI catalytic mechanism assumes nucleophilic catalysis by a stringently conserved active site Cys and general acid-general base catalysis by a stringently conserved active site His. Accordingly, in the first partial reaction, the Cys attacks the substrate guanidino C zeta atom to form a tetrahedral covalent adduct, which is protonated by the His at the departing ammonia group to facilitate the formation of the Cys- S-alkylthiouronium intermediate. In the second partial reaction, the His activates a water molecule for nucleophilic addition at the thiouronium C zeta atom to form the second tetrahedral intermediate, which eliminates the Cys in formation of the L-citrulline product. The absence of a basic residue near the Cys thiol suggested that the electrostatic environment of the Cys thiol, in the enzyme-substrate complex, stabilizes the Cys thiolate anion. The studies described in this paper explore the mechanism of stabilization of the Cys thiolate. First, the log(k(cat)/K(m)) and log k(cat) pH rate profiles were measured for several structurally divergent ADIs to establish the pH range for ADI catalysis. All ADIs were optimally active at pH 5, which suggested that the Cys pKa is strongly perturbed by the prevailing electrostatics of the ADI active site. The p K a of the Bacillus cereus ADI (BcADI) was determined by UV-pH titration to be 9.6. In contrast, the pKa determined by iodoacetamide Cys alkylation is 6.9. These results suggest that the negative electrostatic field from the two opposing Asp carboxylates perturbs the Cys pKa upward in the apoenzyme and that the binding of the iodoacetamide (a truncated analogue of the citrulline product) between the Cys thiol and the two Asp carboxylates shields the Cys thiol, thereby reducing its pKa. It is hypothesized that the bound positively charged guanidinium group of the L-arginine substrate further stabilizes the Cys thiolate. The so-called "substrate-assisted" Cys ionization, first reported by Fast and co-workers to operate in the related enzyme dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase [Stone, E. M., Costello, A. L., Tierney, D. L., and Fast, W. (2006) Biochemistry 45, 5618-5630], was further explored computationally in ADI by using an ab initio quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics method. The energy profiles for formation of the tetrahedral intermediate in the first partial reaction were calculated for three different reaction scenarios. From these results, we conclude that catalytic turnover commences from the active configuration of the ADI(L-arginine) complex which consists of the Cys thiolate (nucleophile) and His imidazolium ion (general acid) and that the energy barriers for the nucleophilic addition of Cys thiolate to the thiouronium C zeta atom and His imidazolium ion-assisted elimination from the tetrahedral intermediate are small.     

Molecular cloning of trypsin-like cDNAs and comparison of proteinase activities in the salivary glands and gut of the tarnished plant bug Lygus lineolaris (Heteroptera: Miridae)

Using specific proteinase inhibitors, we demonstrated that serine proteinases in the tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris, are major proteinases in both salivary glands and gut tissues. Gut proteinases were less sensitive to inhibition than proteinases from the salivary glands. Up to 80% azocaseinase and 90% of BApNAse activities in the salivary glands were inhibited by aprotinin, benzamidine, and PMSF, whereas only 46% azocaseinase and 60% BApNAse activities in the gut were suppressed by benzamidine, leupeptin, and TLCK. The pH optima for azocaseinase activity in salivary glands ranged from 6.2 to 10.6, whereas the pH optima for gut proteinases was acidic for general and alkaline for tryptic proteinases. Zymogram analysis demonstrated that approximately 26-kDa proteinases from salivary glands were active against both gelatin and casein substrates. Three trypsin-like cDNAs, LlSgP2-4, and one trypsin-like cDNA, L1GtP1, were cloned from salivary glands and gut, respectively. Putative trypsin precursors from all cloned cDNAs contained a signal peptide, activation peptide, and conserved N-termini (IVGG). Other structural features included His, Asp, and Ser residues for the catalytic amino acid triad of serine proteinase active sites, residues for the binding pocket, and four pairs of cysteine residues for disulfide bridges. Deduced trypsin-like proteins from LlSgP2, LlSgP3, and LlGtP1 cDNAs shared 98-99% sequence identity with a previously reported trypsin-like precursor, whereas the trypsin-like protein of LlSgP4 shared only 44% sequence identity with all other trypsin-like proteins, indicating multi-trypsin forms are present in L. lineolaris.     

Affinity chromatography of a cysteine proteinase inhibitor from chicken egg protein

A method of affinity chromatography of the inhibitor of cysteine proteinases from chick egg protein using immobilized ficin has been developed. This method yields a highly active inhibitor in an essentially homogeneous state. The molecular weight of the inhibitor is 14,000. The inhibitor suppresses the activity of ficin and papain but produces no effect on the proteolytic activity of trypsin, chymotrypsin, Asp. oryzae serine proteinase or subtilisine. Isoelectric focusing of the inhibitor has revealed the major band with pI 4.35.     

Similarity in gene organization and homology between proteins of animal picornaviruses and a plant comovirus suggest common ancestry of these virus families

The amino acid sequences deduced from the nucleic acid sequences of several animal picornaviruses and cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV), a plant virus, were compared. Good homology was found between CPMV and the picornaviruses in the region of the picornavirus 2C (P2-X protein), VPg, 3C pro (proteinase) and 3D pol (RNA polymerase) regions. The CPMV B genome was found to have a similar gene organization to the picornaviruses. A comparison of the 3C pro (proteinase) regions of all of the available picornavirus sequences and CPMV allowed us to identify residues that are completely conserved; of these only two residues, Cys-147 and His-161 (poliovirus proteinase) could be the reactive residues of the active site of a proteinase with analogous mechanism to a known proteinase. We conclude that the proteinases encoded by these viruses are probably cysteine proteinases, mechanistically related, but not homologous to papain.