Proteolytic modifications of the carboxyl-terminal region of H-2Kk

Conditions were established for the generation of limited proteolysis products from purified H-2Kk in high yield (greater than 70%). Chymotrypsin, trypsin, or papain treatment in buffer containing Nonidet P-40 resulted in removal of discrete segments from the H-2 heavy chain without detectable alteration of the beta 2-microglobulin. The Mr = 47,400 heavy chain was converted to products with Mr = 44,200, 42,800, or 40,600 by treatment with chymotrypsin, trypsin, or papain, respectively. Papain digestion removed both the hydrophilic carboxyl terminus and the hydrophobic regions. The size, detergent binding properties, and products resulting from subsequent papain treatment demonstrated that chymotrypsin or trypsin removed segments of the hydrophilic carboxyl-terminal region of the heavy chain while leaving the hydrophobic (membrane-spanning) and glycosylated NH2-terminal regions intact. Chymotrypsin and trypsin caused rapid and extensive degradation of the H-2Kk heavy chain when treatment was done in buffer containing deoxycholate, suggesting that the protein undergoes partial, but readily reversible, denaturation in this detergent. This may account for the elution of H-2K and D antigens from monoclonal antibody affinity columns by deoxycholate-containing buffers.     

Three forms of phosphatase type 1 in Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts. Free catalytic subunit appears to mediate s6 dephosphorylation

The major 40 S ribosomal protein S6 phosphatase in Swiss mouse 3T3 fibroblasts is a type 1 enzyme (Olivier, A. R., Ballou, L. M., and Thomas, G. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 85, 4720-4724). Polyclonal antibodies were raised against a synthetic peptide containing the carboxyl-terminal 14 amino acids of the catalytic subunit of phosphatase 1 (PP-1C). Results from Western blot analysis and immunoprecipitation show that the peptide antiserum specifically recognizes PP-1C in cell extracts. Anion-exchange chromatography of cell extracts and Western blot analysis revealed three peaks of PP-1C termed A, B, and C. Peaks A and C are associated with the major type 1 S6 phosphatase activities, but peak B exhibits little activity. The phosphatase in peak A (Mr 39,000) appears to represent the free catalytic subunit, whereas the enzymes in peaks B and C display sizes of 68,000-140,000. Peak B contains two additional proteins of Mr 26,000 and 48,000 that co-immunoprecipitate with PP-1C, while peak C has a single additional protein of Mr 100,000. Fifteen min after serum withdrawal there is a 2-fold stimulation of S6 phosphatase activity in peak A that can be accounted for by an increase in the amount of PP-1C. The amount of PP-1C in the inactive peak B fraction also increases during this time and this increase is associated with changes in the phosphorylation state of the Mr 26,000 and 48,000 proteins. The results are discussed in relation to regulatory mechanisms which are thought to modulate the activity of type 1 phosphatase.     

Ascaris suum: biosynthesis and isoinhibitor profile of chymotrypsin/elastase isoinhibitors

Chymotrypsin/elastase isoinhibitors were radiolabeled when live, adult Ascaris suum were incubated in tissue culture medium (NCTC-135) supplemented with L-[35S]cysteine. This is the first demonstration that the synthesis of these proteins occurs in A. suum; the isoinhibitors are not host products utilized by the parasite against its host. Of five chymotrypsin/elastase isoinhibitors demonstrable in A. suum, only isoinhibitors 1, 4, and 5 were found in each worm. The amino acid sequences of these three isoinhibitors indicate that they are gene products and are not obtained by modification after translation. The two inhibitors that are not observed could arise by limited proteolysis. The same chymotrypsin/elastase isoinhibitor profile present in each nematode eliminates any speculation that the multiple forms arise from an adaptation between A. suum and its host. A new chymotrypsin/elastase isoinhibitor nomenclature is proposed, so that isoinhibitor 1 is now Isoinhibitor A, and isoinhibitors 4 and 5 are now Isoinhibitors B and C, respectively.     

Amino acid sequence and disulfide bridges of affinity purified Kunitz-type chymotrypsin inhibitor from winged bean seed (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC)

The primary sequence of the affinity purified chymotrypsin inhibitor, WBCI, isolated from the albumin fraction of Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC cv. UPS-122 seed was determined. The inhibitor consisted of a single polypeptide chain of 183 amino acids (Mr 20285) and the four half-cystine residues in the molecule formed two intramolecular disulfide bridges equivalent to those in other Kunitz-type seed inhibitors. The sequence of this chymotrypsin inhibitor was identical to that of chymotrypsin inhibitor-3 from cultivar UPS-31 and it showed about 50% sequence similarity to the winged bean acidic (WBTI-2, pI 5.1) and basic (WBTI-1, pI 8.9) trypsin inhibitors. Sequence similarities to other Kunitz-type seed inhibitors are discussed.     

Proteolytically induced variations in the enzymatic properties of tissue plasminogen activator. Activations, inactivations and reactivations

Tissue plasminogen activator was treated with Sepharose-bound trypsin or chymotrypsin. Trypsin rapidly converted the one-chain activator to the two-chain form. This caused a marked increase in the amidolytic activity, while plasminogen activation initially increased but then decreased again. SDS/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in combination with [3H]diisopropylfluorophosphate active-site labeling revealed that after the conversion to the two-chain activator a minor cleavage occurred in the B chain, while the A chain was substantially degraded. Chymotrypsin caused a marked decrease in both amidolytic activity and plasminogen activation. SDS/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions revealed that two pairs of new bands had appeared, with Mr or about 50,000/52,000 and 17,000/20,000 respectively. N-terminal sequence analysis identified cleavage sites at peptide bonds 420-421 and 423-424. These bonds are located in a region of the activator which is homologues to the segments of trypsin and chymotrypsin, where autocatalytic cleavages occur during their activations. However, treatment of two-chain activator with chymotrypsin had markedly less effect on plasminogen activation and amidolytic activity. By treatment of samples of chymotrypsin-digested one-chain activator with plasmin, amidolytic activity could be largely restored. Thus, chymotrypsin may, by cleaving bonds 420-421 and 423-424, convert the active one-chain activator into an 'inactive' zymogen, which is again 'activated' by plasmin cleavage.     

Subunit structure of the dihydrolipoyl transacylase component of branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex from bovine liver. Mapping of the lipoyl-bearing domain by limited proteolysis

To characterize the lipoyl-bearing domain of the dihydrolipoyl transacylase (E2) component, purified branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex from bovine liver was reductively acylated with [U-14C] alpha-ketoisovalerate in the presence of thiamin pyrophosphate and N-ethylmaleimide. Digestion of the modified complex with increasing concentrations of trypsin sequentially cleaved the E2 polypeptide chain (Mr = 52,000) into five radiolabeled lipoyl-containing fragments in the order of L1 (Mr = 28,000), L2 (Mr = 24,500), L3 (Mr = 21,000), L4 (Mr = 15,000) to L5 (Mr = 14,000) as determined by the autoradiography of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel. In addition, a lipoate-free inner E2 core consisting of fragment A (Mr = 26,000) and fragment B (Mr = 22,000) was produced. Fragment A contains the active site for transacylation reaction and fragment B is the subunit-binding domain. Fragment L5 and fragment B were stable and resistant to further tryptic digestion. Mouse antiserum against E2 reacted only with fragments L1, L2, and L3, and did not bind fragments L4, L5, A, and B as judged by immunoblotting analysis. The anti-E2 serum strongly inhibited the overall reaction catalyzed by the complex, but was without effect on the transacylation activity of E2. Measurement of incorporation of [1-14C]isobutyryl groups into the E2 subunit indicated the presence of 1 lipoyl residue/E2 chain. Based on the above data, a model is proposed in which the lipoyl-bearing domain is connected to the inner E2 core via a trypsin-sensitive hinge. The lipoyl-bearing domain contains five consecutive tryptic sites (L1 to L5), with the L1 site in the hinge region, and the L5 site next to the terminal lipoyl-binding sequence. An exposed and antigenic region is located between L1 and L4 tryptic sites of the lipoyl-bearing domain. The region accounts for about 24% of the E2 chain length. Binding of antibodies to this region probably impairs the mobility of the lipoyl-containing polypeptide, resulting in an interruption of the active-site interactions that are necessary for the overall reaction. The lack of antigenicity and resistance to tryptic digestion indicate a highly folded conformation for fragment L5, the limit polypeptide carrying the single lipoyl residue.     

Functional domains of the in situ red cell membrane calcium pump revealed by proteolysis and monoclonal antibodies. Possible sites for regulation by calpain and acidic lipids

The functional domains of the in situ red cell membrane calcium pump were mapped by a double labeling technique. In inside-out vesicles (IOVs) the calcium pump was phosphorylated by [gamma-32P]ATP, the proteins blotted onto nitrocellulose and tagged by monoclonal antibodies raised against the purified pump protein. After proteolytic treatment of the IOVs by trypsin, chymotrypsin, or calpain-I, the fragmentation pattern of the enzyme was followed on the double-labeled immunoblots. The changes in the kinetics of the pump were examined by parallel measurements of the active calcium uptake in IOVs. By analysis of the results of tryptic digestion, it was possible to show that the antibodies recognized three different domains of the pump: 1) a Mr = 10,000-15,000 fragment (not seen directly) which includes the calmodulin-binding domain, 2) a nonphosphorylated Mr = 35,000 tryptic fragment, and 3) a phosphorylated fragment of Mr = 76,000-81,000. Chymotrypsin or calpain-I digestion of the membranes produced one major, Mr = 125,000 fragment, which had lost antibody-binding region 1. Production of this fragment coincided with the loss of calmodulin dependence and with a calmodulin-like activation of IOV calcium uptake (high Vmax, cooperativity in calcium activation). The Mr = 125,000 fragment was further activated by acidic lipids producing high Vmax and low K 1/2 (Ca2+) with no cooperativity. Based on these data a kinetic model and a functional map of the plasma membrane calcium pump is suggested.     

Molecular characterization of the catalytic domains of human complement serine protease C1r

Limited cleavages of human C1r by extrinsic proteases of various specificity (plasmin, elastase, chymotrypsin, thermolysin) yield dimeric associations of two globular domains, each comprised of the intact B chain disulfide linked to gamma, the C-terminal fragment of the A chain. These (gamma-B)2 domains, which are homologous to those obtained from C1r by autolytic cleavage [Villiers, C. L., Arlaud, G. J., & Colomb, M. G. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 82, 4477-4481], represent the core of the C1r molecule and are associated with the catalytic properties of the serine active site. V8 protease also yields (gamma-B)2 associations, although additional cleavages occur in the B chain. Sequence analysis shows that all cleavages generating the gamma fragments occur within a 13-residue sequence extending from positions 274 to 286 of the C1r A chain. Chemical cross-linking with 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]carbodiimide of the (gamma-B)2 catalytic domains obtained from C1r autolytic cleavage indicates that each gamma-B domain interacts with its neighbor in a "head to tail" configuration, the gamma region of one domain interacting with the B chain of the other domain, and conversely. No evidence is found of gamma-gamma or B-B interactions. Such a head to tail configuration, placed in the context of the model proposed for the C1s-C1r-C1r-C1s catalytic subunit of C1 [Colomb, M. G., Arlaud, G. J., & Villiers, C. L. (1984) Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London, B 306, 283-292], is compatible with autolytic activation of C1r through an intramolecular cross-mechanism and with subsequent activation of C1s by activated C1r.     

Cathepsins B and H from porcine spleen. Purification, polypeptide chain arrangements, and carbohydrate content

Procedures for the purification of cathepsins B and H from porcine spleens have been described. The purified porcine cathepsin B (Mr = 27,000) is predominantly a two-chain enzyme with a heavy chain (Mr = 22,000) and a light chain (Mr = 5,000). It also contains two minor forms of cathepsin B with different chain structures. Porcine cathepsin H is a single-chain enzyme with a molecular weight of 25,000. The carbohydrate analyses showed that these enzymes were glycoproteins. A glycopeptide containing 3 amino acids, 2 glucosamines, and 6 mannoses was isolated from cathepsin H. Proton NMR studies revealed that it contained a mixture of 4 high mannose-type of oligosaccharides characteristic of those found on lysosomal enzymes. The carbohydrate of cathepsin B consisted of a single residue of glucosamine and trace mannose. This sugar content is in agreement with the finding that about 80% of the porcine spleen cathepsin B contained a single N-acetylglucosamine while 20% of the enzyme contained a 5-sugar oligosaccharide (Takahashi, T., Schmidt, P. G. and Tang, J. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 6059-6062). Thus, the studies on carbohydrate contents also indicated the good purity of the enzymes.     

Proteolytic interconversion of electrophoretic variants of the enzyme rhodanese

It has been confirmed that the enzyme rhodanese, although a homogeneous single polypeptide chain protein by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, is separable by electrophoresis under nondenaturing conditions into four species which differ in net surface charge (I-IV in the order of increasing positive charge). Limited proteolysis can interconvert these species. Chymotrypsin converts IV and III to II and forms a small amount of I. Carboxypeptidase B converts IV to III. The total protein among the species remains constant, and two-dimensional gels show that the change induced is below the resolution of the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel system. The suggestion that the products can be produced in the order IV, III, and II is supported by the results of sequential treatment of rhodanese first with carboxypeptidase B and then with chymotrypsin. It is concluded that there are covalent differences among the rhodanese species identified to date and an interconversion of forms can be triggered by proteolysis at the COOH-terminal end of the Mr = 33,000 single polypeptide chain which comprises the enzyme. This conclusion is strengthened by the close similarity between the amino acid composition of the peptide released by chymotrypsin and the composition expected on the basis of the known sequence. Furthermore, it appears that form IV is the primary in vivo product and the other species arise from it.     

Partition zone penetration by chymotrypsin, and the localization of the chloroplast flavoprotein and photosystem II.

1. Chymotrypsin treatment of chloroplast membranes inactivates Photosystem II. The inactivation is higher when the activity is measured under low intensity actinic light, suggesting that primary photochemistry is preferentially inactivated. 2. Membrane stacking induced by Mg2+ protects Photosystem II against chymotrypsin inactivation. When the membranes are irreversible unstacked by brief treatment with trypsin, Mg2+ protection against chymotrypsin inactivation of Photosystem II is abolished. 3. The kinetics of inactivation by chymotrypsin of Photosystem II indicates that membrane stacking slows down, but does not prevent, the access of chymotrypsin to Photosystem II, which is mostly located within the partition zones. 4. It is concluded that a partition gap exists between stacked membranes of about 45 A, the size of the chymotrypsin molecule. 5. The kinetics of inhibition of the chloroplast flavoprotein, ferredoxin-NADP reductase, bt its specific antibody is not affected by membrane stacking. This indicates that this enzyme is located outside the partition zones.     

Stepwise activation mechanisms of the precursor of matrix metalloproteinase 3 (stromelysin) by proteinases and (4-aminophenyl)mercuric acetate

The mechanisms of activation of the precursor of human matrix metalloproteinase 3 (proMMP-3/prostromelysin) by proteinases and (4-aminophenyl)mercuric acetate (APMA) were investigated by kinetic and sequence analyses. Incubation of proMMP-3 with neutrophil elastase, plasma kallikrein, plasmin, or chymotrypsin at 37 degrees C resulted in the formation of MMP-3 of Mr = 45,000 by cleaving of the His82-Phe83 bond. Since this bond is unlikely to be cleaved by these proteinases it was postulated that an initial attack of an activator proteinase on proMMP-3 creates an intermediate form, which is then processed to a more stable form of Mr = 45,000. To test this hypothesis proMMP-3 was incubated with these serine proteinases under conditions that minimize the action of MMP-3. This led to the accumulation of major intermediates of Mr = 53,000 and two minor forms of Mr = 49,000 and 47,000. The 53,000 Mr intermediate generated by human neutrophil elastase resulted from cleavage of the Val35-Arg36 whereas plasma kallikrein cleaved the Arg36-Arg37 and Lys38-Asp39 bonds and chymotrypsin the Phe34-Val35 bond, all of which are located near the middle of the propeptide. Conversion of these intermediates to the fully active 45,000 Mr form of MMP-3 resulted from a bimolecular reaction of the intermediates. A similar short-lived intermediate of Mr = 46,000 generated by APMA was a result of the intramolecular cleavage of the Glu68-Val69 bond, and it was then converted to a stable MMP-3 of Mr = 45,000 by a intermolecular reaction of MMP-3. However, MMP-3 failed to activate proMMP-3.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Chymotrypsin activates cardiac mitochondrial carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase.

The carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase facilitates carnitine and acylcarnitine transport into the mitochondrial matrix during beta-oxidation. Our results demonstrate that chymotrypsin can activate the maximal velocity of N-ethylmaleimide (NEM)-sensitive carnitine or palmitoylcarnitine exchange 7-fold, while doubling the affinity of the translocase for carnitine. Chymotrypsin activation is strictly dependent on the presence of free or short-chain acylcarnitine in the proteolysis medium, the extent of activation decreasing as the acylcarnitine chain length in the proteolysis medium increases. Chymotrypsin treatment decreases the apparent I50 value (inhibitor concentration required to give half-maximal inhibition) of the translocase for inhibition by NEM only under conditions which produce translocase activation. Modification of submitochondrial particle membranes by chymotrypsin does not result in gross ultrastructural changes or in an increase in the passive permeability of these membranes to carnitine. The data suggest that carnitine binding produces a change in translocase conformation which allows chymotrypsin modification to occur. This modification alters the kinetic and inhibitor-binding properties of the translocase.     

Chymotryptic digestion of Tetrahymena 22S dynein. I. Decomposition of three-headed 22S dynein to one- and two-headed particles

Molecular composition of Tetrahymena ciliary dynein has been examined by electron microscopy and gel electrophoresis. SDS-urea gel electrophoresis revealed that Tetrahymena 22S dynein contains three (A alpha, A beta, and A gamma) heavy chains whereas 14S dynein contains only one. The molecular masses of 22S and 14S dynein heavy chains were estimated to be approximately 490 and 460 kD, respectively. Electron microscopy of negatively stained specimens showed 22S dynein has three globular heads and thin stalks, whereas 14S dynein consists of a single head. Chymotrypsin digested each of the three 22S dynein heavy chains into large fragments with different time courses. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation separated the digestion products as two peaks. The one with a larger sedimentation coefficient mainly consisted of two-headed particles having binding ability to doublet microtubules, whereas the other with a smaller sedimentation coefficient consisted of only isolated globular particles. Both fractions had ATPase activities. Thus, one active head of 22S dynein can be isolated by chymotrypsin digestion.     

Action of human cathepsin G on the oxidized B chain of insulin.

The specificity of cathepsin G, a serine neutral proteinase from human neutrophil leucotyes, was determine dby its action on the insulin B chain. The most susceptible bonds were Phe-24-Phe-25, Leu-15-Tyr-16 and Tyr-16-Leu-17. Other bonds hydrolysed were Leu-6-Cys(O3H)-7, Leu-11-Val-12, Leu-17-Val-18 and Phe-25-Tyr-26. These results suggest that the specificity of cathespin G is closer to that of pig chymotrypsin C than ox Chymotrypsin A. Tables listing amino acid composition, N-terminal residue, and yields of isolated peptides have been deposited as Supplementary Publication SUP 50 075 (8 pages) at the British Library Lending Division, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7B2, U.K., from whom copies can be obtained on the terms indicated in Biochem. J. (1977) 161,1.     

The primary structure of coagulation factor IX/factor X-binding protein isolated from the venom of Trimeresurus flavoviridis. Homology with asialoglycoprotein receptors, proteoglycan core protein, tetranectin, and lymphocyte Fc epsilon receptor for immunoglobulin E

An anticoagulant protein, factor IX/factor X-binding protein (IX/X-bp), isolated from the venom of Trimeresurus flavoviridis, binds with factor IX and factor X in the presence of Ca2+ with a 1 to 1 stoichiometry (Atoda, H., and Morita, T. (1989) J. Biochem. (Tokyo) 106, 808-813). Analysis of S-pyridylethylated IX/X-bp by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed a 16.0-kDa band (designated the A chain) and a 15.5-kDa band (designated the B chain). These two chains were separated by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography, and their complete amino acid sequences were determined by sequencing of the peptides obtained after digestion with lysyl endopeptidase, chymotrypsin, and V8 protease from Staphylococcus aureus and after chemical cleavage with cyanogen bromide. The A chain had an amino-terminal sequence of Asp-Cys-Leu-Ser-Gly- and consisted of 129 residues with Mr 14,830. The B chain has an amino-terminal sequence of Asp-Cys-Pro-Ser-Asp- and consists of 123 residues of Mr 14,440. There was 47% identity between the A and the B chain. The sequence of IX/X-bp showed 25-37% identity with that of the C-type carbohydrate recognition domain-like structure of acorn barnacle lectin, human and rat asialoglycoprotein receptors, the human lymphocyte Fc epsilon receptor for immunoglobulin E, proteoglycan core protein, pancreatic stone protein, and tetranectin. The sequences of the first 18 amino acid residues of both the A and B chains were also, to a certain extent, homologous to the partial amino acid sequence of the b subunit of factor XIII, a member of the beta 2-glycoprotein I-like family. In this region, some similarity with the amino-terminal amino acid sequence of botrocetin was also observed.     

The laminin B2 chain has a multidomain structure homologous to the B1 chain

Laminin (Mr = 850,000) is a large basement membrane-specific glycoprotein composed of three chains: A, B1, and B2. Previously, we have reported the primary structure of the B1 chain of mouse laminin deduced from sequencing cDNA clones (Sasaki M., Kato, S., Kohno, K., Martin, G. R., and Yamada, Y. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 935-939). Here we report the isolation of overlapping cDNA clones spanning 7642 bases which encode the entire B2 chain. The nucleotide sequence of the clones contains an open reading frame of 4821 bases coding for a protein of 1607 amino acids including 33 amino acids of a presumptive signal peptide. The mRNA for the B2 chain contains 2.5 kilobases of 3'-untranslated region. The deduced amino acid sequence indicates that the B2 chain consists of six distinct domains, including two domains with alpha-helical, coiled-coil structures, two domains with cysteine-rich homologous repeats, and two globular domains. These structural features of the B2 chain are similar to those of the B1 chain. In addition, the amino acid sequences of the B2 and B1 chains demonstrate considerable homology, suggesting that the genes for these two chains arose from a common ancestor.     

The complete amino acid sequence of the major Kunitz trypsin inhibitor from the seeds of Prosopsis juliflora.

The major inhibitor of trypsin in seeds of Prosopsis juliflora was purified by precipitation with ammonium sulphate, ion-exchange column chromatography on DEAE- and CM-Sepharose and preparative reverse phase HPLC on a Vydac C-18 column. The protein inhibited trypsin in the stoichiometric ratio of 1:1, but had only weak activity against chymotrypsin and did not inhibit human salivary or porcine pancreatic alpha-amylases. SDS-PAGE indicated that the inhibitor has a Mr of ca 20,000, and IEF-PAGE showed that the pI is 8.8. The complete amino acid sequence was determined by automatic degradation, and by DABITC/PITC microsequence analysis of peptides obtained from enzyme digestions of the reduced and S-carboxymethylated protein with trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, the Glu-specific protease from S. aureus and the Lys-specific protease from Lysobacter enzymogenes. The inhibitor consisted of two polypeptide chains, of 137 residues (alpha chain) and 38 residues (beta chain) linked together by a single disulphide bond. The amino acid sequence of the protein exhibited homology with a number of Kunitz proteinase inhibitors from other legume seeds, the bifunctional subtilisin/alpha-amylase inhibitors from cereals and the taste-modifying protein miraculin.     

UDP-3-O-(R-3-hydroxymyristoyl)-N-acetylglucosamine deacetylase of Escherichia coli is a zinc metalloenzyme

The enzyme UDP-3-O-(R-3-hydroxymyristoyl)-GlcNAc deacetylase (LpxC) catalyzes the committed step in the biosynthesis of lipid A and is therefore a potential antibiotic target. Inhibition of this enzyme by hydroxamate compounds [Onishi, H. R.; Pelak, B. A.; Gerckens, L. S.; Silver, L. L.; Kahan, F. M.; Chen, M. H.; Patchett, A. A.; Stachula, S. S.; Anderson, M. S.; Raetz, C. R. H. (1996) Science 274, 980-982] suggested the presence of a metal ion cofactor. We have investigated the substrate specificity and metal dependence of the deacetylase using spectroscopic and kinetic analyses. Comparison of the steady-state kinetic parameters for the physiological substrate UDP-3-O-(R-3-hydroxymyristoyl)-GlcNAc and an alternative substrate, UDP-GlcNAc, demonstrates that the ester-linked R-3-hydroxymyristoyl chain increases kcat/KM (5 x 10(6))-fold. Metal-chelating reagents, such as dipicolinic acid (DPA) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, completely inhibit LpxC activity, implicating an essential metal ion. Plasma emission spectroscopy and colorimetric assays directly demonstrate that purified LpxC contains bound Zn2+. This Zn2+ can be removed by incubation with DPA, causing a decrease in the LpxC activity that can be restored by subsequent addition of Zn2+. However, high concentrations of Zn2+ also inhibit LpxC. Addition of Co2+, Ni2+, or Mn2+ to apo-LpxC also activates the enzyme to varying degrees while no additional activity is observed upon the addition of Cd2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, or Cu2+. This is consistent with the profile of metals that substitute for catalytic zinc ions in metalloproteinases. Co2+ ions stimulate LpxC activity maximally at a stoichiometry of 1:1. These data demonstrate that E. coli LpxC is a metalloenzyme that requires bound Zn2+ for optimal activity.     

Rat ovarian lutropin receptor is a transmembrane protein. Evidence for an Mr-20,000 cytoplasmic domain.

Membrane topography of the rat ovarian lutropin receptor was studied by two different approaches. Ovarian membrane preparation, labelled with 125I-labelled human choriogonadotropin in vivo, was subjected to extensive chymotryptic digestion. The soluble and membrane-bound radioactive complexes were cross-linked with glutaraldehyde, and analysed by SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. Chymotrypsin solubilized 70-75% of the radioactivity as Mr-96,000, Mr-74,000 and Mr-61,000 complexes, and decreased the size of the membrane-bound 125I-labelled human choriogonadotropin-receptor complex from Mr 130,000 to Mr 110,000. The Mr-110,000 complex was not observed when 0.1% Triton X-100 was present in the proteolytic digestion. Enrichment of inside-out-oriented plasma-membrane vesicles by concanavalin A affinity chromatography increased by 70% the fraction of radioactivity that remained in the membrane fraction after chymotrypsin treatment. Chymotrypsin also diminished the size of the membrane-bound unoccupied receptor from Mr 90,000 to Mr 70,000, as detected by ligand (125I-labelled human choriogonadotropin) blotting. These results suggest that the lutropin receptor is a transmembrane protein with a cytoplasmic domain of Mr 20,000 that is sensitive to proteolytic digestion in the inside-out-oriented plasma-membrane vesicles.