Purification and partial characterization of a corticosteroid-binding globulin from hamster serum

Our objective was to characterize and purify the corticosteroid-binding proteins in hamster pregnancy serum. When [3H]cortisol-labeled pregnancy and proestrous serum were subjected to native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, a single peak of specific steroid-binding activity was detected in each, with identical electrophoretic mobility. The steroid-binding affinity (Ka = 1.07.10(8) M-1 for cortisol) is typical of corticosteroid-binding globulin from other species, but the steroid-binding specificity (cortisol greater than testosterone greater than progesterone) is not. An ultraviolet photoaffinity-labeling protocol was developed using 17 beta-hydroxy-4,6-[1,2-3H]androstadiene-3-one ([3H]androstadienolone), permitting analysis of ultraviolet photoaffinity-labeled proestrous and pregnancy serum by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorography. Both sera contained the same labeled protein species. Corticosteroid-binding globulin was purified from pregnancy serum by DEAE-cellulose chromatography followed by steroid affinity chromatography on androstadienolone-17 beta-hemisuccinate-ethylenediamine-AffiGel 10. The purified protein (Mr = 62,250; pI = 3.95; n = 1; Stokes radius = 3.5; S = 4-5) was determined to be a glycoprotein. When analyzed by gel filtration and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, purified corticosteroid-binding globulin behaved the same as in unfractionated serum, and when ultraviolet photoaffinity-labeled with [3H]androstadienolone, purified corticosteroid-binding globulin produced the same fluorogram spot pattern seen in unfractionated serum. A specific corticosteroid-binding globulin antiserum was raised in rabbits, and this antiserum reacted with a single spot in Western blots of unfractionated serum. Thus, hamster pregnancy serum was determined to have one corticosteroid-binding protein. This protein is identical to the corticosteroid-binding globulin found in proestrous serum, with a higher titer in pregnancy serum. No other steroid-binding component is observed in hamster serum.     

Purification and physico-chemical properties of the sex steroid-binding globulin of human blood

A new technique for purification of the human sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is described. This technique includes affinity chromatography of blood serum on cortisol-Sepharose, (NH4)2SO4 fractionation, gel filtration on a Bio-Gel P-300 column and chromatography on a concanavalin A-Sepharose 4B column. From 21 of retroplacental serum 10 mg of pure SHBG (25% yield) has been obtained. Upon gel filtration SHBG behaved as a biopolymer with Mr of 120,000. The molecular weight of SHBG as determined by electrophoresis was shown to be equal to 50,000. SHBG has a sedimentation constant of s20, w of 4.7S, pI of 5.75, extinction coefficient A1%(280,1cm) = 10,5 and association constants of 4.5 X 10(8) and 3.5 X 10(6) M-1 for 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone and cortisol, respectively. The amino acid and carbohydrate contents of SHBG were determined.     

Kinetic and equilibrium studies on steroid interaction with human corticosteroid-binding globulin

Kinetic and equilibrium studies on the interaction of steroids with human corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG, transcortin) were performed with pH, temperature, and steroid structure as variables. Dissociation rate constants were determined fluorometrically; the values for cortisol, corticosterone, deoxycorticosterone, and progesterone are 0.031, 0.047, 0.10, and 0.16 s-1, respectively, at 20 degrees C, pH 7.4. The pH dependence of the dissociation rate constant for the corticosterone complex below pH 10.5 at 20 degrees C is given by koff = 0.043 (1 + [H+]/10(-6.50)) s-1; above pH 11, koff = 0.030 (1 + 10(-12.15/[H+] s-1. A temperature-dependence study of koff for the cortisol and progesterone complexes gave values of 0.0028 s-1 and 0.012 s-1 at 4 degrees C, respectively, and 0.88 s-1 and 4.5 s-1 at 37 degrees C, with progesterone dissociating about four to five times faster over the entire temperature range. The affinity constants, determined by equilibrium dialysis, for the binding of cortisol, corticosterone, and progesterone at 4 degrees C were 7.9, 7.2, and 7.0 X 10(8) M-1; values of 0.40 and 0.26 X 10(8) M-1 were determined at 37 degrees C for cortisol and progesterone. The close similarity of the affinity constants of the three steroids combined with differing dissociation rates implies that the association rate changes with steroid structure, in contrast to our earlier findings with progesterone-binding globulin.     

Corticosteroid-binding proteins in human colostrum and milk and rat milk.

A corticosteroid-binding protein was detected in the whey of human colostrum and milk which resembles serum corticosteroid-binding globulin in certain respects: the equilibrium association constants for cortisol and progesterone binding and the apparent molecular size, as determined by Sephadex G-200 chromatography, were similar, and cortisol andd progesterone competed strongly for binding to the same site in each instance. Dexamethasone-binding activity could not be detected. The concentration of corticosteroid-binding protein in the colostrum obtained before parturition is about 0.1 muM; the concentration declines rapidly after parturition to about 0.01 muM. A corticosteroid-binding protein was found, also, in the whey of mature rat milk at levels of about 0.3 muM. This protein resembles rat serum corticosteroid-binding globulin: the equilibrium association constants for cortisol, corticosterone, and progesterone binding, and the apparent molecular size, as determined by Sephadex G-200 chromatography, were similar; the elution behavior of the respective proteins on anion exchange chromatography with DEAE-Sephadex A-50 was similar, also. Identity of the corticosteroid-binding proteins in whey with corticosteroid-binding globulin in serum is not presumed, however. Rat and human whey exhibited very little testosterone- or 17 beta-estradiol-binding activity. It is suggested the corticosteroid-binding proteins may play a significant physiological role in regulating the concentration of the bound and unbound forms of progesterone and cortisol in the fluids bathing the epithelial cells lining the mammary ducts and acini.     

Characterization of human retroplacental blood plasma proteins isolated by biospecific chromatography on immobilized cortisol]

Human retroplacental blood plasma proteins with affinity for cortisol were isolated by biospecific chromatography and identified by electrophoretic and immunochemical methods as alpha1- and beta1-globulins and IgG. IgM and IgA immunoglobulins. A high specific affinity for cortisol (Kas = 1,5 . 10(8) M-1 at 23 degrees C) and progesterone (Kas = 2,0 . 10(8) M-1 at 23 degrees C) was observed only for alpha-globulin; other proteins had a low affinity for cortisol. The molecular weight of alpha1-globulin (transcortin) was found to be 50,000-55,000. The amino acid and monosaccharide compositions of this glycoprotein were studied. Its N-terminal and C-terminal amino acid sequences are: Met-Asx-Pro-Asx-Ala- and (Val, Gln)-Leu, respectively. It was concluded that under normal physiological conditions and during pregnancy transcortin is the only specific corticosteroid-binding plasma protein. A complete removal of bound cortisol from the protein mixture and subsequent hydroxylapatite chromatography resulted in homogeneous transcortin retaining more than 90% of its binding capacity. The formation of the transcortin-steroid complex and its complete dissociation are accompanied by conformational changes of the protein globule. Significant changes of the spectral properties of the tryptophane residue of protein and the steroid delta4-3-keto group are indicative of the possibility of their direct interaction.     

Effect of deglycosylation on the binding and immunoreactivity of human thyroxine-binding globulin.

Thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG), prepared from human serum by an improved purification method, was treated with a mixture of neuraminidase, beta-galactosidase, alpha-mannosidase, and beta-N-aectylglucosaminidase, which resulted in the removal of approximately 86% of saccharides. Purification by thyroxine-Sepharose affinity chromatography gave a homogeneous protein as shown by equilibrium sedimentation and sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Amino acid and NH2-terminal sequence analysis indicated that the protein moiety was intact. Deglycosylation had no effect on the stoichiometry of the binding of L-thyroxine as shown by tryptophanyl fluorescence quenching and equilibrium dialysis at pH 8.6 and 25 degrees C. However, the affinity constant for L-thyroxine was reduced from 1.6 X 10(9) M-1 to 0.58 X 10(9) M-1. Analysis of radioimmunoassay data revealed that deglycosylation resulted in a slight decrease of the affinity constant for anti-TBG antibody from 3.9 X 10(10) M-1 to 1.8 X 10(10) M-1. These results suggest that the polypeptide moiety, rather than the heterosaccharides, contains the antigenic determinants. Removal of the majority of the heterosaccharides of TBG has only a minor effect on its immunoreactivity and on the binding of thyroid hormone.     

Estrogen-binding protein from rat preputial gland: purification and characterization.

Cytosol from the rat preputial gland has been shown to contain a protein which binds both estrone and estradiol. The protein, after a 26-fold purification from the cytosol of female Sprague-Dawley rats, migrated as one band during electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate on acrylamide gel. The electrophoretic mobility indicated a molecular weight of 15,000. The association constant for estrone as determined by equilibrium dialysis was 1.2 X 10(7) M-1, while that for 17beta-estradiol was 3.3 X 10(6) M-1. Progesterone, cortisol, testosterone, or diethylstilbestrol did not bind to the purified protein, whereas 17alpha-estradiol or estriol bound only slightly. In the presence of retinoic acid, but not retinol, the binding of estrone was reduced. Optimum binding for estrone was at pH 6.5 to 8.5.     

Thyroxine-protein interactions. Interaction of thyroxine and triiodothyronine with human thyroxine-binding globulin.

The effect of temperature on the binding of thyroxine and triiodothyronine to thyroxine-binding globulin has been studied by equilibrium dialysis. Inclusion of ovalbumin in the dialysis mixture stabilized thyroxine-binding globulin against losses in binding activity which had been found to occur during equilibrium dialysis. Ovalbumin by itself bound the thyroid hormones very weakly and its binding could be neglected when analyzing the experimental results. At pH 7.4 and 37 degrees in 0.06 M potassium phosphate/0.7 mM EDTA buffer, thyroxine was bound to thyroxine-binding globulin at a single binding site with apparent association constants: at 5 degrees, K = 4.73 +/- 0.38 X 10(10) M-1; at 25 degrees, K = 1.55 +/- 0.17 X 10(10) M-1; and at 37 degrees, K = 9.08 +/- 0.62 X 10(9) M-1. Scatchard plots of the binding data for triiodothyronine indicated that the binding of this compound to thyroxine-binding globulin was more complex than that found for thyroxine. The data for triiodothyronine binding could be fitted by asuming the existence of two different classes of binding sites. At 5 degrees and pH 7.4 nonlinear regression analysis of the data yielded the values n1 = 1.04 +/- 0.10, K1 = 3.35 +/- 0.63 X 10(9) M-1 and n2 = 1.40 +/- 0.08, K2 = 0.69 +/- 0.20 X 10(8) M-1. At 25 degrees, the values for the binding constants were n1 = 1.04 +/- 0.38, K1 = 6.5 +/- 2.8 X 10(8) M-1 and n2 = 0.77 +/- 0.22, K2 = 0.43 +/- 0.62 X 10(8) M-1. At 37 degrees where less curvature was observed, the estimated binding constants were n1 = 1.02 +/- 0.06, K1 = 4.32 +/- 0.59 X 10(8) M-1 and n2K2 = 0.056 +/- 0.012 X 10(8) M-1. When n1 was fixed at 1, the resulting values obtained for the other three binding constants were at 25 degrees, K1 = 6.12 +/- 0.35 X 10(8) M-1, n2 = 0.72 +/- 0.18, K2 = 0.73 +/- 0.36 X 10(8) M-1; and at 37 degrees K1 = 3.80 +/- 0.22 X 10(8) M-1, n2 = 0.44 +/- 0.22, and K2 = 0.43 +/- 0.38 X 10(8) M-1. The thermodynamic values for thyroxine binding to thyroxine-binding globulin at 37 degrees and pH 7.4 were deltaG0 = -14.1 kcal/mole, deltaH0 = -8.96 kcal/mole, and deltaS0 = +16.7 cal degree-1 mole-1. For triiodothyronine at 37 degrees, the thermodynamic values for binding at the primary binding site were deltaG0 = -12.3 kcal/mole, deltaH0 = -11.9 kcal/mole, and deltaS0 = +1.4 cal degree-1 mole-1. Measurement of the pH dependence of binding indicated that both thyroxine and triiodothyronine were bound maximally in the region of physiological pH, pH 6.8 to 7.7.     

Hemes and hemoproteins. 1: Preparation and analysis of the heme-containing octapeptide (microperoxidase-8) and identification of the monomeric form in aqueous solution

The heme-octapeptide from cytochrome c, Microperoxidase-8 (MP-8), was prepared by peptic and tryptic digestion of horse heart cytochrome c and purified by gel permeation chromatography in about 50% yield. Conditions for the identification of MP-8 by TLC and analysis by HPLC are described. Study of the concentration-dependence of the absorption spectrum showed that at concentrations of less than or equal to 2.5 X 10(-5) M in aqueous solution at pH 7, 25 degrees C and mu = 0.1, MP-8 exists as an equilibrium mixture of monomers and dimers with KD = 1.17 +/- 0.02 X 10(5) M-1, decreasing to 1.21 +/- 0.02 X 10(4) M-1 and 2.16 +/- 0.21 X 10(3) M-1 in 20% and 50% (v/v) methanol:water mixtures, respectively. Comparison of the Soret region spectrum of monomeric MP-8 with other hemoproteins suggests that it is six-coordinate in aqueous solution with water and His as axial ligands.     

The porcine LH/hCG receptor. Characterization and purification

Porcine luteal LH/hCG receptor (LH/hCG R) was solubilized with 70-80% recovery from the crude plasma membrane fraction by Triton X-100 in the presence of 25% glycerol and protease inhibitors. The solubilized receptor maintained 90% of original activity at -60 degrees C for 90 days. Equilibrium association constant (Ka) values of 1.92, 2.22, and 2.03 X 10(10) M-1 were observed for the whole homogenate, plasma membrane fraction, and solubilized LH/hCG R preparations, respectively. The specific binding capacity for the same fractions were 49, 70, 55 fmol/mg protein, respectively. Complexes of LH/hCG R and Triton X-100 were resolved into two components with approximate Mr = 2.7 X 10(5) and 5.4 X 10(5) by gel filtration on Sepharose 6B and two glycoprotein components by chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose. Solubilized porcine LH/hCG R was purified by two cycles of affinity chromatography on highly purified hCG-Sepharose with an overall recovery of 30-35% of the initial activity in the Triton extract. Purified porcine LH/hCG R had a specific binding capacity of 2300 pmol/mg protein and a Ka = 1.5 X 10(10) M-1. Silver staining of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels demonstrated that the major protein in porcine LH/hCG R preparations has Mr = 68,000. A weakly staining band at Mr = 45,000 was also observed in the purified receptor preparation. Analysis of iodinated purified LH/hCG R by autoradiography has confirmed these results. Porcine LH/hCG R was purified 40,000-fold by this method.     

Steroid-protein interactions. Stopped flow fluorescence studies of the interaction between steroid hormones and progesterone-binding globulin.

Stopped flow fluorometry, measuring changes in the intrinsic fluorescence of progesterone-binding globulin (PBG), was used to determine the association and dissociation rates of the interaction of PBG with seven delta4-3-ketosteroids. The rates of formation and dissociation of the PBG-progesterone complex were measured as a function of concentration and temperature. At 20 degrees, kon = 8.7 X 10(7) M-1 S-1 and koff = 0.060 S-1. The association rate constants for progesterone, deoxycorticosterone, testosterone, testosterone acetate, and medrogestone were found to be the same within experimental error. The different affinities of PBG for these steroids result from the dissociation rate constants of the steroids which ranged from 0.43 S-1 for testosterone to 0.024 S-1 for medrogestone. Two corticosteroids, corticosterone and cortisol, were both bound somewhat more slowly (approximately 5 X 10(7) M-1 S-1). Reflecting their very low affinity for PBG both steroids dissociate very rapidly: corticosterone at 1.4 S-1 and cortisol at 90 S-1. The ratio of association to dissociation rate constants gave affinity constants in agreement with independently determined constants.     

Protease inhibitors from the parasitic worm Parascaris equorum

Two proteic inhibitors (I and II) of serine proteases have been purified from the parasitic worm Parascaris equorum by affinity chromatography on immobilized trypsin followed by preparative electrophoresis. They have an apparent relative molecular mass of 9000 and 7000 as determined by gel filtration, a slightly acid isoelectric point (5.5 and 6.1) and a similar amino acid composition. Both inhibitors lack serine, methionine and tyrosine. They bind bovine trypsin extremely strongly with an association constant, Ka, larger than 10(9) M-1, and form a 1:1 complex with this protease. The Ka values for the binding to bovine chymotrypsin are approximately 3.3 X 10(8) M-1 (inhibitor I) and approximately 2 X 10(6) M-1 (inhibitor II). Inhibitor I interacts also with porcine elastase (Ka approximately 5 X 10(7) M-1), while inhibitor II is inactive towards this enzyme.     

Preparation and characterization of nucleotide-free and metal ion-free p21 "apoprotein"

p21 isolated under nondenaturing conditions is obtained as a complex with guanosine nucleotides and magnesium ions. We have developed a high performance liquid chromatography method which removes greater than 95% of bound nucleotide and the metal ion very rapidly under mild conditions. At the same time, p21 is purified from minor protein impurities. The protein thus prepared is thermally much less stable than the complexed p21, but can be used for studying its interaction with nucleotides and metal ions at low temperatures. The association rate constant for p21 and GDP is 1.47 X 10(6) M-1 s-1 and for GTP is 2.9 X 10(6) M-1 s-1 at 0 degree C. By using appropriately determined dissociation rate constants we have determined the binding constant for p21.GDP and p21.GTP in the presence of excess Mg2+ to be 5.7 X 10(10) M-1 and 6.0 X 10(10) M-1, respectively, at 0 degree C.     

Functional implication of an Arg307Gly substitution in corticosteroid-binding globulin, a candidate gene for a quantitative trait locus associated with cortisol variability and obesity in pig

We previously reported that corticosteroid-binding globulin gene (Cbg) may be the causal gene of a quantitative trait locus associated with cortisol levels, fat deposition, and muscle content in a pig intercross. Sequence analysis of parental animals allowed us to identify four amino-acid substitutions. Here we have examined if any of these single amino acid substitutions could be responsible for the difference in CBG binding and affinity for cortisol between the parental breeds, using in vitro assays of Cbg variants after transfection of mammalian cells. Additionally, the Cbg coding region was analyzed in samples from a synthetic pig line to study association between polymorphism and CBG biochemical properties, carcass composition, and meat quality. Both in vitro transfection assays and the association studies suggest a role of the Arg307Gly mutation in increasing CBG capacity (by >70%) and decreasing CBG affinity for cortisol (by 30%). The Ile265Val substitution may also have an effect on decreasing CBG affinity for cortisol by 25%. The mutations Ser15Ile and Thr257Met do not seem to have an effect on CBG parameters. The Arg307Gly substitution was the only mutation associated with a parameter of meat quality and no mutation was linked to carcass composition.     

Carbohydrate-structure-dependent recognition of desialylated serum glycoproteins in the liver and leucocytes. Two complementary systems.

Oligosaccharides with four different types of branching were prepared from purified human transferrin, alpha 2-macroglobulin, caeruloplasmin and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and labelled with NaBH3 3H. Binding of these oligosaccharides to rat liver plasma membrane, rat leucocytes, pig liver plasma membranes and pig leucocyte plasma membranes was investigated. A striking dependence of binding on oligosaccharide branching was observed. The values of apparent association constants Ka at 4 degrees C vary from 10(6) M-1 (biantennary structure) to 10(9) M-1 (tetra-antennary structure) in the liver, whereas in the leucocytes the Ka values were found to be of reversed order, from 1.8 X 10(9) M-1 for biantennary to 2.2 X 10(6) M-1 for tetra-antennary structures. The binding is completely inhibited by 150 mM-D-galactose, but 150 mM-D-mannose has almost no effect on binding. Leucocyte plasma membranes bind preferentially 125I-asialoglycoproteins with biantennary oligosaccharides, thus completing the specificity pattern of the hepatic recognition system for desialylated glycoproteins. Possible physiological roles of these two complementary recognition systems under normal and pathological conditions are discussed.     

Purification and characterization of a beta-glucosidase from Trichoderma reesei

A beta-glucosidase has been purified from culture filtrates of the fungus Trichoderma reesei QM9414 grown on microcrystalline cellulose. The beta-glucosidase was purified using two successive DEAE-Sephadex anion-exchange chromatography steps, followed by SP-Sephadex cation-exchange chromatography and concanavalin-A--agarose chromatography. Evidence for homogeneity is provided by polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoretic patterns, which show a single protein band. Sedimentation equilibrium analysis yielded a molecular mass of 74.6 +/- 2.4 kDa. Sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis yielded a single protein band with a molecular mass of 81.6 kDa. Thus, the enzyme appears to be a single, monomeric polypeptide. The beta-glucosidase is isoelectric at pH 8.5. The enzyme is rich in basic amino acids and contains few half-cystine and methionine residues. The purified beta-glucosidase contains less than 1% by weight of neutral carbohydrate. The beta-glucosidase catalyzes the hydrolysis of cellobiose, p-nitrophenyl beta-D-glucopyranoside and 4-methylumbelliferyl beta-D-glucopyranoside; the values of V/Km for each substrate were determined to be 2.3 X 10(4), 6.9 X 10(5) and 2.9 X 10(6) M-1 S-1 respectively. The enzyme is optimally active from pH 4.5 to 5.0 and is labile at higher hydrogen ion concentrations. The beta-glucosidase has an unusually high affinity for D-glucose (Ki = 700 microM). Comparison of inhibition constants for cello-oligosaccharides suggests that the substrate-binding region of the beta-glucosidase comprises multiple subsites.     

Large-scale purification and characterization of dihydrofolate reductase from a methotrexate-resistant strain of Lactobacillus casei.

Dihydrofolate reductase has been purified from a methotrexate-resistant strain of Lactobacillus casei NCB 6375. By careful attention to growth conditions, up to 2.5 g of enzyme is obtained from a 400 litre culture. The purification procedure, involving poly-ethyleneimine treatment, DEAE-cellulose chromatography and affinity chromatography on methotrexate-aminohexyl-Sepharose, operates on the gram scale, with overall yields of 50-60%. Elution of the affinity column by reverse (upward) flow was used, as it led to recovery of the enzyme in a much smaller volume. The enzyme obtained appears to be more than 98% pure, as judged by gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, and gel filtration. It has a mol.wt. of approx. 17900 and a turnover number of 4s-1 (50mM-triethanolamine/400mM-KCl, pH 7.2, 25 degrees C) with dihydrofolate and NADPH as substrates. The turnover number for folate is 0.02s-1. Michaelis constants for a variety of substrates have been measured by using a new fluorimetric assay (0.36 muM-dihydrofolate; 0.78 muM-NADPH), and binding constants determined by using the quenching of protein fluorescence (dihydrofolate, 2.25 X 10(6)M-1; NADPH, greater than 10(8)M-1). The pH/activity profile shows a single maximum at pH 7.3; at this pH, marked activation by 0.5M-NaCl is observed.     

The isoinhibitors of chymotrypsin/elastase from Ascaris lumbricoides: isolation by affinity chromatography and association with the enzymes

Five isoinhibitors, proteins that inactivate chymotrypsin and elastase, were isolated from aqueous extracts of the intestinal parasite Ascaris lumbricoides var. suum by affinity chromatography. They were named in the order that they eluted from a CM-Sephadex C-25 column at pH 8.6 using a salt gradient. Isoinhibitor 1, first reported in this paper, is anionic on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 9.3. The other four isoinhibitors are cationic on electrophoresis at pH 9.3, separable from each other, and identical with those reported previously [R.J. Peanasky and G. M. Abu-Erreish (1971) in Proceedings International Research Conference on Proteinase Inhibitors (Fritz, H., and Tschesche, H., eds.), pp. 281-293, de Gruyter, New York]. Amino acid compositions show differences between the isoinhibitors. Antibody to isoinhibitor 1 reacts with its self-antigen only. Antibody to isoinhibitor 5 reacts with isoinhibitors 2-5 but not with isoinhibitor 1. Association equilibrium constants show that each of the isoinhibitors interacts most avidly with alpha-chymotrypsin. For isoinhibitor 1, the K alpha for alpha-chymotrypsin was 2.6 X 10(11) M-1, for porcine elastase I 1.6 X 10(10) M-1, and for Subtilisin Carlsberg 3.3 X 10(7) M-1. For isoinhibitors 2-5, the K alpha ranges were 7.1 X 10(10) to 1.3 X 10(11) M-1 for alpha-chymotrypsin, 1.0 X 10(9) to 5.6 X 10(9) M-1 for porcine elastase I, and 6.0 X 10(8) to 1.3 X 10(9) M-1 for subtilisin Carlsberg. Because of the strong affinity of these inhibitors for alpha-chymotrypsin and elastase, two proteins in the normal environment of the nematode, the name isoinhibitors of chymotrypsin/elastase is suggested for these proteins.     

Purification and characterization of human transcortin.

Human transcortin was purified to apparent homogeneity from plasma by a two-step procedure involving affinity and hydroxyapatite chromatography. The affinity gel incorporated denatured bovine serum albumin as the spacer and cortisol hemisuccinate as the ligand. Although isolated transcortin showed a propensity for spontaneous polymerization according to a geometric progression (1, 3, 9) only one band was observed on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. Cortisol-binding activity of the isolated protein gave an apparent association constant of 2.5 X 10(8) M-1 at 4 degree C in equilibrium dialysis. Isoelectric focusing of purified native transcortin showed six discrete bands, five between pH 3.75 and 4.15 and another, possibly desialylated, at pH 6.15. Desialylated transcortin also gave six bands on isoelectric focusing, with pI values ranging from 4.90 to 6.30.     

Double-headed protease inhibitors from black-eyed peas. IV. Half-site reactivity in the formation of complexes with trypsin and chymotrypsin.

Complex formation between two new double-headed protease inhibitors from black-eyed peas, trypsin-chymotrypsin inhibitor (BEPCI) and a trypsin inhibitor (BEPTI), and trypsin and chymotrypsin was investigated in the concentration range from 10-8 to 10-4 M by titration experiments and gel filtration chromatography. Dissociation equilibrium constants measured for complexes detected in the titration experiments range from as large as 10-8 M for trypsin bound nonspecifically to the chymotrypsin site of BEPCI to as small as 10-18 M2 for the interaction of BEPCI with chymotrypsin. The identity and stoichiometry of complexes detected during titration experiments were confirmed by gel filtration of mixtures of native and fluorescently labeled proteases and inhibitors. Half-site reactivity is observed in the formation of complexes between BEPCI or BEPTI and trypsin and chymotrypsin at all experimentally practical concentrations. The double-headed complex contains 1 molecule each of trypsin, chymotrypsin, and BEPCI dimer. The bimolecular rate constants of complex formation between trypsin or chymotrypsin and isolated BEPCI oligomers range from 1.8 X 10(5) M-1 S-1 for chymotrypsin and BEPCI monomer to 4.4 X 10(7) M-1 S-1 for trypsin and the rapidly equilibrating BEPCI dimer. The estimated rate constants for the dissociation of half-site-liganded dimer complexes and liganded monomer complexes range from 7.5 X 10-3 S-1 for the trypsin-liganded BEPCI monomer complex to 1.6 X 10-6 S-1 for the chymotrypsin-liganded BEPCI dimer complex.