Trypsin-catalysed synthesis of oligopeptide amides: comparison of catalytic efficiency among trypsins of different origin (bovine, Streptomyces griseus and chum salmon).

A procedure has been developed for the synthesis of oligopeptide amide using inverse substrates as acyl donors with amino acid amide instead of p-nitroanilide as acyl acceptor and trypsins of different origin (bovine, Streptomyces griseus and chum salmon trypsins) as the catalyst. The effectiveness of this procedure was demonstrated by the synthesis of a pentapeptide, Boc-[Leu5]-enkephalin amide, as a model compound. The method was the first enzymatic method shown to be successful at each successive coupling step for the synthesis of the oligopeptide. Bovine and chum salmon trypsins were superior to Streptomyces griseus trypsin as the catalyst.     

Characterization of an anionic trypsin from the eel (Anguilla japonica)

An enzyme, isolated from the pancreas of the eel Anguilla japonica and designated as anionic trypsin 1, had a molecular weight of 26,000 and an isoelectric point of 5.5. The amino acid composition of the enzyme was similar to that of bovine cationic trypsin as well as anionic trypsins from other species of fish. The enzyme was stable at pH 6 to 9 in the presence of calcium ions. Km and kcat values of the enzyme for N-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester and N-tosyl-L-lysine methyl ester were quite similar to those of catfish anionic and bovine cationic trypsins.     

Interactions of derivatives of guanidinophenylalanine and guanidinophenylglycine with Streptomyces griseus trypsin

The rates of hydrolysis of the ester, amide and anilide substrates of p-guanidino-L-phenylalanine (GPA) by Streptomyces griseus trypsin (S. griseus trypsin) were compared with those of arginine (Arg) substrates. The specificity constant (kcat/km) for the hydrolysis of GPA substrates by the enzyme was 2-3-times lower than that for arginine substrates. The kcat and Km values for the hydrolysis of N alpha-benzoyl-p-guanidino-L-phenylalanine ethyl ester (Bz-GPA-OEt) by S. griseus trypsin are in the same order of magnitude as those of N alpha-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester (Bz-Arg-OEt), although both values for the former when hydrolyzed by bovine trypsin are higher by one order of magnitude than those for the latter. The specificity constant for the hydrolysis of Bz-GPA-OEt by S. griseus trypsin is much higher than that for N alpha-benzoyl-p-guanidino-L-phenylglycine ethyl ester (Bz-GPG-OEt). As with the kinetic behavior of bovine trypsin, low values in Km and kcat were observed for the hydrolysis of amide and anilide substrates of GPA by S. griseus trypsin compared with those of arginine substrates. The rates of hydrolysis of GPA and arginine substrates by S. griseus trypsin are about 2- to 62-times higher than those obtained by bovine trypsin. Substrate activation was observed with S. griseus trypsin in the hydrolysis of Bz-GPA-OEt as well as Bz-Arg-OEt, whereas substrate inhibition was observed in three kinds of N alpha-protected anilide substrates of GPA and arginine. In contrast, no activation by the amide substrate of GPA could be detected with this enzyme.     

Amino acid sequence of crayfish (Astacus fluviatilis) trypsin If

The complete amino acid sequence of trypsin from the crayfish Astacus fluviatilis has been determined. The protein was fragmented with cyanogen bromide after S-carboxymethylation of the reduced disulfide bonds and by trypsin after S-carboxymethylation as well as after succinylation of lysine residues and aminoethylation of the reduced disulfide bonds. Peptides were purified by gel filtration and by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Stepwise degradation was performed in a spinning cup sequencer. The enzyme contains 237 amino acid residues and has a molecular weight of 25 030. In contrast to bovine trypsin, it contains three rather than six disulfide bonds which are paired in the same fashion as those in trypsin from Streptomyces griseus. The constituents of the active site of bovine trypsin are present in corresponding positions in the crayfish enzyme. Crayfish trypsin shows 43.6% sequence identity with the bovine enzyme as compared to 40.0% identity with the S. griseus enzyme. The present analysis affords the first detailed view into the evolution of trypsins at the invertebrate level.     

Cold adaption of enzymes: Structural comparison between salmon and bovine trypsins

The crystal structure of an anionic form of salmon trypsin has been determined at 1.82 Å resolution. We report the first structure of a trypsin from a phoikilothermic organism in a detailed comparison to mammalian trypsins in order to look for structural rationalizations for the cold-adaption features of salmon trypsin. This form of salmon trypsin (T II) comprises 222 residues, and is homologous to bovine trypsin (BT) in about 65% of the primary structure. The tertiary structures are similar, with an overall displacement in main chain atomic positions between salmon trypsin and various crystal structures of bovine trypsin of about 0.8 Å. Intramolecular hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions are compared and discussed in order to estimate possible differences in molecular flexibility which might explain the higher catalytic efficiency and lower thermostability of salmon trypsin compared to bovine trypsin. No overall differences in intramolecular interactions are detected between the two structures, but there are differences in certain regions of the structures which may explain some of the observed differences in physical properties. The distribution of charged residues is different in the two trypsins, and the impact this might have on substrate affinity has been discussed. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Kinetic and structural properties of two isoforms of trypsin isolated from the viscera of Japanese anchovy, Engraulis japonicus

Two isoforms of anchovy trypsin (aT-I and aT-II) were purified from the visceral extracts by (NH₄)₂SO₄ fractionation followed by affinity chromatography, gel filtration, and ion-exchange chromatography. The homogeneity of the purified preparation was evidenced by both native- and SDS-PAGE, and further by gelatin zymography. Identities of aT-I and aT-II as trypsins were established by N-terminal amino acid sequencing, which matched exactly to the corresponding stretches of their respective amino acid sequences obtained by molecular cloning [Ahsan et al. (2000), Marine Biotechnol., in press]. Both isoforms were completely inhibited by serine protease inhibitors as well as by specific trypsin inhibitors. The purified anchovy trypsins showed considerably higher catalytic efficiencies (k_cat/K_m) than bovine trypsin as measured toward benzoyl-arginine p-nitroanilide (BAPA) and benzoyl-arginine ethyl ester (BAEE) at 25°C; in particular, aT-II was 35 times more efficient than its mammalian counterpart against BAPA. This was due mainly to a dramatic decrease of K_m values for anchovy trypsins, which are indicative of an evolutionary response toward increased substrate binding at suboptimal temperatures in the marine environment.     

Crystal structure and nucleotide sequence of an anionic trypsin from chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) in comparison with Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and bovine trypsin

The nucleotide sequence and crystal structure of chum salmon trypsin (CST) are now reported. The cDNA isolated from the pyloric caeca of chum salmon encodes 222 amino acid residues, the same number of residues as the anionic Atlantic salmon trypsin (AST), but one residue less than bovine beta-trypsin (BT). The net charge on CST determined from the sum of all charged amino acid side-chains is -3. There are 79 sequence differences between CST and BT, but only seven sequence differences between CST and AST. Anionic CST isolated from pyloric caeca has also been purified and crystallized; the structure of the CST-benzamidine complex has been determined to 1.8A resolution. The overall tertiary structure of CST is similar to that of AST and BT, but some differences are observed among the three trypsins. The most striking difference is at the C terminus of CST, where the expected last two residues are absent. The absence of these residues likely increases the flexibility of CST by the loss of important interactions between the N and C-terminal domains. Similarly, the lack of Tyr151 in CST (when compared with BT) allows more space for Gln192 in the active site thereby increasing substrate accessibility to the binding pocket. Lys152 in CST also adopts the important role of stabilizing the loop from residue 142 to 153. These observations on CST provide a complementary view of a second cold-adapted trypsin, which in comparison with the structures of AST and BT, suggest a structural basis for differences in enzymatic activity between enzymes from cold-adapted species and mammals.     

Thioltrypsin. Chemical transformation of the active-site serine residue of Streptomyces griseus trypsin to a cysteine residue.

The active-site serine residue of Streptomyces griseus trypsin was converted to a cysteine residue, and the product, thioltrypsin, was purified through two chromatographic steps with organomercurial-Sepharose and soybean trypsin inhibitor-Sepharose as specific adsorbents. The purified preparation of thioltrypsin was found to contain a single residue of cysteine and to react with almost equimolar amounts of normality titrants. It exhibited only traces of catalytic activity toward typical trypsin substrates such as Nalpha-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester, whereas it retained some activity toward "active ester" substrates such as Nalpha-carbobenzoxy-L-lysine p-nitrophenyl ester. The activity was inhibited by sulfhydryl-blocking reagents, but no inhibition was observed by reagents reactive with the active hydroxyl group of serine proteases. Leupeptin, a natural trypsin inhibitor of peptidyl nature, also inhibited thioltrypsin. Some difference in the mode of leupeptin inhibition, however, was detected between trypsin and thioltrypsin. The bindings of small synthetic ligands and soybean trypsin inhibitor to thioltrypsin were compared with those to trypsin.     

Comparative kinetic studies of the primary specificity of bovine and salmon trypsin]

A comparative kinetic analysis of Pacific salmon and bovine trypsins revealed that the former hydrolyzes p-nitroanilide-N,L-benzoyl-D,L-arginine (BApNA) with a far greater efficiency in comparison with bovine trypsin due to the decrease in Km. The inhibition constants for the BApNA hydrolysis by bovine and salmon trypsin with glycine, beta-alanine, L-lysine, L-arginine and benzamidine were determined. With an increase in the length of the hydrocarbon chain in the inhibitor molecule (i.e., in the order of glycine-beta-alanine-L-lysine) the inhibiting effect increased both with salmon and bovine trypsins. The Ki values for benzamidine and L-arginine appeared to be by one order of magnitude higher with salmon trypsin than with bovine trypsin. L-arginine was a much more effective inhibitor compared to L-lysine when both salmon and bovine trypsins were used.     

Purification and some properties of two anionic trypsins from the eel (Anguilla japonica)

Two anionic enzymes, designated as trypsins 1 and 2, were purified from the pancreas of the eel Anguilla japonica by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography and Sephadex G-75 gel filtration. The final preparation of trypsin 1 was homogeneous but that of trypsin 2 still contained impurities. Both enzymes had similar pH optima of near 8.3 for the hydrolysis of N-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester. Trypsin 1 was stabilized by calcium ions but the stability of trypsin 2 was not affected by calcium ions. Both enzymes were inhibited by typical trypsin inhibitors including serine proteinase inhibitors.     

Anhydrotrypsin and trypsin: subtle difference in the active-site conformations detected by chemical modification and CD spectroscopy.

The reactivities of the active-site histidine residue in bovine trypsin and its anhydro-derivative, as well as in Streptomyces griseus trypsin and its anhydro-derivative have been compared. The reactivity with TLCK was found to be lost in both of the anhydrotrypsins. On the other hand, alkylation by iodoacetamide either in the presence or absence of 1-methylguanidine proceeded faster in anhydrotrypsins than in trypsins. These differential responses to alkylating reagents are discussed in terms of a subtle change in the active-site conformation which occurs during the conversion of trypsin into anhydrotrypsin. The examination of difference CD spectra, produced by interaction with benzamidine or beta-naphthamidine, also suggested a conformational difference of the active-site between the proteins of bovine origin.     

Purification and characterization of trypsin from the poikilotherm Gadus morhua

A serine protease shown to be trypsin was purified from the pyloric caeca of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), and resolved into three differently charged species by chromatofocusing (pI 6.6, 6.2 and 5.5). All three trypsins had similar molecular mass of 24.2 kDa. N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of cod trypsin showed considerable similarity with other known trypsins, particularly with dogfish and some mammalian trypsins. The apparent Km values determined at 25 degrees C for the predominant form of Atlantic cod trypsin towards p-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester and N-benzoyl-L-arginine p-nitroanilide were 29 microM and 77 microM respectively, which are notably lower values than those determined for bovine trypsin (46 microM and 650 microM respectively). The difference was particularly striking when the amidase activity of the enzymes was compared. Furthermore, the kcat values determined for the Atlantic cold trypsins were consistently higher than the values determined for bovine trypsin. The higher catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of Atlantic cod trypsin as compared to bovine trypsin may reflect an evolutionary adaptation of the poikilothermic species to low environmental temperatures.     

Streptomyces rimosus extracellular proteases

Summary A trypsin-like proteinase was isolated from Streptomyces rimosus culture filtrates obtained from an oxytetracycline production process. The isolation procedure includes ultrafiltration, chromatography on CM-Sephadex, AH-Sepharose and CM-cellulose and gives a homogeneous protein with 19% yield. The enzyme is an anionic trypsin (M_r 28 000, pI 4.5), is stable from pH 4.5 to 9 and up to 40°C, and contains three disulphide bridges, three histidines and three methionines per molecule. At its pH optimum (pH 8.4–8.8) it splits peptide, ester and arylamide bonds of arginine in the endo-position and, to a smaller extent, in the exo-position. Like other streptomycete trypsins, it is a more efficient catalyst than bovine trypsin and has a relative preference for peptide-arylamides, N-benzyloxycarbonyl-l-norleucyl-l-prolyl-l-arginine-p-nitroanilide being by far its best substrate.     

Purification and characterization of trypsins from the digestive tract of Locusta migratoria

Two trypsin-like enzymes were isolated from the digestive tract of the African migratory locust Locusta migratoria migratorioides. Primary purification was carried out on a DEAE-cellulose column, from which the two trypsins emerged in the anionic fraction. Further purification was achieved by affinity chromatography on a p-aminobenzamidine (PABA)-Sepharose column, which also separated the two trypsins (TLEAff.1. and TLEAff.2.), or by HPLC on an anion exchange column. The purity and homogeneity of the trypsins were demonstrated by electrophoresis of cellulose acetate strips and in polyacrylamide gels, with and without SDS. The molecular weights of TLEAff.1 and TLEAff.2, as determined by SDS-PAGE, were 17,000 and 24,000 respectively. The amino acid compositions of the locust trypsins were similar to those of trypsins from the digestive systems of other insects, which are characterized by the lack or low content of half cystines. The isoelectric points were 3.2 for TLEAff.1 and 3.5 fold for TLEAff.2. Since most of the locust trypsin comprised TLEAff.2, the latter served as the main object of this study. TLEAff.2 was unstable at low pH, differing in this respect from mammalian trypsins. The optimum activity was at pH 8.5-9.0. The Km and kcat, values were similar to those for bovine trypsin. Activation by substrate, a phenomenon in bovine trypsin, was also observed for TLEAff.2. The locust trypsin was full inhibited by the proteinaceous trypsin inhibitors Bowman-Birk (BBI) and Kunitz from soybeans, CI from chickpeas, chicken ovomucoid (COM), and turkey ovomucoid (TOM). It was inactivated by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), indicating the involvement of serine and histidine in the active site.     

Substrate activation of rat trypsins 1 and 2

Qualitative differences in the active center of rat trypsins 1 and 2 resulted in different ratios of K_cat for N¹-tosyl-l-arginine methyl ester vs K_cat for N¹-benzoyl-l-arginine ethyl ester. These ratios were 2.5 for trypsin 1 and 1.2 for trypsin 2.Substrate activation with N¹-tosyl-l-arginine methyl ester enhanced the catalytic rate constant of rat trypsin 1 2.5-fold and that of rat trypsin 2 only 1.5-fold. The increase in the catalytic rate constant found with N¹-benzoyl-l-arginine ethyl ester was the same (1.5-fold) for both trypsins. Consequently, at 20 mm substrate concentration, trypsin 1 catalyzed the esterolysis of N¹-tosyl-l-arginine methyl ester 4.5 times faster than that of N¹-benzoyl-l-arginine ethyl ester, while trypsin 2 was only 1.3 times more efficient with the first substrate.Furthermore, the activation of both rat enzymes by N-acetyl-l-tyrosine ethyl ester was even more effective than that obtained with the two cationic esters; the maximum rates of hydrolysis of this neutral substrate by trypsins 1 and 2 were enhanced 120- and 50-fold, respectively, by high concentrations of N-acetyl-l-tyrosine ethyl ester.     

Affinophoresis of trypsins

We devised a new separation technique for the protein, "affinophoresis," which is based on its specific affinity and utilizes electrophoresis. This technique requires a carrier macromolecule, "affinophore," which contains both an affinity ligand for a certain protein and many charges, either positive or negative, in order to migrate rapidly in an electric field. When a mixture of proteins is electrophoresed in the presence of the affinophore, the protein having an affinity with the ligand will form a complex with the affinophore. This results in a change in the apparent electrophoretic mobility. If the protein is sufficiently accelerated, we can separate it from other materials. A cationic affinophore for trypsin was prepared. Soluble dextran MW approximately 10,000) was coupled with a DEAE-group and m-aminobenzamidine, a competitive inhibitor of trypsins. Electrophoresis of trypsins from several origins on agarose gel plates in the presence of the affinophore showed that affinophoresis actually occurred. The electrophoretic mobilities of trypsins increased towards the cathode, the same direction as the affinophore movement. The presence of leupeptin and treatment of the trypsins with TLCK suppressed the effect of the affinophore. Streptomyces griseus trypsin, contained in Pronase, was easily separated and detected. This procedure is distinct from affinity chromatography and so-called affinity electrophoresis in that the support of the affinity ligand moves, and has advantages especially for analytical purposes: for example, the detection of specific molecules regardless of their isoelectric points.     

Kinetics of hydrolysis of amide and anilide substrates of p-guanidino-L-phenylalanine by bovine and porcine trypsins

The rates of hydrolysis of N alpha-benzoyl-p-guanidino-L-phenylalaninamide (Bz-GPA-NH2) and N alpha-substituted p-nitroanilides (pNA) of GPA (benzyloxycarbonyl(Z)-GPA-pNA, benzoyl(Bz)-GPA-pNA and acetyl(Ac)-GPA-pNA) by bovine and porcine trypsins were compared with those of arginine (Arg) substrates. The amide type substrates of GPA were hydrolyzed as fast as those of Arg by the two enzymes with much the same kcat/Km values, though significant differences were found between the kcat and Km values of GPA derivatives and those of Arg derivatives. The kinetic behavior of porcine trypsin toward GPA substrates was almost the same as that of the bovine enzyme. The ratio of the kcat value for Bz-GPA-OEt to that for Bz-GPA-NH2 was much larger than that for the ester to amide substrates of arginine, suggesting that the conformational change of the active site of trypsin induced by a benzene ring in the side chain of Bz-GPA-OEt specifically increases the velocity of the deacylation process of the ester substrate. Remarkably low values of both kcat and Km were found for the tryptic hydrolysis of Z-GPA-pNA and Ac-GPA-pNA, as well as on that of Bz-GPA-pNA (Tsunematsu, H., et al. (1983) J. Biochem. 94, 123-128). Z-GPA-pNA is the best substrate for the two trypsins among the three N alpha-substituted anilide substrates of GPA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Affinophoresis of trypsins with an anionic affinophore

Affinophoresis (Shimura, K. and Kasai, K. (1982) J. Biochem. 92, 1615–1622) is a newly devised electrophoretic separation technique for biomolecules, using an affinophore. The affinophore is a macromolecular polyelectrolyte bearing affinity ligands. It migrates rapidly in an electric field, and molecules which have affinity for the ligand are carried with it and separated from other molecules. An anionic affinophore for trypsin was synthesized. p-Aminobenzamidine, a competitive inhibitor of trypsin, was coupled to one-fifth of the car?yl groups of polyacrylyl-β-alanyl-β-alanine by the use of water-soluble carbodiimide and the residual car?yls were converted to sulfonate groups by coupling with aminomethanesulfonic acid. Affinophoresis was carried out in 1% agarose gel plates, and the protein bands were detected with Coomassie brilliant blue R250. Enhanced migrations of bovine and Streptomyces griseus trypsins towards the anode were observed with the anionic affinophore. The migrations of inactive forms prepared by active site modifications were scarcely affected. However, the affinophore was not effective for Streptomyces erythreus trypsin, an anionic trypsin, probably because of ionic repulsion between the anionic molecules. S. griseus trypsin was separated from Pronase by affinophoresis.     

Activities of anionic and cationic trypsins in the temperature range from 5 to 37 degrees C. Mutant anionic trypsins as a model of cold-adapted (psychrophilic) enzymes

Temperature dependences of kinetic constants (k _cat and K _m) were studied for enzymatic hydrolysis of N-succinyl-L-alanyl-L-alanyl-L-prolyl-L-arginine-p-nitroanilide and N-succinyl-L-alanyl-L-alanyl-L-prolyl-L-lysine-p-nitroanilide by bovine cationic and rat anionic (wild-type and mutant) trypsins. The findings were compared with the corresponding literature data for hydrolysis of N-benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide by bovine cationic trypsin and natural trypsins of coldadapted fishes. The anionic and cationic trypsins were found to differ in organization of the S₁ -substrate-binding pocket. The difference in the binding of lysine and arginine residues to this site (S₁) was also displayed by opposite temperature dependences of hydrolysis constants for the corresponding substrates by the anionic and cationic trypsins. The data suggest that the effect of any factor on the binding of substrates (the K _m value) to the anionic and cationic trypsins and on the catalytic activity k _cat should be compared only with the corresponding data for the natural enzyme of the same type. Mutants of rat anionic trypsin at residues K188 or Y228 were prepared by site-directed mutagenesis as approximate models of natural psychrophilic trypsins. Substitution of the charged lysine residue in position 188 by hydrophobic phenylalanine residue shifted the pH optimum of the resulting mutant trypsin K188F from 8.0 to 9.0-10.0, similarly to the case of some natural psychrophilic trypsins, and also 1.5-fold increased its catalytic activity at low temperatures as compared to the wild-type enzyme.     

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)