Reduction in cell entry of Eimeria tenella (Coccidia) sporozoites by protease inhibitors, and partial characterization of proteolytic activity associated with intact sporozoites and merozoites

The role of proteases in the invasion of host cells by Eimeria tenella (Wisconsin strain) was studied in vitro. Protease inhibitors were used to treat sporozoites before inoculation or were applied to cultured chicken kidney cells before infection. The inhibitors antipain, leupeptin, aprotinin, L-1-tosylamide-2-phenyl-ethyl chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), or N-alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) reduced parasite invasion to 16-66% of control after treatment of cultured cells or sporozoites with 5- or 50-micrograms/ml concentrations of inhibitors in the culture medium. Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) reduced invasion to 32-57.7% at concentrations of 1-4 mM. The optimum pH for hydrolysis of azocasein by intact sporozoites or merozoites was determined over a range of pH 5.0 to pH 9.0. Sporozoites were highly active over a broad range from pH 5.5 to pH 9.0, with an apparent optimum at pH 8.0. Merozoites had a much lower specific activity with pH optima at 7.0 and 8.5. The protease activity of sporozoites or merozoites could be inhibited completely by the addition of 50 micrograms/ml of leupeptin, TPCK, or TLCK or of 4 mM PMSF. Antipain inhibited proteases of sporozoites but not of merozoites. Pepstatin had little effect on either sporozoites or merozoites. The results suggest that parasite proteases of Eimeria may be necessary for invasion of host cells.     

A chymotrypsin-like proteinase from the midgut of Tenebrio molitor larvae

A chymotrypsin-like proteinase was isolated from the posterior midgut of larvae of the yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor, by ion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography. The enzyme, TmC1, was purified to homogeneity as determined by SDS-PAGE and postelectrophoretic activity detection. TmC1 had a molecular mass of 23.0 kDa, pI of 8.4, a pH optimum of 9.5, and the optimal temperature for activity was 51 degrees C. The proteinase displayed high stability at temperatures below 43 degrees C and in the pH range 6.5-11.2, which is inclusive of the pH of the posterior and middle midgut. The enzyme hydrolyzed long chymotrypsin peptide substrates SucAAPFpNA, SucAAPLpNA and GlpAALpNA and did not hydrolyze short chymotrypsin substrates. Kinetic parameters of the enzymatic reaction demonstrated that the best substrate was SucAAPFpNA, with k(cat app) 36.5 s(-1) and K(m) 1.59 mM. However, the enzyme had a lower K(m) for SucAAPLpNA, 0.5 mM. Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) was an effective inhibitor of TmC1, and the proteinase was not inhibited by either tosyl-l-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK) or N(alpha)-tosyl-l-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK). However, the activity of TmC1 was reduced with sulfhydryl reagents. Several plant and insect proteinaceous proteinase inhibitors were active against the purified enzyme, the most effective being Kunitz soybean trypsin inhibitor (STI). The N-terminal sequence of the enzyme was IISGSAASKGQFPWQ, which was up to 67% similar to other insect chymotrypsin-like proteinases and 47% similar to mammalian chymotrypsin A. The amino acid composition of TmC1 differed significantly from previously isolated T. molitor enzymes.     

Effects of proteinase inhibitors on fertilization in sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)

A search for alternative sterilants in parasitic fish encouraged us to explore the usefulness of proteinase inhibitors for this purpose. Fertilization in sea lamprey species (Petromyzon marinus L.) was inhibited by chymotrypsin and trypsin inhibitors 4'-acetamidophenyl 4-guanidinobenzoate (AGB), chymostatin, tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), and N-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK) when these substances were added into a fertilization medium at the time of fertilization. Preincubation of eggs before fertilization with 100 microM TPCK, but not TLCK, resulted in inhibition of fertilization. Conversely, preincubation of spermatozoa with TLCK, but not TPCK, produced inhibition of fertilization. These data suggest the involvement of the chymotrypsin-like activity of eggs and trypsin-like activity of spermatozoa in fertilization. However, enzymes present in sperm suspensions were able to hydrolyze a chymotrypsin substrate N-glutaryl-L-phenylalanine-p-nitroanilide (GPNA) but not trypsin substrate N-alpha-benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA). The nature of this activity can be characterized as serine protease and our results indicate the involvement of serine proteinases in the fertilization of sea lamprey.     

N-alpha-Tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone and N-alpha-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone inhibit protein kinase C

TLCK (N-alpha-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone) inhibits protein kinase C whether or not the enzyme is under the regulation of Ca2+ and phospholipid. TLCK (IC50 = 1 mM) is a much more potent inhibitor of protein kinase C than TPCK (N-alpha-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone) (IC50 = 8 mM), suggesting that the lysyl moiety of TLCK may be specifically recognized by the active site of protein kinase C. These results extend the evidence that the active site of protein kinase C recognizes basic amino acids, and suggest that the active sites of protein kinase C and the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, which is also inhibited by TLCK and TPCK, are structurally related.     

Characteristics of sperm acrosin-like activity of paddlefish (Polyodon spathula Walbaum)

Spermatozoa of paddlefish and sturgeon fishes (Acipenseriformes), unlike teleost fish, have an acrosome. The objectives of this study were to characterize acrosin-like activity of cryopreserved sperm of paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) and to test and compare stability of paddlefish acrosin-like activity with that of lake sturgeon and bull spermatozoa. Mean acrosin-like activity of cryopreserved paddlefish sperm was 0.372 +/- 0.067 microU/10(6) spermatozoa. This activity was 79% higher in the whole semen than in spermatozoa. Highest activity was recorded at pH 8.0 and 8.5. Triton X-100, zinc ions and 4'-acetamidophenyl 4-guanidinobenzoate (AGB) inhibited the activity. Amidase activity was also inhibited by N-alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) and N-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK). TLCK at concentrations of 0.1 and 1.0 mM gave a significant decrease in activity of 19 and 61%, respectively. However, TPCK significantly inhibited amidase activity (by 19%) only at concentration 1.0 mM. After acidification and 60 min incubation at 4 degrees C of sperm suspensions only 4% of the activity was retained. A similar phenomenon was observed in the case of lake sturgeon but not bull sperm. These results suggest that trypsin-like activity of Acipenserid fish resembles rather fish trypsin that mammalian one. In frozen-thawed paddlefish sperm a minute chymotrypsin-like activity was also indicated, when GPNA was used as substrate. This activity amounted to 0.0415 +/- 0.0138 microU/10(6) spermatozoa and was 18% of total amidase activity. This suggests that chymotrypsin-like activity may also be present in paddlefish spermatozoa.     

Different effects of two proteinase inhibitors on insulin-induced cellular responses in rat adipocytes

Among various proteinase inhibitors, N-acetyl-L-tyrosine ethyl ester (ATEE), a chymotrypsin substrate analog, and N alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), a trypsin inhibitor, showed significant inhibitory effects on insulin stimulated glucose transport in rat adipocytes. ATEE did not affect insulin binding, but inhibited insulin internalization. In intact adipocytes, ATEE inhibited tyrosine phosphorylation of the beta-subunit of the insulin receptor, a 170 kDa protein and a 60 kDa protein at almost the same concentration (ID50 = 0.24 +/- 0.05 mM, n = 4, mean +/- S.E.), but in a plasma membrane fraction, ATEE did not appreciably inhibit the tyrosine phosphorylation of the beta-subunit of the insulin receptor, TLCK did not inhibit insulin binding. At 0.25 mM, TLCK did not inhibit insulin internalization, but inhibited 70% of the insulin-stimulated glucose transport (ID50 = 0.19 +/- 0.02 mM, n = 7). TLCK inhibited insulin internalization at more than 0.25 mM. TLCK did not inhibit the tyrosine phosphorylation of the beta-subunit of the insulin receptor in intact cells or in the plasma membrane fraction. In intact cells, TLCK inhibited the phosphorylation of the 60 kDa protein and simultaneously it stimulated the phosphorylation of the 170 kDa protein more than 3-fold. These results indicate that there are at least two sites in the insulin-induced signal transduction pathway where proteinase inhibitors act to suppress the insulin signal transduction. A major ATEE site is very close to phosphorylation of the beta-subunit of the insulin receptor. On the other hand, TLCK inhibits a step(s) in the signal transduction pathway after the insulin receptor but before the glucose transporter.     

N-α-Tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone and N-α-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone inhibit protein kinase C

TLCK (N-α-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone) inhibits protein kinase C whether or not the enzyme is under the regulation of Ca²⁺ and phospholipid. TLCK (IC₅₀= 1 mM) is a much more potent inhibitor of protein kinase C than TPCK (N-α-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone) (IC₅₀=8 mM), suggesting that the lysyl moiety of TLCK may be specifically recognized by the active site of protein kinase C. These results extend the evidence that the active site of protein kinase C recognizes basic amino acids, and suggest that the active sites of protein kinase C and the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, which is also inhibited by TLCK and TPCK, are structurally related.Protein kinase CTumor promotionProtease inhibitor     

Plasmodium knowlesi: studies on invasion of rhesus erythrocytes by merozoites in the presence of protease inhibitors

The effect of protease inhibitors on invasion of rhesus erythrocytes by Plasmodium knowlesi merozoites was evaluated. Chymostatin, N-alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), and L-1-tosylamide-2-phenylethylchloromethyl ketone (TPCK) inhibited invasion. Leupeptin, antipain, pepstatin, and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) had no effect. TLCK and TPCK inhibited attachment of merozoites to host erythrocytes. Chymostatin had no adverse effect on attachment, and in its presence junction formation between the merozoite and host erythrocyte occurred. Both chymostatin and leupeptin inhibited normal rupture of schizont-infected erythrocytes. It is suggested that proteolytic activity may be important both in the rupture of schizont-infected erythrocytes and in the invasion of erythrocytes by malaria parasites.     

Protease Inhibitors Cause Necrotic Cell Death in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by Inducing the Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species

Protease inhibitors affecting the activity of the proteasome were reported to induce programmed cell death (apoptosis) in some mammalian cell lines. Proteasome activity can be suppressed by specific peptide derivatives and by N‐tosyl‐lysine‐chloromethyl‐ketone (TLCK) and N‐tosyl‐phenylalanine‐chloromethyl‐ketone (TPCK), which affect the trypsine‐ and chymotrypsine‐like activities of the proteasome, respectively. Particularly TLCK and TPCK caused necrotic cell death in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. As a control, the effects of these protease inhibitors on the survival of human WISH cells were also studied. Bleaching of the Chlamydomonas cells after addition of TLCK or TPCK indicated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) were involved in this process. Indeed, increased levels of ROS were detected in Chlamydomonas cells treated with TLCK or TPCK. Furthermore, cell death induced by these protease inhibitors was accelerated by illumination and prevented or slowed down by scavengers of ROS.     

The role of protease in streptolysin S formation

Production of streptolysin S by streptococci was found to be inhibited by treatment with protease inhibitors, tosylphenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), tosyllysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), or phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), even in the presence of the inducer oligonucleotides. Other protease inhibitors, antipain, leupeptin, or pepstatin were found to have little or no effect. Trypsin reversed the effect of TPCK or TLCK. The reversal was dependent upon the amount of added trypsin and the incubation time at 37 degrees C, suggesting that a protease activity was involved in the hemolysin formation. The effect of trypsin was not observed if chloramphenicol was also added, suggesting that a precursor of streptolysin S was processed as it was synthesized and released into medium as the active hemolysin, by the concerted action of a protease and inducer oligonucleotides. Experiments with the subcellular fractions of streptococci indicated that the streptolysin precursor was localized in the insoluble fraction and the "processing" protease in the supernatant fraction.     

Purification and characterization of a rat liver cytosol neutral thiol peptidase that degrades glucagon, insulin, and isolated insulin A and B chains

A thiol peptidase that catalyzes at near neutral pH the hydrolysis of insulin, the isolated A and B chains of insulin, and glucagon was purified from rat liver cytosol by fractionation on Sephadex G-200, Affi-Gel Blue, and Spherogel TSK-G 3000 SW. The purified enzyme showed a single component by chromatography on a Spherogel TSK column and by gel filtration on a Sephadex G-200 column. The native enzyme has a molecular weight of approximately 180,000 and consists of two subunits having pI's of 5.9 and 6.3. Studies on its substrate specificity showed that the purified enzyme degrades glucagon, insulin, insulin B chain, and insulin A chain, but it does not degrade proinsulin, ACTH, or denatured hemoglobin. Kinetic analyses were performed on three substrates. The Km values were: 34 nM for insulin, 276 nM for insulin B chain, and 3.5 microM for glucagon. The kcat and Vm/Km values were glucagon greater than B chain greater than insulin. Thus, the enzyme has the highest affinity/lowest efficiency for insulin, an intermediate affinity/intermediate efficiency for B chain of insulin and the lowest affinity/highest efficiency for glucagon. The effect of several potential activators and inhibitors on the enzyme's activity was investigated. The enzyme activity was markedly inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide, p-chloromercuribenzoic acid, iodoacetamide, and Np-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), and was partially inhibited by dithiothreitol, by the chelating agents EDTA and EGTA, and by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF). Bacitracin inhibited the activity of the enzyme, but the protease inhibitors aprotinin, leupeptin, pepstatin, and phosphoramidon had little or no effect. Reduced glutathione, iodoacetate, and N alpha,p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) also had little or no effect on the enzyme activity.     

Chloromethyl ketones are insulin-like stimulators of lipid synthesis in locust fat body

Nα-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) stimulates lipid synthesis in locust fat body in vitro, and is able to reverse the inhibitory effects of AKH-I on lipid synthesis. Effective stimulatory concentrations of TLCK were in the range of 0.2–1.0 mM. Similar stimulatory effects were also achieved with phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (PheCK) and leucine chloromethyl ketone (LeuCK), but not with tosyl-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), dansyl-glu-gly-arg-CK, chloroacetone, chloroacetic acid, chloroacetamide, chloroacetaldehyde, chloroacetyl-L-leucine or acetylated or fluorescamine-labelled TLCK, PheCK, and LeuCK. The level of stimulation caused by TLCK was dependent on incubation time, so that after a 5-h preincubation of fat body tissue with TLCK the stimulated rate was severalfold higher than the control. TLCK also increased the rate of uptake of trehalose and uridine, but not glucose, deoxyglucose or glycine. Increasing concentrations of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in the incubation medium caused a reduction in the rate of TLCK-stimulated acetate uptake, such that levels of uptake were no higher with 1% BSA than in the controls. A range of more specific protease and kinase inhibitors was tested, but none caused stimulation; thus the mode of action of TLCK on the stimulation of acetate uptake has yet to be identified. Elucidation of the mode of action of TLCK may facilitate the development of novel compounds for insect pest control. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 39:9–17, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Antiproteinases protect cultured lung endothelial cells from endotoxin injury

To determine whether the effects of endotoxin on cultured lung endothelium involve proteolytic mechanisms, we incubated bovine pulmonary arterial endothelial cells with endotoxin in medium 199 + 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) in the presence and absence of several proteinase inhibitors. Three chloromethyl ketone (CK) derivatives [N-tosyl-L-lysine (CK)-(TLCK), N-tosyl-L-phenylalanine CK(TPCK), methoxysuccinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Val CK(SPCK)] and a single synthetic proteinase substrate [N-alpha-p-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (TAME)] attenuated endotoxin-induced cytotoxicity (lactate dehydrogenase release) and prostacyclin production in a dose-related fashion. The most effective inhibitors of endotoxin-induced cytotoxicity were TLCK and TPCK. TLCK and TAME most effectively attenuated endotoxin-stimulated prostacyclin production. Two chemically unrelated substances, soybean trypsin inhibitor and alpha 1 proteinase inhibitor also attenuated the endotoxin response. In the absence of FBS or in the presence of 10% heat-inactivated FBS, antiproteases attenuated endotoxin-induced prostacyclin production but had less effect on cytotoxicity than with 10% FBS. We also measured the capacity of the CK inhibitors to scavenge superoxide radicals generated in a cell-free xanthine/xanthine oxidase system by measuring inhibition of cytochrome c reduction. Percent scavenging of superoxide by these inhibitors was as follows: TLCK, 62.7 +/- 5.8 (SE); TPCK, 83.9 +/- 7.7; TAME, 24.5 +/- 6.4; SPCK, 0. We conclude that certain proteinase inhibitors attenuate endotoxin-induced endothelial cytotoxicity and prostacyclin production and that direct scavenging of superoxide radicals fails to explain the protective effects of proteinase inhibition. We speculate that the effects of endotoxin on lung endothelium may involve proteolytic mechanisms even in the absence of neutrophils.     

Down regulation of phorbol diester receptors by proteolytic degradation of protein kinase C in a cultured cell line of fetal rat skin keratinocytes

Down regulation of phorbol diester receptors was studied with respect to proteolysis of protein kinase C, which is activated by Ca2+, phospholipids, and diacylglycerols and which binds to phorbol diesters. We used FRSK cells, a cell line derived from fetal rat skin keratinocytes, because in these cells specific binding of phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate decreased rapidly (50% decrease in 30 min). This decrease (down regulation) was inhibited by some protease inhibitors, such as N-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), N-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), and leupeptin, but not by inhibitors of lysosomal hydrolases. On treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate, protein kinase C was rapidly translocated from the cytosol to the membranes and then decreased. This decrease in protein kinase C was also inhibited by TPCK, TLCK, and leupeptin. The decrease in membrane activity of protein kinase C was associated with increase in cytosolic activity of a protein kinase that was smaller in molecular weight (Mr 40,000-60,000) than protein kinase C, did not depend on Ca2+/phosphatidylserine/diacylglycerol, and did not bind to phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate. These results indicate that down regulation of phorbol diester receptors is probably caused by nonlysosomal proteolysis of protein kinase C. The kinase formed by cleavage may be an active catalytic site of protein kinase C.     

Guinea pig testicular proacrosin-acrosin system: further characterization of the active enzyme

In this paper, the characteristics of a highly stable, 34,000 molecular weight form of guinea pig (GP) acrosin are compared with those of acrosins from other mammalian species. GP acrosin, like acrosins from other species, is stable at pH 3.0, has a pH optimum of 8.0, and is inhibited by natural trypsin inhibitors and N-alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone. Its lack of inhibition by tosyl-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone indicates that it has a specificity similar to trypsin but not chymotrypsin. The activity of GP acrosin was stimulated by Ca2+ below 75 mM. The enzyme was markedly inhibited by Hg2+, but only weakly inhibited by other metal cations. The disulfide reductants dithiothreitol and 2-mercaptoethanol both inhibited GP acrosin, as did the sulfhydryl reactant, iodoacetic acid. The Michaelis-Menten constant for GP testicular acrosin-catalyzed hydrolysis of the N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-arginyl amide of 7-amino-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin at pH 8.0 was calculated from Lineweaver-Burk plots to give a value of Km = 2.0 x 10(-5) M with Vmax = 500 mumoles/min/mg protein. The corresponding lysine substrate, the N-benzyloxy-carbonyl L-lysine amide of 7-amino-4-trifluoromethyl-coumarin, had a higher Km = 4.6 x 10(-5) M and lower Vmax = 135 mumoles/min/mg protein, in accord with the substrate preference seen with other mammalian acrosins.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Inhibition of the transformation-specific kinase in ASV-transformed cells by N-alpha-tosyl-L-lysyl chloromethyl ketone.

We find that the protease inhibitor N-α-tosyl-L-lysyl chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) inhibits the transformation-specific kinase activity (Collett and Erikson, 1978) associated with p60^src, the avian sarcoma virus (ASV) gene product responsible for the transformation of fibroblasts. TLCK has been shown to induce the phenotypic reversion of ASV-transformed cells to normal (Weber, 1975). Kinase activity was measured in extracts of chick embryo fibroblasts (CEF) transformed by the Schmidt-Ruppin strain of ASV (SR-ASV) with antiserum from rabbits bearing ASV-induced tumors. The immunoprecipitates were incubated with γ-³²P-ATP under conditions in which the phosphorylation of the IgG heavy chain in the immunoprecipitate was directly proportional to the concentration of cell extract. When ASV-transformed CEF were treated with 0.1 mM TLCK, the kinase activity was reduced by 60% after 2 hr and by 80% after 6 hr, and continued to remain low for up to 40 hr when TLCK was present. When TLCK was removed, the kinase activity rose slowly over a period of many hours, suggesting that the enzyme is irreversibly inactivated by TLCK and new enzyme must be synthesized. The effect of TLCK in vivo is concentration-dependent and specific. Other serine protease inhibitors had no effect on kinase activity. At low concentrations (0.03 mM), TPCK produced partial inhibition (≤20%), but at higher concentrations TPCK was extremely toxic to the cells and therefore could not be tested. The inhibition by TLCK was not due to its ability to inhibit protein synthesis since cycloheximide treatment (1 μg/ml) did not significantly reduce kinase activity. TLCK also inhibited kinase activity when added directly to cell extracts, but about 5 times higher concentrations of TLCK were required to produce 50% inhibition. Under these conditions both TLCK and TPCK were comparable inhibitors, whereas PMSF had no effect. Our finding that the inhibition of the kinase by TLCK in vivo parallels the reversion of cell morphology to normal suggests that the kinase has an important role in transformation and offers a biochemical rationale for treatment of tumors with this agent.     

Purification and some properties of cathepsin H from rabbit skeletal muscle

Rabbit muscle cathepsin H classified as an aminoendopeptidase was purified and its properties were investigated to clarify its contribution to the proteolysis of postmortem muscle. The purification was performed by ammonium sulfate fractionation and successive chromatographies on Sephadex G-75, phosphocelluose, DEAE-Sephadex A-50 and Sephadex G-100. The purified enzyme gave a single protein band on SDS-PAGE. Its molecular mass was found to be 28 kDa by gel permeation and 30 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The optimum pHs for alpha-N-benzoyl-DL-arginine-beta-naphthylamide (BANA)- and L-leucine-beta-naphthylamide (Leu-NA)-hydrolyzing activities were 6.6 and 7.0, respectively. This enzyme was almost stable in the range of pH 4-5 and up to 50 degrees C at pH 5.0. The Km values of BANA- and Leu-NA-hydrolyzing activities were 0.367 and 0.203 mM, respectively. The enzyme was inhibited by monoiodoacetic acid, antipain, leupeptin, TLCK and TPCK, but was not affected by pepstatin, bestatin, puromycin, PMSF or trypsin inhibitor. This enzyme strongly acted on Arg-, Lys-, Met-, Ala-, Ser- and Leu-NAs, weakly acted on Val- and Glu-NAs, and hardly acted on Pro- and Gly-NAs. The amount of cathepsin H in muscle was estimated to be less than one-fourth of the sum of the amount of aminopeptidases C and H by the Leu-NA-hydrolyzing activity on the chromatography. This enzyme degraded myosin heavy chain, actin, tropomyosin and troponin I clearly at pH 4.0, while it slightly degraded troponin I at pH 5.0-5.6. Therefore, the contribution of cathepsin H to the proteolysis of postmortem muscle is presumed to be relatively small.     

Differential effects of protease inhibitors on 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptors

We describe herein two different effects of protease inhibitors and substrates on receptors for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) obtained from the intestinal mucosa of vitamin D-deficient chicks: inhibition of binding of 1,25(OH)2D3 to its receptor and stabilization of the receptor. Both L-1-tosylamido-2-phenylethyl chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), a chymotrypsin inhibitor, and N alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), a trypsin inhibitor, block [3H]1,25(OH)2D3 binding to the receptor. Fifty per cent inhibition of binding occurs at 20 microM TPCK, and 100% inhibition at 100-200 microM; TLCK is about 25-fold less effective. At higher concentrations (10-100 mM), the chymotrypsin substrates N alpha-p-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester and tryptophan methyl ester and the cathepsin B inhibitor leupeptin also inhibit [3H] 1,25(OH)2D3 binding to its receptor. Different inhibitors and substrates interact with the receptor differently: TPCK (20 microM) and N alpha-p-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester (10 mM) are reversible, noncompetitive inhibitors, L-tryptophan methyl ester (20 mM) is a reversible competitive inhibitor, and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (300 microM) shows no effect on [3H]1,25(OH)2D3 binding to its receptor. The most stable form of unoccupied 1,25(OH)2D3 receptors from chick intestinal mucosa was that obtained from a low salt chromatin preparation (t 1/2 = 6.0 h). The presence of KCl drastically decreased receptor stability (t 1/2 = 1.8 h); and the addition of 2.5 mM CaCl2 further reduced their stability. Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and Trasylol inhibited the KCl-induced receptor instability, but did not prevent the additional instability in the presence of CaCl2. In summary, TPCK and TLCK exert direct effects on the 1,25(OH)2D3 receptor molecule, independent of their protease inhibitor function. These compounds may prove useful as covalent affinity labels for the receptor. On the other hand, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and Trasylol stabilize 1,25(OH)2D3 receptors, probably via inhibition of KCl-activated nuclear protease(s). This receptor stabilization will be advantageous in receptor assays and/or purification procedures.     

Purification of a toxic metalloprotease produced by the pathogenic Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida isolated from cobia (Rachycentron canadum)

The aim of the present study was to purify and characterize a toxic protease secreted by the pathogenic Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida strain CP1 originally isolated from diseased cobia (Rachycentron canadum). The toxin isolated by anion exchange chromatography, was a metalloprotease, inhibited by L-cysteine, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA), 1,10-phenanthroline, N-tosyl-L-phenylalanine-chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), and N-alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine-chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), and showed maximal activity at pH 6.0-8.0 and an apparent molecular mass of about 34.3 kDa. The toxin was also completely inhibited by HgCl2, and partially by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and CuCl2. The extracellular products and the partially purified protease were lethal to cobia with LD50 values of 1.26 and 6.8 microg protein/g body weight, respectively. The addition of EDTA completely inhibited the lethal toxicity of the purified protease, indicating that this metalloprotease was a lethal toxin produced by the bacterium.     

Presence of a trypsin-like protease in starfish sperm acrosome.

Marthasterias glacialis sperm cells were treated with ionophore A23187, centrifuged, and the supernatants were assayed for esterase activity. With N-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester-HCl (BAEE) as substrate, a net activity was determined which was not detectable when N-acetyl-L-tyrosine ethyl ester (ATEE) was used. The BAEE trypsin-like activity was inhibited by soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI), N-alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone-HCl (TLCK), and phenyl methyl sulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), but not by L-1-tosylamido-2-phenylethyl chloromethyl ketone (TPCK). The presence of proteolytic activity in acrosomal exudates was further demonstrated by gelatin-sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic zymography (gelatin-SDS-PAGE). The presence of several bands of low proteolytic activity and of one band of high proteolytic activity, which also has the lower molecular weight, together with the fact that all are inhibited by benzamidine, suggests the existence of a trypsin-like proteinase system. The effect of the acrosomal exudate on the oocyte jelly coat was investigated by SDS-PAGE analysis. All jelly proteins appeared to be digested by the acrosomal enzymes. Furthermore, if SBTI is added shortly after insemination, the sperm fail to fertilize the oocytes. These results indicate that the starfish sperm acrosomal vesicle contains a trypsin-like protease which may be involved in sperm penetration through the oocyte jelly coat.