Semisynthesis of the native sequence of horse heart cytochrome c-(66-104)-nonatriacontapeptide

The syntheses of some derivatives of horse cytochrome c-(66-79)-tetradecapeptide are presented. The syntheses are so designed that analogues of this phylogenetically well preserved sequence can be obtained also. The compounds were intended as synthons for the semisynthesis of 65-homoserine-cytochrome c, which we described earlier. A requisite for this project was the C-terminal tetracosapeptide fragment of the protein, accessible through degradation of cytochrome c with cyanogen bromide. The five epsilon amino groups in this compound are reversibly protected with the 2-(methylsulfonyl)ethyloxycarbonyl function, which is resistant to acid and causes little impairment of solubility. The condensation of the fragments leading to the native sequence of horse cytochrome c-(66-104)-nonatriacontapeptide is presented also. The syntheses were performed using the solution strategy. Some unexpected ring closing reactions involving tyrosine and tert.-butyl prolylasparaginylcarbazate, are described.     

Studies on cytochrome C. XII. Synthesis of the protected undecapeptide (sequence 66-76) and pentadecapeptide (sequence 66-80) of horse heart cytochrome c.

This paper is part of a series on synthesis of suitably protected peptides covering the 66-104 sequence of horse heart cytochrome c. It describes the preparation, by conventional procedures, of a partially protected N alpha-benzyloxycarbonyl-undecapeptide hydrazide corresponding to the sequence from 66 to 76 (Fragment F), which represents a building block for the synthesis of the entire 66-104 sequence. Moreover, the preparation is described of a partially protected pentadecapeptide corresponding to the sequence region 66 to 80, which represents the key peptide for the semisynthesis of the same COOH-terminal sequence utilizing the natural 81-104 N epsilon-trifluoroacetylated CNBr fragment.     

The semisynthesis of fragments corresponding to residues 66-104 of horse heart cytochrome c.

We describe the N epsilon-acetimidylation of horse heart cytochrome c with retention of biological activity, the cleavage of the modified protein by CNBr, the separation of the fragments, and their further side-chain protection. We describe the manipulation of the amino acid sequences of the fragments by stepwise semisynthetic methods. We have prepared fragments corresponding to residues 66-78 and 66-79 of the protein, as well as the [Asp66] analogue of fragment 66-79. We have prepared the natural sequence and the [o-fluoro-Phe82] analogue of the fragment corresponding to residues 81-104 of the protein, and the [N epsilon-trifluoroacetyl-Lys79], the [N epsilon-dinitrophenyl-Lys79] and the [S-acetamidomethyl-Cys79] analogues of fragment 79-104, and the [N epsilon-Cbz-Lys81] analogue of fragment 80-104. We have coupled back the fragments of natural sequence to form a semisynthetic fragment corresponding to residues 66-104 of the protein. Modified fragments were also coupled to give analogues of the 66-104-residue sequence. In every case the homoserine residue representing methionine-80 was removed from the C-terminus of the 66-80-residue fragment and replaced by methionine on the N-terminus of the 81-104 residue fragment during the preparation of the fragments for coupling. The semisynthetic fragments are ready for specific deprotection and further coupling. We have coupled one such fragment to the (1-65)-peptide to produce semisynthetic [Hse65]cytochrome c. The product has satisfactory characteristics on chemical analysis, and on assay of its biological activity.     

Studies on cytochrome C. XIII. Synthesis of the protected undecapeptide (sequence 77-87) of horse heart cytochrome c.

A solution synthesis of Z-Gly-Thr-Lys (Tfa)-Met-Ile-Phe-Ala-Gly-Ile-Lys (Tfa)-Lys (Tfa)-NHNH-Boc corresponding to the sequence 77-87 of horse heart cytochrome c is described. The protected undecapeptide was obtained from intermediate hepta- and tetrapeptide fragments by an azide coupling.     

Complexation which facilitates rejoining of horse cytochrome c apofragment [Homoser-lactone65](1-65) or [Homoser-lactone65] (23-65) to apofragment (66-104).

We have shown that two CNBr fragments of horse apocytochrome c, [Homoser-lactone65](1-65) and (66-104), bind to the ferric heme fragment (1-25)H to form a non-productive three-fragment complex, and that when the heme of this complex has been kept reduced for 48 h at 25 degrees, the peptide bond between residues 65 and 66 is restored with a yield of 24% or more. We have also shown that another CNBr fragment [Homoser-lactone65](23-65), but not [Homoser-lactone65](39-65), similarly rejoins to fragment (66-104) in the presence of the ferrous heme fragment with 25% or more yield. For complex of ferro-heme fragment [Hse-lacton65](1-65)H and apofragment (66-104) of horse cytochrome c, which restores the peptide bond between residues 65 and 66 (located on the left side of the heme) (cf. Harbury, H.A. (1978) in Semisynthetic Peptides and Proteins (Offord, R.E. & DiBello, C., eds.), pp. 73-89, Academic Press, New York). Corradin & Harbury have suggested that axial ligation of methionine 80 to the heme (on the left side) is important. Consistent with their idea, fragment [Hse80](66-104) was found not to link to [Hse-lactone65](1-65) in the presence of ferro(1-25)H. Furthermore, the present studies indicate that the interaction involving residues 26 to 38 (on the right side) is also important for such a conformation which assists in the rejoining of the two apofragments. Combining these two ideas, we suggest that restoration of the peptide bond between residues 65 and 66 reflects the structural integrity of these complexes in the reduced form. Thus, the present reaction system can be used not only for chemical synthesis of [Homoser65] apocytochrome c but also to extend amino acid substitution studies of cytochrome c to residues 1 to 64.     

Solid-phase de novo synthesis of a (±)-2-deoxy-glycoside

The solid-phase synthesis of methyl 2-deoxy-3-O-benzyl-d,l-arabino-hexopyranoside was achieved in a six-step sequence via a de novo strategy based on the hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of a vinyl ether supported on an azalactone-functionalized polystyrene resin, followed by the functional modification of the heteroadduct and the final release of the methyl glycoside by acidic solvolysis.     

The amino acid sequence of the cytochrome c-554(547) from the chemolithotrophic bacterium Thiobacillus neapolitanus.

An amino acid sequence is proposed for the cytochrome c-554(547) from the bacterium Thiobacillus neapolitanus N.C.I.B. 8539). It consists of a polypeptide chain of 91 residues, with a pair of haem-attachment cysteine residues at positions 15 and 18. There is similarity in sequence with each of the halves of the sequence of the dihaem cytochromes c4 and with a cytochrome c-554(548) from a halophilic strain of Paracoccus. Detailed evidence for the amino acid sequence of the protein has been deposited as Supplementary Publication SUP 50127 (11 pages) at the British Library (Lending Division), Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7BQ, U.K., from whom copies can be obtained on the terms indicated in Biochem. J. (1985) 225, 5.     

The role of extra fragment at the C-terminal of cytochrome b (Residues 421-445) in the cytochrome bc1 complex from Rhodobacter sphaeroides

Sequence alignment of cytochrome b of the cytochrome bc1 complex from various sources reveals that bacterial cytochrome b contain an extra fragment at the C terminus. To study the role of this fragment in bacterial cytochrome bc1 complex, Rhodobacter sphaeroides mutants expressing His-tagged cytochrome bc1 complexes with progressive deletion from this fragment (residues 421-445) were generated and characterized. The cytbDelta-(433-445) bc1 complex, in which 13 residues from the C-terminal end of this fragment are deleted, has electron transfer activity, subunit composition, and physical properties similar to those of the complement complex, indicating that this region of the extra fragment is not essential. In contrast, the electron transfer activity, binding of cytochrome b, ISP, and subunit IV to cytochrome c1, redox potentials of cytochromes b and c1 in the cytbDelta-(427-445), cytbDelta-(425-445), and cytbDelta-(421-445) mutant complexes, in which 19, 21, or all residues of this fragment are deleted, decrease progressively. EPR spectra of the [2Fe-2S] cluster and the cytochromes b in these three deletion mutant bc1 complexes are also altered; the extent of spectral alteration increases as this extra fragment is shortened. These results indicate that the first 12 residues (residues 421-432) from the N-terminal end of the C-terminal extra fragment of cytochrome b are essential for maintaining structural integrity of the bc1 complex.     

Studies on cytochrome c. V. Synthesis of the protected decapeptide (sequence 57-66) of Baker's yeast iso-1-cytochrome c

The synthesis is described of the N-benzyloxycarbonyldecapeptide tert-butoxycarbonylhydrazide, which corresponds to the sequence 57–66 of baker's yeast iso-1-cytochrome c. The peptide derivative was synthesized coupling two smaller subunits via the Rudinger modified azide procedure.     

Amino acid sequences of cytochrome c-554(548) and cytochrome c'' from a halophilic denitrifying bacterium of the genus Paracoccus.

The amino acid sequences of the cytochromes c-554(548) and c' from the moderately halophilic bacterium Paracoccus sp., I.A.M. 203 (= A.T.C.C. 12084, N.C.I.B. 8669) have been determined. Cytochrome c-554(548) consists of a single polypeptide chain of 83 residues, and dimerizes strongly. The most similar protein of known sequence is the N-terminal half of the dihaem cytochrome c4, and other related proteins include the cytochrome c-554(547) of Thiobacillus neapolitanus and the cytochrome c-553 of Desulfovibrio vulgaris. Cytochrome c', which has a single polypeptide chain of 132 residues, is similar in sequence to cytochromes c' from phototrophic and denitrifying bacteria, but only shows about 36% sequence identity to the most similar protein of known sequence. Both of the Paracoccus proteins have a considerable excess of acidic amino acid side chains over basic ones, and a higher proportion of their basic amino acids is arginine than is usual in cytochromes c. Both these characteristics seem to be adaptations to increase the stability of the proteins in an environment of high ionic strength. Detailed evidence for the amino acid sequences of the proteins has been deposited as Supplementary Publication 50140 (24 pp.) at the British Library (Lending Division), Boston Spa, Yorkshire LS23 7BQ, U.K. from which copies are available on prepayment.     

Evidence that enteroglucagon (II) is identical with the C-terminal sequence (residues 33-69) of glicentin.

Enteroglucagon (II) was isolated from extracts of pig ileum mucosa by repeated gel filtrations, and its immunochemical and chromatographic characteristics were compared with those of a synthetic peptide corresponding to the 33-69 sequence of pig glicentin, before and after digestion with trypsin or trypsin followed by carboxypeptidase B, by using five region-specific assays covering most of the glicentin sequence. Enteroglucagon (II) and the synthetic peptide behave identically under three different conditions of chromatography as determined with all five assays (including a highly specific radioreceptor assay), and gave rise to similar fragments after enzyme digestion. It was therefore concluded that enteroglucagon (II) and the 33-69 sequence of glicentin are most probably identical.     

Precursor peptide progastrin(1-80) reduces apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells and upregulates cytochrome c oxidase Vb levels and synthesis of ATP

We recently reported that downregulation of gastrin gene expression in colon cancer cells significantly suppresses relative levels of mitochondrial cytochrome c (cyt c) oxidase Vb (Cox Vb) RNA and protein. These unexpected findings suggested the possibility that gastrin gene products [mainly progastrin (PG)] may be directly or indirectly mediating the observed effects in colon cancer cells. Because colon cancer cells do not respond to exogenous PG, we examined the possibility of whether PG regulates Cox Vb expression in gastrin-responsive intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in vitro. Levels of Cox Vb RNA and protein were significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner in response to PG. Mitochondrial synthesis of ATP was also increased by approximately three- to fivefold in response to optimal concentrations (0.1-1.0 nm) of PG. Possible antiapoptotic effects of PG were additionally examined, because activation of caspases 9 and 3 had been noted in colon cancer cells downregulated for gastrin gene expression. We measured a significant loss in the levels of cyt c in the cytosol of PG-treated vs. control IEC cells, which correlated with a significant loss in the activation of caspases 9 and 3, resulting in a significant loss in DNA fragmentation on PG treatment of the cells. Our results thus suggest the novel possibility that the precursor PG peptide exerts direct antiapoptotic effects on IECs, which may contribute to the observed growth effects of PG on these cells. Additionally, Cox Vb gene appears to be an important intracellular target of PG, resulting in an increase in ATP levels, which may also contribute to the observed increase in the growth of target cells in response to PG.     

Nucleotide sequence of a cDNA clone of the horse (Equus caballus) DRA gene

The nucleotide sequence data reported in this paper have been submitted to the GenBank nucleotide sequence database and have been assigned the accession number M60100. Clone pL33EA is available upon request.     

Protein conformational perturbations affect the photoreduction of native cytochrome c peroxidase (III) at alkaline pH.

Ferric cytochrome c peroxidase (CCP) undergoes a ligation-state transition from a pentacoordinate, high-spin (5c/hs) heme to a hexacoordinate, low-spin (6c/1s) heme when titrated over a pH range of 7.30-9.70. This behavior is similar to that exhibited by the ferrous form of the enzyme. However, the photodissociation of the low-spin, axial ligand, exhibited by ferrous CCP at alkaline pH, is not observed for ferric CCP. Instead, a photoinduced reduction of the ferric heme is apparent in the pH range 7.90-9.70. In the absence of O2 and redox mediators such as methyl viologen (MV2+), the reoxidation of the photoreduced enzyme is very slow (tau 1/2 approximately 3 min). F(-)-bound CCP(III) (6c/hs) displays similar pH-dependent photoreduction. Horseradish peroxidase, however, does not. The formation of 6c/1s heme coincides with the onset of appreciable photoreduction (between laser pulses, > 60 ms) of CCP (III) at alkaline pH, suggesting a global protein conformational rearrangement within or around its heme pocket. Photoreduction of alkaline CCP(III) most likely involves intramolecular electron transfer (ET) from the aromatic residue in the proximal heme pocket to the photoexcited heme. We speculate that the kinetics of electron transfer are affected by changes in the orientation of Trp-191.     

Antibody recognition of a human chorionic gonadotropin epitope (hCGbeta66-80) depends on local structure retained in the free peptide

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is an important biomarker in pregnancy and oncology, where it is routinely detected and quantified by specific immunoassays. Intelligent epitope selection is essential to achieving the required assay performance. We present binding affinity measurements demonstrating that a typical β3-loop-specific monoclonal antibody (8G5) is highly selective in competitive immunoassays and distinguishes between hCGβ(66-80) and the closely related luteinizing hormone (LH) fragment LHβ(86-100), which differ only by a single amino acid residue. A combination of optical spectroscopic measurements and atomistic computer simulations on these free peptides reveals differences in turn type stabilized by specific hydrogen bonding motifs. We propose that these structural differences are the basis for the observed selectivity in the full protein.     

Amino acid sequence of the heme a subunit of bovine heart cytochrome oxidase and sequence homology with hemoglobin.

The amino acid sequence of the 11.6 K dalton heme $\text{a}$ subunit of bovine heart cytochrome oxidase has been completed and is presented here. The sequence investigation has established the positions in the protein of all the possible heme ligands, namely cysteine, methionine, histidine and lysine residues. However, the isolation conditions may have caused the heme $\text{a}$ to migrate from its original site or the heme is caged by peptides as pointed out in Reference 6. The sequence of the heme $\text{a}$ subunit and the β-chain of hemoglobin shows homology. It is possible that these two proteins have arisen from a common ancestor in the distant past.     

Nonaqueous synthesis of a selectively modified, highly anionic sulfopropyl ether derivative of cyclomaltoheptaose (beta-cyclodextrin) in the presence of 18-crown-6

A highly anionic cyclomaltooligosaccharide (cyclodextrin, CD) derivative containing sulfopropyl functional groups on the primary face of the CD was synthesized. Heptakis(2,3-di-O-methyl)cyclomaltoheptaose [heptakis(2,3-di-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin] was reacted with 1,3-propane sultone and potassium hydride (KH) in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran in the presence of 18-crown-6 to yield highly substituted potassium heptakis(2,3-di-O-methyl-6-O-sulfopropyl)cyclomaltoheptaose [heptakis(KSPDM)-beta-CD] with an average degree of substitution (DSCE) of 6.9 as determined by inverse detection capillary electrophoresis (CE). The principal species in the product is the fully substituted heptakis(KSPDM)-beta-CD. Complete NMR assignments of the hydrogen and carbon atoms are made using a combination of gCOSY and gHSQC. In the absence of 18-crown-6, the reaction generates a mixture of multiply charged derivatives with average DSCE of 4.1. The possible roles of the crown ether in the reaction are discussed. The ROESY NMR spectrum of the inclusion complex that forms between heptakis(KSPDM)-beta-CD and 2-naphthoic acid in D2O reveals that 2-naphthoic acid inserts with the carboxyl group toward the derivatized primary rim of the cyclodextrin.