The amino acid sequence and reactive site of a single-headed trypsin inhibitor from wheat endosperm

The sequence of a trypsin inhibitor, isolated from wheat endosperm, is reported. The primary structure was obtained by automatic sequence analysis of the S-alkylated protein and of purified peptides derived from chemical cleavage by cyanogen bromide and digestion withStaphylococcus aureus V8 protease. This protein, named wheat trypsin inhibitor (WTI), which is comprised of a total of 71 amino acid residues, has 12 cysteines, all involved in disulfide bridges. The primary site of interaction (reactive site) with bovine trypsin has been identified as the dipeptide arginyl-methionyl at positions 19 and 20. WTI has a high degree of sequence identity with a number of serine proteinase inhibitors isolated from both cereal and leguminous plants. On the basis of the findings presented, this protein has been classified as a single-headed trypsin inhibitor of Bowman-Birk type.     

The carbohydrate linkage site of cow colostrum trypsin inhibitor

Cow colostrum trypsin inhibitor (chromatographic form AIV[7])was subjected to basic conditions that favour beta-elimination of carbohydrates from O-glycosidic linkages. The unchanged carbohydrate composition and the unchanged values for serine and threonine indicate the presence of an alkali-stable N-glycosidic bond to asparagine. From a tryptic digest of S-aminoethylated inhibitor the glyco-decapeptide (residues 24 through 33) was isolated. The carbohydrate composition was identical with that of the S-aminoethylated inhibitor. Further degradation of this peptide by carboxypeptidase C (and aminopeptidase) produced the glycopeptide Asn(CHO)-Ser-(Thr) with the same carbohydrate composition. Thus, a single carbohydrate moiety is bound by a N-glycosidic linkage to asparagine-27 of the colostrum inhibitor. It is located opposite to the reactive site at the base of a pear-shaped molecule.     

Chemical-enzymatic replacement of Ile64 in the reactive site of soybeen trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz).

All the reactive amino groups in soybean trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz) were protected by guanidination of 9 out of 10 lysyl residues with O-methylisourea and by carbamoylation of the NH2 terminal Asp with potassium cyanate. This derivative was converted to modified inhibitor (Arg63-Ile64 reactive site peptide bond hydrolyzed) by incubation with trypsin at pH 3. The NH2 terminal of Ile64 was allowed to react with phenyl isothiocyanate to produce inactive phenylthiocarbamoyl-modified inhibitor. Treatment with trifluoroacetic acid formed the anilinothiazolinone of Ile64 yielding des-Ile64-modified inhibitor. After renaturation and purification, this material coelectrophoresed with modified inhibitor but did not form a stable complex with trypsin. Incubation with tert-butyloxycarbonyl-(amino acid)-N-hydroxysuccinimide esters yielded [tert-butyloxycarbonyl-(amino acid64)]-modified inhibitor. The tert-butyloxycarbonyl protective group was removed in trifluoroacetic acid. After renaturation, active [amino acid64]-modified inhibitors were obtained for Ile64, Ala64, Leu64, and Gly64 replacements. The resynthesis of the reactive-site peptide bound by kinetic control dissociation of the trypsin-inhibitor complex yielded fully active [Ala64]-virgin inhibitor. Thus, soybean trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz) has been shown to tolerate the replacement of the P1' residue with retention of activity. The importance of P1' residues in the function of protein proteinase inhibitors is discussed.     

Characterization of potato proteinase inhibitor II reactive site mutants.

Potato proteinase inhibitor II (PI-2) is composed of two sequence repeats. It contains two reactive site domains. We developed an improved protocol for the production of PI-2 using the yeast Pichia pastoris as the expression host. We then assessed the role of its two reactive sites in the inhibition of trypsin and chymotrypsin by mutating each of the two reactive sites in various ways. From these studies it appears that the second reactive site strongly inhibits both trypsin (Ki = 0.4 nM) and chymotrypsin (Ki = 0.9 nM), and is quite robust towards mutations at positions P2 or P1'. In contrast, the first reactive site inhibits only chymotrypsin (Ki = 2 nM), and this activity is very sensitive to mutations. Remarkably, replacing the reactive site amino acids of domain I with those of domain II did not result in inhibitory activities similar to domain II. The fitness for protein engineering of each domain is discussed.     

Chemical-enzymatic insertion of an amino acid residue in the reactive site of soybean trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz).

Modified (Arg63-Ile64 reactive-site peptide bond hydrolyzed) soybean trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz) with all reactive amino groups, except that of Ile64, protected was described in the preceding paper (Kowalski, D., and Laskowski, M., Jr. (1976), Biochemistry, preceding paper in this issue). Treatment of this inhibitor with tert-butyloxycarbonyl-Ala- and tert-butyloxycarbonyl-Ile-N-hydroxy-succinimide esters yields inactive endo-tert-butyloxycarbonyl-Ala63A-and endo-tert-butyloxycarbonyl-Ile63A-modified inhibitors. The tert-butyloxycarbonyl groups were removed by treatment of the proteins with trifluoroacetic acid. After renaturation and purification, the resultant endo-Ala63A- and endo-Ile63A-modified inhibitors co-electrophorese with modified inhibitor both on disc gels (pH 9.4) and sodium dodecyl sulfate gels (after reduction of disulfide bonds) and show end groups corresponding to the 63A residue. These derivatives fail to form stable complexes with trypsin, extending the previous observation (Kowalski, D., and Laskowski, M., Jr. (1972), Biochemistry 11, 3451) that acylation of the P1' residue in modified inhibitors leads to inactivation. However, the incubation of endo-Ala63A- and endo-Ile63A-modified inhibitors with trypsin at pH 6.5 leads to the synthesis of the Arg63-Ala63A and Arg63-Ile63A peptide bonds in 4% yield. This is very close to the yield anticipated from a semiquantitative theory for the value of the equilibrium constant for reactive-site peptide bond. An alternative chemical method of insertion is also described. Controlled treatment of modified inhibitor with the N-carboxyanhydride of Glu produced inactive endo-Glu63A-modified inhibitor. Incubation of this inactive derivative with trypsin at pH 6.5 leads to 16% synthesis of the Arg63-Glu63A peptide bond. The higher yield of single chain protein in this case is attributed to the influence of the negative charge of the Glu63A side chain. Thus, the insertion of an amino acid residue between the P1 and P1' residues in soybean trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz) converts a trypsin inhibitor into a trypsin substrate.     

Peptide mimics of the Bowman-Birk inhibitor reactive site loop

Bowman-Birk Inhibitors (BBIs) are small highly cross-linked proteins that typically display an almost symmetrical "double-headed" structure. Each "head" contains an independent proteinase binding domain. The realization that one BBI molecule could form a 1:1:1 complex with two enzymes led early workers to dissect this activity. Now, after three decades of research, it has been possible to isolate the antiproteinase activity as small ( approximately 11 residues), cyclic, synthetic peptides, which display most of the functional aspects of the protein. More recently, it has been found that these peptide fragments are not just a synthetic curiosity-a natural 14-residue cyclic peptide (SFTI-1), which too encapsulates the BBI inhibitory motif, is found to occur in sunflowers. This article reviews the properties of BBI-based peptides (including SFTI-1) and discusses the features that are important for inhibitory activity.     

The catalytic active site of thioredoxin: conformation and homology with bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor

Rabbit polyclonal antibody was raised to a chemically synthesized nonapeptide (Trp-Ala-Glu-Trp-Cys-Gly-Pro-Cys-Lys) corresponding to the active-site sequence of Escherichia coli thioredoxin. The antiserum efficiently inhibited thioredoxin activity in the standard thioredoxin reductase/NADPH coupled assay. This inhibition was blocked by preincubation of the antiserum with the nonapeptide. Tight association of the E. coli thioredoxin to the active-site antibody required SDS denaturation. These results suggest that thioredoxin reductase (NADPH: oxidized-thioredoxin oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.4.5) alters the conformation of thioredoxin sufficiently to permit binding to the antibody. The antiserum bound to plant and liver thioredoxins. Bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor, whose active site (Gly-Pro-Cys-Lys) is homologous to that of thioredoxin, also competes for the active-site antibody. This result led to experiments showing that thioredoxin can inhibit the digestion of cytochrome c by trypsin. The ability of thioredoxin to act as a trypsin inhibitor analogue provides a rationale for thioredoxin's resistance to digestion by trypsin.     

Amino acid sequence in the reactive site region of an acid-stable inhibitor of trypsin, chymotrypsin and intracellular proteinases from rabbit serum

The thermo- and acid-stable trypsin, chymotrypsin and intracellular proteinases inhibitor (TAS-inhibitor) from rabbit serum was digested by trypsin, and its domain (Mr 6200) with antitryptic activity was obtained in homogeneous state. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of this domain was established by automatic Edman degradation: Thr-Val-Ala-Ala-Cys-Asx-Leu-Pro-Ile-Val-Pro-Gly-Pro-X-Arg-Gly-Ile-Phe-X- Leu-X-Ala-Phe-X-Ala-Val-X-Gly. A high degree of homology of the primary structures rabbit, human and bovine TAS-inhibitors was demonstrated.     

Synthesis of an elastase inhibitor by monosubstitution of arginine-5 with valine at the reactive site in a trypsin inhibitor from squash seeds (CMTI III)

Using the solid-phase procedure an analog of trypsin inhibitor CMTI III containing Val5 instead of Arg5 in position P1, was synthesized. The substitution in only this one position P1 increased the affinity of synthetic inhibitor to porcine pancreatic elastase and human leukocyte elastase by the factor of 10(3) and 10(7), respectively.