The isoinhibitors of chymotrypsin/elastase from Ascaris lumbricoides: the reactive site

Five isoinhibitors of chymotrypsin/elastase present in aqueous extracts of Ascaris were isolated. The reactive site in each isoinhibitor, the peptide bond that during encounter is positioned over the catalytic site in chymotrypsin, is Leu-Met. This bond was hydrolyzed by incubating intact isoinhibitors with 5-25 mol% chymotrypsin at pH 3.2 for 4-6 days (isoinhibitor 1) or 2.5-5 weeks (isoinhibitors 2-5). The reaction under these conditions did not proceed beyond 60% modified isoinhibitor (peptide bond hydrolyzed) and 40% intact inhibitor. The Leu-Met bond, hydrolyzed in modified isoinhibitor, can be resynthesized at pH 7.6 by incubating modified inhibitor with a stoichiometric amount of chymotrypsin bound to Sepharose CL-4B and then dissociating the complex in a kinetically controlled fashion with 5% trichloroacetic acid. The product, intact inhibitor, was obtained in greater than 80% yield. The site in the isoinhibitor that is positioned over the catalytic site in elastase during encounter is the same as for encounter with chymotrypsin. The Leu-Met bond hydrolyzed during encounter with elastase can be resynthesized by chymotrypsin. Chymotrypsin and elastase bind to the inhibitor at the same site.     

Ascaris suum: biosynthesis and isoinhibitor profile of chymotrypsin/elastase isoinhibitors

Chymotrypsin/elastase isoinhibitors were radiolabeled when live, adult Ascaris suum were incubated in tissue culture medium (NCTC-135) supplemented with L-[35S]cysteine. This is the first demonstration that the synthesis of these proteins occurs in A. suum; the isoinhibitors are not host products utilized by the parasite against its host. Of five chymotrypsin/elastase isoinhibitors demonstrable in A. suum, only isoinhibitors 1, 4, and 5 were found in each worm. The amino acid sequences of these three isoinhibitors indicate that they are gene products and are not obtained by modification after translation. The two inhibitors that are not observed could arise by limited proteolysis. The same chymotrypsin/elastase isoinhibitor profile present in each nematode eliminates any speculation that the multiple forms arise from an adaptation between A. suum and its host. A new chymotrypsin/elastase isoinhibitor nomenclature is proposed, so that isoinhibitor 1 is now Isoinhibitor A, and isoinhibitors 4 and 5 are now Isoinhibitors B and C, respectively.     

Binding of the recombinant proteinase inhibitor eglin c from leech Hirudo medicinalis to human leukocyte elastase, bovine alpha-chymotrypsin and subtilisin Carlsberg: thermodynamic study

The effect of pH and temperature on the apparent association equilibrium constant (Ka) for the binding of the recombinant proteinase inhibitor eglin c from leech Hirudo medicinalis to human leukocyte elastase (EC 3.4.21.37), bovine alpha-chymotrypsin (EC 3.4.21.1) and subtilisin Carlsberg (EC 3.4.21.14) has been investigated. On lowering the pH from 9.5 to 4.5, values of Ka for eglin c binding to the serine proteinases considered decrease thus reflecting the acid-pK shift of the invariant histidyl catalytic residue (His57 in human leukocyte elastase and bovine alpha-chymotrypsin, and His64 in subtilisin Carlsberg) from congruent to 6.9, in the free enzymes, to congruent to 5.1, in the enzyme:inhibitor adducts. At pH 8.0, values of the apparent thermodynamic parameters for eglin c binding are: human leukocyte elastase - Ka = 1.0 x 10(10) M-1, delta G phi = -13.4 kcal/mol, delta H phi = +1.8 kcal/mol, and delta S phi = +52 entropy units; bovine alpha-chymotrypsin -Ka = 5.0 x 10(9) M-1, delta G phi = -13.0 kcal/mol, delta H phi = +2.0 kcal/mol, and delta S phi = +51 entropy units; and subtilisin Carlsberg - Ka = 6.6 x 10(9) M-1, delta G phi = -13.1 kcal/mol, delta H phi = +2.0 kcal/mol, and delta S phi = +51 entropy units (values of Ka, delta G phi and delta S phi were obtained at 21 degrees C; values of delta H phi were temperature independent over the range explored, i.e. between 10 degrees C and 40 degrees C; 1 kcal = 4184J).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Differential inhibitory properties of dog and human alpha 1-proteinase inhibitors

Dog alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha 1-PI) was found to be an effective inhibitor of bovine chymotrypsin and also of porcine pancreatic elastase as in the case of human inhibitor. The dog inhibitor inactivated both proteinases at a molar ratio of 1:1. However, compared to the human inhibitor, dog alpha 1-PI was a relatively poor inhibitor of bovine trypsin. The association rate constants (kass) of the interactions of dog alpha 1-PI with bovine chymotrypsin and with porcine elastase were determined to be 6.9 +/- 0.3 X 10(6) M-1 s-1 and 6.4 +/- 0.1 X 10(5) M-1 s-1, respectively. These values are 1.3- and 2.7-fold higher than the corresponding values for the human inhibitor. On the other hand, kass for the dog inhibitor with bovine trypsin (2.6 +/- 0.3 X 10(4)M-1 s-1) was found to be about 5 times smaller than that of the human inhibitor.     

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.     

Irreversible inhibition of serine proteases by peptide derivatives of (alpha-aminoalkyl)phosphonate diphenyl esters

Peptidyl derivatives of diphenyl (alpha-aminoalkyl)phosphonates have been synthesized and are effective and specific inhibitors of serine proteases at low concentrations. Z-PheP(OPh)2 irreversibly reacts with chymotrypsin (kobsd/[I] = 1200 M-1 s-1) and does not react with two elastases. The best inhibitor for most chymotrypsin-like enzymes including bovine chymotrypsin, cathepsin G, and rat mast cell protease II is the tripeptide Suc-Val-Pro-PheP(OPh)2 which corresponds to the sequence of an excellent p-nitroanilide substrate for several chymases. The valine derivative Z-ValP(OPh)2 is specific for elastases and reacts with human leukocyte elastase (HLE, 280 M-1 s-1) but not with chymotrypsin. The tripeptide Boc-Val-Pro-ValP(OPh)2, which has a sequence found in a good trifluoromethyl ketone inhibitor of HLE, is the best inhibitor for HLE (kobsd/[I] = 27,000 M-1 s-1) and porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE, kobsd/[I] = 11,000 M-1 s-1). The rates of inactivation of chymotrypsin by MeO-Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-PheP(OPh)2 and PPE and HLE by MeO-Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-ValP(OPh)2 were decreased 2-5-fold in the presence of the corresponding substrate, which demonstrates active site involvement. Only one of two diastereomers of Suc-Val-Pro-PheP(OPh)2 reacts with chymotrypsin (146,000 M-1 s-1), and the enzyme-inhibitor complex had one broad signal at 25.98 ppm in the 31P NMR spectrum corresponding to the Ser-195 phosphonate ester. Phosphonylated serine proteases are extremely stable since the half-time for reactivation was greater than 48 h for the inhibited elastases and 7.5-26 h for chymotrypsin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Purification and characterization from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaves of six small, wound-inducible, proteinase isoinhibitors of the potato inhibitor II family.

Six small molecular mass, wound-inducible trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor proteins from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaves were isolated to homogeneity. The isoinhibitors, cumulatively called tobacco trypsin inhibitor (TTI), have molecular masses of approximately 5500 to 5800 D, calculated from gel filtration analysis and amino acid content. The amino acid sequence of the entire 53 residues of one isoinhibitor, TTI-1, and the sequence of 36 amino acid residues from the N terminus of a second isoinhibitor, TTI-5, were determined. The two isoinhibitors differ only at residue 11, which is threonine in TTI-1 and lysine in TTI-5. The isoinhibitors are members of the potato inhibitor II family and show considerable identity with the small molecular mass members of this family, which include the eggplant inhibitor, two small molecular mass trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitors from potatoes, and an inhibitor from pistils of the ornamental plant Nicotiana alata. Antibodies produced against the isoinhibitors in rabbits were used in radial immunoassays to quantify both the systemic wound inducibility of TTI in tobacco leaves and its constitutive levels in flowers.     

Turkey ovomucoid third domain inhibits eight different serine proteinases of varied specificity on the same ...Leu18-Glu19 ... reactive site

We show that eight different serine proteinases--bovine chymotrypsins A and B, porcine pancreatic elastase I, proteinase K, Streptomyces griseus proteinases A and B, and subtilisins BPN' and Carlsberg--interact with turkey ovomucoid third domain at the same Leu18-Glu19 peptide bond, the reactive site of the inhibitor. Turkey ovomucoid third domain was converted to modified (the reactive site peptide bond hydrolyzed) form as documented by sequencing. Complexes of all eight enzymes both with virgin and with modified inhibitor were prepared. All 16 complexes were subjected to kinetically controlled dissociation, and all 16 produced predominantly virgin (greater than 90%) inhibitor, thus proving our point. During this investigation, we found that both alpha-chymotrypsin and especially S. griseus proteinase B convert virgin to modified turkey ovomucoid third domain, even in the pH range 1-2, a much lower pH than we expected. We have also measured rate constants kon and kon* for the association of virgin and modified turkey ovomucoid third domain with several serine proteinases. The kon/kon* ratio is 4.8 X 10(6) for chymotrypsin, but it is only 1.5 for subtilisin Carlsberg. A number of generalizations concerning reactive sites of protein proteinase inhibitor are proposed and discussed.     

Primary structure and properties of the cathepsin G/chymotrypsin inhibitor from the larval hemolymph of Apis mellifera.

A member of the Ascaris inhibitor family exhibiting anti-cathepsin G and anti-chymotrypsin activity was purified from the larval hemolymph of the honey bee (Apis mellifera). Three forms of the inhibitor, designated AMCI 1-3, were isolated using gel filtration and anion-exchange chromatographies followed by reverse-phase HPLC. The amino-acid analyses indicated that AMCI-1 and AMCI-2 have an identical composition whereas AMCI-3 is shorter by two residues (Thr, Arg). All three forms contain as many as 10 cysteine residues and lack tryptophan, tyrosine, and histidine. The sequence of the isoinhibitors showed that the major form (AMCI-1) consisting of 56 amino-acid residues was a single-chain protein of molecular mass 5972 Da, whereas the other two forms were two-chain proteins with a very high residue identity. The AMCI-2 appeared to be derived from AMCI-1, as a result of the Lys24-Thr25 peptide bond splitting, while AMCI-3 was truncated at its N-terminus by the dipeptide Thr25-Arg26. The association constants for the binding of bovine alpha-chymotrypsin to all purified forms of the inhibitor were high and nearly identical, ranging from 4.8 x 10(10) M-1 for AMCI-1 to 2.7 x 10(9) M-1 for AMCI-3. The sensitivity of cathepsin G to inhibition by each inhibitor was different. Only the association constant for the interaction of this enzyme with AMCI-1 was high (2 x 10(8) M-1) whereas those for AMCI-2 and AMCI-3 were significantly lower, and appeared to be 3.7 x 10(7) M-1 and 4.5 x 10(6) M-1, respectively. The reactive site of the inhibitor, as identified by cathepsin G degradation and chemical modification, was found to be at Met30-Gln31. A search in the Protein Sequence Swiss-Prot databank revealed a significant degree of identity (44%) between the primary structure of AMCI and the trypsin isoinhibitor from Ascaris sp (ATI). On the basis of the cysteine residues alignment, the position of the reactive site as well as some sequence homology, the cathepsin G/chymotrypsin inhibitor from larval hemolymph of the honey bee may be considered to be a member of the Ascaris inhibitor family.     

A kinetic study of protein-protein interactions.

Kinetic studies have been carried out of the monomer-dimer interaction of insulin, beta-lactoglobulin, and alpha-chymotrypsin using stopped-flow and temperature-jump techniques. The pH indicators bromothymol blue, bromophenol blue, and phenol red were used to monitor pH changes associated with the monomer-dimer interaction. In all three cases a kinetic process was observed which could be attributed to a simple monomer-dimer equilibrium, and association (k1) and dissociation (k-1) rate constants were determined. The results obtained are as follows: for insulin at 23 degrees C, pH 6.8, 0.125 M KNO3, k1 = 1.14 X 10(8) M-1 s-1, k-1 - 1.48 X 10(4)s(-1); for beta-lactoglobulin AB at 35 degrees C, pH 3.7, 0.025 M KNO3, d1 = 4.7 X 10(4) M-1 s-1, k-1 = 2.1 s-1; for alpha-chymotrypsin at 25 degreesC, pH 4.3, 0.05 M KNO3 k1 - 3.7 X 10(3) M-1 s-1, k-1 - 0.68 s-1. The kinetic behavior of the separated beta-lactoglobulin A and B was similar to that of the mixture. In the case of chymotrypsin, bromophenol blue was found to activate the enzyme catalyzed hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl acetate, and a rate process was observed with the temperature jump which could be attributed to a conformational change of the indicator-protein complex. The association rate constant for dimer formation of insulin approaches the value expected for a diffusion-controlled process, while the values obtained for the other two proteins are below those expected for a diffusion-controlled reaction unless unusally large steric and electrostatic effects are present.     

Fluorescence labeling of a single sulfhydryl group in human plasma alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor and characterization of the labeled inhibitor

A single cysteine residue present in human plasma alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor was labeled with a fluorescent sulfhydryl reagent, N-iodoacetyl-N'-(5-sulfo-1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine. The resulting fluorescent inhibitor retained nearly full inhibitory activity and formed complexes with bovine chymotrypsin, porcine pancreatic elastase, and bovine trypsin as revealed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Association rate constants for the interactions of the labeled inhibitor with the proteinases were determined to be 1.5 (+/- 0.4) X 10(6), 3.3 (+/- 0.3) X 10(5), and 1.4 (+/- 0.3) X 10(5) M-1 X s-1 for chymotrypsin, elastase, and trypsin, respectively. These values were found to be only slightly lower than those of the unlabeled inhibitor. Fluorescence emission spectra of the labeled inhibitor in the absence and presence of each proteinase were also examined, and little difference was observed between them.     

Kinetics of the interaction of alpha-chymotrypsin with trypsin kallikrein inhibitor (Kunitz) in which the reactive-site peptide bond Lys-15--Ala-16 is split.

Modified trypsin kallikrein inhibitor (I*), with the reactive-site peptide bond Lys-15--Ala-16 split, reacts with alpha-chymotrypsin (E) via an intermediate X to the stable tetrahedral complex C:E + I in equilibrium X leads to C. Formation X constitutes a fast pre-equilibrium (equilibrium constant Kx = 7 X 10(-5) M, association rate constant kx = 4 X 10(3)M-1s-1) to the slow reaction X leads to C (rate constant kc = 2 X 10(-3) s-1), all values at pH 7.5. No intermediate X is observed when alpha-chymotrypsin reacts with I*-OMe in which the carboxyl group of Lys-15 is esterified by methanol. This observation as well as the different pH dependence of the overall association rate constants in the case of I* and I*-OMe indicate tha formation of X precedes formation of the acyl enzyme in the catalytic pathway. The data are compared to the similar results obtained with beta-trypsin and I* or I*-OMe.     

Characterization of low-molecular-mass trypsin isoinhibitors from oil-rape (Brassica napus var. oleifera) seed.

A new low-molecular-mass (6767.8 Da) serine proteinase isoinhibitor has been isolated from oil-rape (Brassica napus var. oleifera) seed, designated 5-oxoPro1-Gly62-RTI-III. The 5-oxoPro1-Gly62-RTI-III isoinhibitor is longer than the Asp2-Pro61-RTI-III and the Ser3-Pro61-RTI-III forms, all the other amino acid residues being identical. In RTI-III isoinhibitors, the P1-P1' reactive site bond (where residues forming the reactive site have been identified as PnellipsisP1 and P1'ellipsisPn', where P1-P1' is the inhibitor scissile bond) has been identified at position Arg21-Ile22. The inhibitor disulphide bridges pattern has been determined as Cys5-Cys27, Cys18-Cys31, Cys42-Cys52 and Cys54-Cys57. The disulphide bridge arrangement observed in the RTI-III isoinhibitors is reminiscent of that found in a number of toxins (e.g. erabutoxin b). Moreover, the organization of the three disulphide bridges subset Cys5-Cys27, Cys18-Cys31 and Cys42-Cys52 is reminiscent of that found in epidermal growth factor domains. Preliminary 1H-NMR data indicates the presence of alphaalphaNOEs and 3JalphaNH coupling constants, typical of the beta-structure(s). These data suggest that the three-dimensional structure of the RTI-III isoinhibitors may be reminiscent of that of toxins and epidermal growth factor domains, consisting of three-finger shaped loops extending from the crossover region. Values of the apparent association equilibrium constant for RTI-III isoinhibitors binding to bovine beta-trypsin and bovine alpha-chymotrypsin are 3.3 x 109 m-1 and 2.4 x 106 m-1, respectively, at pH 8.0 and 21.0 degrees C. The serine proteinase : inhibitor complex formation is a pH-dependent entropy-driven process. RTI-III isoinhibitors do not show any similarity to other serine proteinase inhibitors except the low molecular mass white mustard trypsin isoinhibitor, isolated from Sinapis alba L. seed (MTI-2). Therefore, RTI-III and MTI-2 isoinhibitors could be members of a new class of plant serine proteinase inhibitors.     

The isoinhibitors of chymotrypsin/elastase from Ascaris lumbricoides: the primary structure

The complete primary structure of five chymotrypsin/elastase isoinhibitors isolated from Ascaris lumbricoides was determined by conventional methods. These structures represent the first sequence set for the Ascaris inhibitor family. All five isoinhibitors are single-chain polypeptides crosslinked by five disulfide bridges. Isoinhibitor 1 consists of 63 amino acid residues and has glycine at the N-terminal and histidine at the C-terminal. Isoinhibitors 2-5 all have arginine at the N-terminal, differ at positions 25 and 40, and have different C-terminal regions. Isoinhibitors 2 and 4 have asparagine at positions 25 and serine at position 40, whereas isoinhibitors 3 and 5 have lysine and threonine at these positions, respectively. The different C-terminal regions of isoinhibitors 2-5 account for their varying lengths. Isoinhibitor 1 has no sequence heterogeneity. Frequent repetitions of various dipeptides and one tripeptide are evident along the peptide chain of isoinhibitors 2-5. None of the isoinhibitors contains the aromatic amino acids phenylalanine or tyrosine. Comparison of the amino acid sequence of isoinhibitor 1 with the sequence of isoinhibitors 2-5 shows that they differ at a minimum of 16 positions. The primary structures of isoinhibitors 1-5 from Ascaris do not demonstrate a great degree of homology when compared with the sequence of presently known proteinase inhibitors. However, these isoinhibitors share with a very large number of inhibitor families the presence of half-cystine in the P3 position.     

Binding of the recombinant proteinase inhibitor eglin c from leech Hirudo medicinalis to serine (pro)enzymes: a comparative thermodynamic study.

The binding of the recombinant proteinase inhibitor eglin c from the leech Hirudo medicinalis to serine (pro)enzymes belonging to the chymotrypsin and subtilisin families has been investigated from the thermodynamic viewpoint, between pH 4.5 and 9.5 and from 10 degrees C to 40 degrees C. The affinity of eglin c for the serine (pro)enzymes considered shows the following trend: Leu-proteinase [the leucine specific serine proteinase from spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves] greater than human leucocyte elastase congruent to human cathepsin G congruent to subtilisin Carlsberg congruent to bovine alpha-chymotrypsin greater than bovine alpha-chymotrypsinogen A congruent to porcine pancreatic elastase congruent to bovine beta-trypsin. The serine (pro)enzyme-inhibitor complex formation is an entropy-driven process. On increasing the pH from 4.5 to 9.5, the affinity of eglin c for the serine (pro)enzymes considered increases thus reflecting the acid pK shift of the invariant hystidyl catalytic residue from approximately to 6.9 in the free serine proteinases and bovine alpha-chymotrypsinogen A to congruent to 5.1 in the serine (pro)enzyme-inhibitor complexes. Considering the known molecular models, the observed binding behaviour of eglin c was related to the inferred stereochemistry of the serine (pro)enzyme-inhibitor contact regions.     

Binding of the bovine and porcine pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor (Kazal) to human leukocyte elastase: a thermodynamic study.

The effect of pH and temperature on the apparent association equilibrium constant (Ka) for the binding of the bovine and porcine pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor (Kazal-type inhibitor, PSTI) to human leukocyte elastase has been investigated. At pH 8.0, values of the apparent thermodynamic parameters for human leukocyte elastase: Kazal-type inhibitor complex formation are: bovine PSTI--Ka = 6.3 x 10(4) M-1, delta G degree = -26.9 kJ/mol, delta H degree = +11.7 kJ/mol, and delta S degree = +1.3 x 10(2) entropy units; porcine PSTI--Ka = 7.0 x 10(3) M-1, delta G degree = -21.5 kJ/mol, delta H degree = +13.0 kJ/mol, and delta S degree = +1.2 x 10(2) entropy units (values of Ka, delta G degree and delta S degree were obtained at 21.0 degrees C; values of delta H degree were temperature independent over the range (between 5.0 degrees C and 45.0 degrees C) explored). On increasing the pH from 4.5 to 9.5, values of Ka for bovine and porcine PSTI binding to human leukocyte elastase increase thus reflecting the acidic pK-shift of the His57 catalytic residue from congruent to 7.0, in the free enzyme, to congruent to 5.1, in the serine proteinase: inhibitor complexes. Thermodynamics of bovine and porcine PSTI binding to human leukocyte elastase has been analyzed in parallel with that of related serine (pro)enzyme/Kazal-type inhibitor systems. Considering the known molecular models, the observed binding behaviour of bovine and porcine PSTI to human leukocyte elastase was related to the inferred stereochemistry of the serine proteinase/inhibitor contact region(s).     

Specific fluorescent derivatives of macromolecules. Reaction of dansyl fluoride with serine proteinases.

5-Dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl fluoride was evaluated as a reagent for the selective labeling of proteins. In a comparative study with Dns-chloride a greatly increased selectivity of the fluoride was found with a number of proteins. The reaction of Dns-fluoride with alpha-chymotrypsin, subtilisin Carlsberg and trypsin was found to be highly specific, resulting in a stoichiometric incorporation of the Dns label with concomitant loss of enzymatic activity. The reaction of Dns-chloride with the same proteinases is unspecific. Evidence was obtained to indicate that reaction of the serine esterases with Dns-fluoride occurs exclusively at the active serine residue. The stability of Dns-fluoride labeled chymotrypsin was investigated. The conjugate was found to be fairly stable in the pH range from 3 to 9 at 25 degrees C and is therefore suitable for fluorescence investigations of the chymotrypsin active-site. Molar extinction coefficients for Dns-labeled serine proteinases were determined using radiocative label.     

NMR and enzymatic investigation of the interaction between elastase and sodium trifluoroacetate.

At pH 5.5, sodium trifluoroacetate is a potent competitive inhibitor of porcine elastase (Ki = 2.6 mM) and human leukocyte elastase (Ki = 9.3 mM). For both enzymes the Ki increases strongly with pH. Sodium fluoride is inactive on pancreatic elastase and sodium acetate is a weak inhibitor of this enzyme. Trifluoroethanol inhibits both enzymes but is less active than trifluoroacetate in acidic pH conditions. Bovine trypsin and alpha-chymotrypsin are resistant to the action of sodium trifluoroacetate and trifluoroethanol. The interaction between sodium trifluoroacetate and pancreatic elastase is also demonstrated by 19F NMR spectroscopy. Trifluoroacetyltrialanine is able to displace trifluoroacetate from its complex with pancreatic elastase. In addition, a method using turkey ovomucoid for the active site titration of leukocyte and pancreatic elastase is described.     

Serine proteinase inhibitors from Vipera ammodytes venom. Isolation and kinetic studies

Three protein inhibitors of serine proteinases were isolated from the crude venom of the long-nosed viper Vipera ammodytes ammodytes by ion-exchange and gel chromatography. Two of them strongly inhibit trypsin (Ki = 3.4 X 10(-10) and 5.6 X 10(-10) M), while the third one primarily inhibits chymotrypsin (Ki = 4.3 X 10(-9) M). Their Mr values are close to 7000, and pI is 9.8 in both trypsin inhibitors and 10.0 in the chymotrypsin inhibitor. The N-terminal group in the former inhibitors is blocked; arginine is the N-terminal amino acid in the latter. Besides trypsin and alpha-chymotrypsin, the trypsin inhibitors also inhibit plasmin, human plasma kallikrein and porcine pancreatic kallikrein. The chymotrypsin inhibitor inhibits trypsin and human plasma kallikrein only weakly and does not inhibit plasmin and porcine pancreatic kallikrein. According to their properties, all three inhibitors belong to the Kunitz-pancreatic trypsin inhibitor family of inhibitors.     

A new method for determining the absolute molarity of solutions of trypsin and chymotrypsin by using p-nitrophenyl N2-acetyl-N1-benzylcarbazate

1. p-Nitrophenyl N(2)-acetyl-N(1)-benzylcarbazate (NPABC) was synthesized and shown to acylate alpha-chymotrypsin stoicheiometrically; reaction at 25 degrees occurs almost instantaneously at pH7.04 and within 2min. at pH5.04 and there is no observable turnover during 10min. 2. The absolute molarity of solutions of alpha-chymotrypsin can be determined by spectrophotometric measurement of the p-nitrophenol liberated during the acylation step; the results obtained at pH5.04 and pH7.04 agree with one another and with those determined by the method of Erlanger & Edel (1964). 3. Trypsin reacts stoicheiometrically, but more slowly than alpha-chymotrypsin, with NPABC, and it, like chymotrypsin, can be spectrophotometrically titrated at pH7.04. At pH5.04, however, reaction between trypsin and NPABC is sufficiently slow for the reagent to be nearly specific for alpha-chymotrypsin. Specificity for one or other enzyme can be ensured by using soya-bean trypsin inhibitor or the chymotrypsin inhibitor l-1-chloro-3-toluene-p-sulphonamido-4-phenylbutan-2-one. Bovine thrombin does not react with NPABC. 4. Evidence is presented that indicates that acylation of alpha-chymotrypsin and trypsin by NPABC occurs at the active centres of the enzymes. 5. Evidence was obtained that indicates that one or more tryptophan residues move into a more hydrophobic environment when alpha-chymotrypsin and trypsin are acylated by NPABC.