The kinetics of hydrolysis of some extended N-aminoacyl-L-arginine methyl esters by human plasma kallikrein. Evidence for subsites S2 and S3.

Subsites in the S2-S4 region were identified in human plasma kallikrein. Kinetic constants (kcat., Km) were determined for a series of seven extended N-aminoacyl-L-arginine methyl esters based on the C-terminal sequence of bradykinin (-Pro-Phe-Arg) or (Gly)n-Arg. The rate-limiting step for the enzyme-catalysed reaction was found to be deacylation of the enzyme. It was possible to infer that hydrogen-bonded interactions occur between substrate and the S2-S4 region of kallikrein. Insertion of L-phenylalanine at residue P2 demonstrates that there is also a hydrophobic interaction with subsite S2, which stabilizes the enzyme-substrate complex. The strong interaction demonstrated between L-proline at residue P3 and subsite S3 is of greatest importance in the selectivity of human plasma kallikrein. The purification of kallikrein from Cohn fraction IV of human plasma is described making use of endogenous Factor XIIf to activate the prekallikrein. Kallikreins I (Mr 91 000) and II (Mr 85 000) were purified 170- and 110-fold respectively. Kallikrein I was used for the kinetic work.     

Kinetics of trypsin-catalyzed hydrolysis of some arginine-containing peptide methyl esters

The kinetics of trypsin-catalyzed hydrolysis (at pH 8.5) of methyl esters of some synthetic dipeptides containing the residues of both arginine and L(D)-p-fluorophenylalanine or L(D)-tyrosine has been studied. The digestion of Tos-(pF)Phe-Arg-OMe was shown as unfollowing the Michaelis-Menten kinetic since in the reaction course the substrate activation is observed and while the reaction product is the enzymatic process inhibitor. In contrast to this, the hydrolysis of other substrates studied, follows the normal Michaelis-Menten kinetic.     

Effect of covalent binding of aprotinin with a polysaccharide carrier on its inhibition of kallikrein from human plasma, porcine pancreatic kallikrein and trypsin

The inhibition of trypsin, human blood plasma kallikrein and porcine pancreatic kallikrein by aprotinin (native and immobilized on carboxymethyl ester of dextran) was investigated. The experimental values of Ki of native and immobilized aprotinin--enzyme complexes are equal to 0.037 and 0.045 nM for trypsin, 0.38 and 112.3 nM for pancreatic kallikrein and 34.4 and 454.5 nM for plasma kallikrein with N alpha-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester as substrate, and to 82.6 and 231.7 nM for plasma kallikrein with a natural substrate--kininogen. These data suggest that covalent binding of aprotinin to the water-soluble polysaccharide carrier does not interfere with its interaction with trypsin, whereas the inhibition of kallikreins decreases, especially that of pancreatic kallikrein. The experimental results indicate the marked differences in the structure of the binding site of the active center (or its environment) of plasma and pancreatic kallikreins, on one hand, and trypsin, on the other, as well as the differences between the plasma and pancreatic kallikreins. A high requirement of kallikreins to the maintenance of the native conformation of aprotinin during immobilization is postulated.     

The interaction of chemically modified human plasma alpha1-antitrypsin with porcine pancreatic elastase.

The elastase inhibitory capacity of human plasma α₁-antitrypsin was determined following chemical modification of lysyl and arginyl residues. Modification of the guanidino group had no effect upon the inhibitory activity, while acetylation, citraconylation, and trinitrophenylation of the lysyl ?-amino group brought about a loss of elastase inhibitory capacity.     

Catalysis by human leukocyte elastase: III. Steady-state kinetics for the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl esters

Steady-state kinetic parameters were determined at pH 7.4 and 25 degrees C for the human leukocyte elastase-catalyzed hydrolysis of several N-carbobenzoxy-L-amino acid p-nitrophenyl esters. The substrate specificity for these esters was quite broad, and included the Gly, Phe, and Tyr derivatives. Together with reports of a much narrower P-1 specificity for peptide-based substrates, these results suggest that interactions remote from the scissle bond between enzyme and substrate regulate primary specificity. Also, it was found that kc and kc/Km did not exhibit the same dependence on substrate structure. This is interpreted to suggest that there are significant differences in P-1 specificity between acylation and deacylation for leukocyte elastase-catalyzed reactions.     

Characterization and purification of a kallikrein from human pancreatic juice and immunological comparison with other kallikreins.

A prekallikrein has been demonstrated in human pancreatic juice and the active enzyme has been purified from this material. The purification procedure included filtration on Sephadex G-100, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and affinity chromatography on trypsin-inhibitor Sepharose. The purified kallikrein appeared to be homogeneous by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 8.3 and by immunoelectrophoresis. Human pancreatic kallikrein is immunologically different from human plasma kallikrein and from pancreatic kallikreins of other species (hog, cat, rat and dog). Human pancreatic kallikrein has common antigenic determinants with human urinary and submandibular kallikreins but probably not with parotid kallikrein.     

Papain-catalysed hydrolysis of some hippuric esters. A new mechanism for papain-catalysed hydrolyses

1. The Michaelis–Menten parameters for the papain-catalysed hydrolysis of a number of alkyl, aryl and alkyl-thiol esters of hippuric acid have been determined. 2. For all the aryl esters and most of the alkyl esters studied, the catalytic constant, k₀, is 2–3sec.⁻¹ and most probably represents deacylation of the common intermediate, hippuryl-papain. 3. Two alkyl esters and hippurylamide, however, have catalytic rate constants, k₀, less than 2–3sec.⁻¹. It is possible to interpret all the available kinetic data in terms of a three-step mechanism in which an enzyme–substrate complex is first formed, followed by acylation of the enzyme through an essential thiol group, followed by deacylation of the acyl-enzyme. 4. The logarithm of the ratio of the Michaelis–Menten parameters, which reflect the acylation rate constant, for four aryl esters of hippuric acid studied give a linear Hammett plot against the substituent constant, σ. Arguments are presented that indicate acid as well as nucleophilic catalysis in the acylation process and that the most likely proton donor is an imidazolium ion. 5. It is suggested that this imidazolium ion is part of the same histidine residue that has been tentatively implicated in the deacylation process (Lowe & Williams, 1965b). 6. A new mechanism is proposed for the papain-catalysed hydrolysis of N-acyl-α-amino acid derivatives.     

Various properties and kinetics of interaction of high and low molecular weight human kininogens with human plasma kallikrein

A relatively simple procedure for isolation and purification of human blood plasma kallikrein (HPK) by QAE-Sephadex A-50 SP-Sephadex C-50 and affinity chromatography on Sepharose 4B with immobilized soybean trypsin inhibitor with the activity yield of about 40% has been developed. The method allows for simultaneous isolation of low (LMW) and high molecular weight (HMW) kininogens from the same HPK sample. HPK preparations are homogeneous upon 7.5% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of 0.1% SDS; its Mr is 90,000. After treatment with beta-mercaptoethanol, HPK dissociates into two fragments with Mr of 43,000 and 37,000. HPK preparations have high specific activities of esterase (31 microM/min), amidase (78 microM/min), and kininogenase (420 micrograms equiv. bradikinin/min). The high degree of protein purification was demonstrated by titration of active centers with 4-methylumbelliferylguanidine benzoate. The values of equilibrium dissociation constants for the HPK complex with aprotinin (Ki) equal to 1 X 10(-8) M (ethyl ester of N-alpha-benzoyl-L-arginine) and 1,5 X 10(-9) M (HMW) were determined. The kinetics of HPK-induced liberation of bradikinin from purified preparations of HMW and LMW was studied. The kinetic parameters (Km, kcat and kcat/Km) of this reaction suggest a high affinity of HPK for HMW, but not for LMW. LMW does not compete with HMW for the enzyme active center. It is assumed that LMW is not a physiological substrate for HPK.     

Reaction kinetics of hydrolysis of animal fat by pancreatic lipase

Hydrolysis of lipids from beef fat by pancreatic lipase was studied. Maximal release of free fatty acids was shown to take place for the first 3 h of experiment. After this, transetherification developed. Following most important time course parameters were determined: maximal hydrolysis rate V = 1.25 +/- 0.1 mg fat/(ml min), Michaelis constant KMH = 100 +/- 12 mg fat/ml, constant of substrate inhibition KS = 10.0 +/- 0.8 mg fat/ml, equilibrium constant KP = 277 +/- 170 mg fat/ml, and activation energy of beef fat hydrolysis by pancreatic lipase Ea = 19.1 +/- 1.1 kJ/mole. The time course method used could be applied to develop biotransformation of poorly assimilated fats to more valuable products.     

The use of microwave oven for the rapid hydrolysis of bile acid methyl esters.

An efficient and convenient procedure for the hydrolysis of bile acid methyl esters is described. This is achieved by the addition of aqueous lithium hydroxide in methanol/dioxane/tetrahydrofuran (or dimethylformamide) in the microwave oven. Under these conditions the formates as well as the acetate derivatives prepared under microwave irradiation conditions were also hydrolyzed, and the desired bile acids were isolated in 86-94% yield. All these reactions were completed in the microwave oven within 45-60 s.     

The hydrolysis of cholesterol esters in plasma lipoproteins by hormone-sensitive cholesterol esterase from adipose tissue.

Adipose tissue contains a high level of neutral esterase active against emulsions of cholesteryl oleate. The present studies show that this enzyme can also effectively hydrolyze the cholesterol esters in native rat plasma high density lipoproteins (HDL) and low density lipoproteins (LDL). The hydrolysis of lipoprotein cholesterol esters by a pH 5.2 isoelectric precipitate fraction from the freshly prepared 100,000 X g supernatant of chicken adipose tissue was low, but increased more than 50-fold on activation with cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. Rat adipose tissue homogenates were also very active against lipoprotein cholesterol esters, hydrolyzing as much as 60% of the total labeled cholesterol ester in HDL or LDL in 1 h. Activity was optimal at pH 7 and very low at pH 4. No protease activity was detected at pH 7 and, since assays were done in 2 mM EDTA, phospholipase A activity was presumably negligible. The results show that hormone-sensitive cholesterol esterase of adipose tissue has ready access to the neutral lipid core of plasma lipoproteins, either because the enzyme penetrates the polar shell or because the cholesterol ester in the core is exposed, at least intermittently, to allow enzyme-substrate complex formation. Whether or not this enzyme activity plays a role in lipoprotein degradation by adipose tissue remains to be determined.     

Human tissue kallikrein. I. Isolation and characterization of human pancreatic kallikrein from duodenal juice

Human pancreatic kallikrein was purified from duodenal juice by ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose and immunoaffinity chromatography. Thus, an enzyme preparation with a specific activity (using Ac-Phe-Arg-OEt as substrate) of 1 000 U/mg protein was obtained. A specific biological activity of 1310 KE/mg protein was measured in the dog blood pressure assay and of 0.361 HMW kininogen-U/mg, corresponding to the liberation of 383 micrograms bradykinin-equivalents per mg enzyme per min from HMW kininogen in the rat uterus assay. In dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis one protein band corresponding to a molecular mass of 27 kDa was obtained. Using gel filtration on Ultrogel AcA-44 a molecular mass of 40 kDa was measured. The amino-acid composition was determined and isoleucine and alanine were identified as the only N-terminal amino-acid residues. On isoelectric focusing four protein bands with isoelectric points of 5.60, 5.65, 5.70 and 5.85 were separated. The bimolecular velocity constant for the inhibition by diisopropyl fluoro phosphate was determined as 10.5 l x mol-1 x min-1. The dissociation constant Ki of the human pancreatic kallikrein-aprotinin complex was calculated to be 1.5 x 10(-10)M. The kinetic constants for the kallikrein-catalysed hydrolysis of Ac-Phe-Arg-OEt and D Val-Leu-Arg-Nan were determined. Immunological studies showed a close relationship between the human pancreatic kallikrein and other human tissue kallikreins, especially with human urinary kallikrein. Detergents such as Triton X-100, Tween 20 and lysolecithin, as well as human serum albumin, activated the human pancreatic kallikrein preparation.     

First enantioselective hydrolysis of n-alkyl sec-alkyl carbonates by porcine pancreatic lipase

Summary n-Alkyl sec-alkyl carbonates were enantioselectively hydrolyzed by porcine pancreatic lipase to give optically active (R)-sec-alkanols. (R)-1-Phenylethanol with an optical purity of >99%ee was obtained by the resolving method.     

Single-chain, low molecular weight kininogen in the blood plasma of rabbits: isolation and fragmentation by porcine pancreatic kallikrein

A highly purified preparation of low molecular weight kininogen (LMrK) was isolated from the plasminogen-free rabbit blood plasma, using chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B, gel filtration on Ultrogel AcA 34 and Sephadex G-100 as well as gradient chromatography on a hydroxylapatite column. The yield of the 320-fold purified LMrK was 16%. Trypsin released 13-14 micrograms-eq. of bradykinin (BK) from 1 mg of LMrK or 0.85-0,95 mol of BK per mol of kininogen. Rabbit LMrK consists of one polypeptide chain of Mr 69 000 and pI 4.63. Porcine pancreatic kallikrein splits off kinin from the LMrK polypeptide chain by disrupting two peptide bonds resulting in the formation of S-S-bound two chain molecule. After reduction of the S-S bonds by dithioerithritol the latter is separated into a heavy (Mr 61 000) and light (Mr 6 800) chains. A biologically active peptide was isolated from the products of CNBr cleavage of LMrK. This peptide consists of Lys-BK elongated from the C-terminal with several amino acid residues. Rabbit LMrK closely resembles human LMrK in terms of Mr, pI and location of the kinin fragment in the protein molecule.     

The hydrolysis of esters of N-hippurylglycine and N-pivaloylglycine by carboxypeptidase A

The kinetics of the hydrolysis of five esters of N-hippurylglycine (C6H5CONHCH2CONHCH2CO2CRR1CO2H (2 approximately) and seven esters of N-pivaloylglycine ((CH3)3CCONHCH2CRR1CO2H (3 approximately)) by bovine pancreatic carboxypeptidase A (Peptidyl-L-amino-acidhydrolase, EC 3.4.12.2) have been studied at pH 7.5, 25 degrees C and ionic strength 0.5. All N-hippurylglycine esters (2: R=H, R1=H, C2H5, 4-ClC6H4, C6H5CH2) display Michaelis-Menten kinetics up to at least 0.1 M substrate. The N-pivaloylglycine esters display either Michaelis-Menten kinetics (3 approximately: R=H, R1=H, C2H5 C6H5), substrate activation (3 approximately: R=H, R1=4-ClC6H4; R=R1=CH3) or substrate inhibition (3 approximately: R=H, R1=(CH3)2CHCH2, C6H5CH2). Kinetic parameters have been evaluated for each ester and compared with those for the corresponding hippuric acid esters (1 approximately). The enzymic specificity is shown to be identical for the alcohol moieties of the esters 1 approximately, 2 approximately and 3 approximately and unrelated to the occurrence of substrate activation or inhibition phenomena. These latter phenomena are shown to be characteristic of the enzymic hydrolysis of N-acyl amino acid esters but unimportant for N-acyl dipeptide ester substrates.