Studies on trypsin inhibitors. Part VI. Synthesis of the protected nonapeptide (sequence 44-52) of porcine pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor II (Kazal).

Synthesis is described of the partially protected nonapeptide tert-butyloxycarbonyl-valylleucylisoleucylglutaminyl-N-trifluoroacetyllsylserylglycylprolyl-S-acetamido-methylcysteine corresponding to positions 44-52 of the amino acid sequence of porcine pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor II. The hexapeptide free base glutaminyl-N-trifluoroacetyllsylserylglycylprolyl-S-acetamidomethylcysteine, prepared by two alternative routes, was acylated by the azide procedure, with the tripeptide tert-butyloxycarbonylvalylleucylisoleucine hydrazide. The stereochemical homogeneity of the resulting nonapeptide was assessed, after partial deprotection by treatment with aqueous 90% trifluoroacetic acid, by digestion with papain and aminopeptidase M followed by quantitative amino acid analysis.     

Arrangement of a highly repeated DNA sequence in the genome and chromatin of the African green monkey.

The DNA of the African green monkey contains three components that are distinguishable by the kinetics of reassociation. The rapidly reassociating component represents about 20% of the total DNA and is composed almost entirely of a sequence (AGMr(HindIII)-1) which is repeated 6.8 x 10(6) times. The majority of the AGMr(HindIII)-1 sequences are organized in long tandem repeats of a segment of 172 base pairs in length. However, a fraction of the AGMr (HindIII)-1 sequences is interspersed with another 37% of the genome. The structure of the chromatin containing the AGMr-(HindIII)-1 sequence is indistinguishable from that containing total DNA. Furthermore, there is nothing inherent in the nucleotide sequence of AGMr(HindIII)-1 which specifies a unique location for nucleosomes.     

The repetitive sequence structure of component alpha DNA and its relationship to the nucleosomes of the African green monkey.

An analysis of the repeat structure of the highly repetitive sequence, component α DNA of the African green monkey, shows that the DNA contains restriction sites for EcoRI, $\text{Eco}\text{RI}{}^1$, HindIII and HaeIII. All four restriction enzyme activities indicate a basic repeat length of 176 ± 4 base-pairs. In addition to primary $\text{Eco}\text{RI}{}^1$ and HindIII sites, about 59% of the repeat sequences contain secondary $\text{Eco}\text{RI}{}^1$ sites and about 36% of the repeat sequences contain secondary HindIII sites. The secondary sites are located less than 176 base-pairs from the primary sites and their cleavage yields several complex series of minor, intermediate segments in gels of the partial $\text{Eco}\text{RI}{}^1$ or HindIII digests. Cleavage at the secondary sites yields segments shorter than the unit monomer in the limit digests. The sites for EcoRI, $\text{Eco}\text{RI}{}^1$, HindIII and HaeIII have been mapped within the repeat unit.Treatment of the monkey nuclei with micrococcal nuclease at 2 °C and in the presence of 80 mm-NaCl reveals two distinct populations of nucleosomes. One population contains bulk DNA sequences, and after cleavage with micrococcal nuclease this population yields heterogeneous segments of DNA spanning 180 to 200 base-pairs in length. The other population contains component α sequences and after cleavage with micrococcal nuclease yields homogeneous segments of component α DNA that are exact multiples of the basic sequence repeat unit of 176 base-pairs. Thus, the cleavage by micrococcal nuclease of nucleosomal arrays containing component α sequences is as regular and precise as the cleavage of the purified DNA by the restriction enzymes. The resolution of the two distinct subsets of nucleosomes in the monkey nuclei is dependent upon the conditions of ionic strength and temperature employed during the nuclear isolation and the micrococcal nuclease digestion.These observations are consistent with a phase relation between the component α repeat sequences and the associated nucleosomal proteins (Musich et al., 1977b). They are also in accord with the hypothesis that the subunit structure of constitutive heterochromatin modulates or determines the repeat sequence structure and hence, the evolution of many highly repetitive mammalian DNAs (Maio et al., 1977).     

Comparative sequence and expression analyses of African green monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops) TNPO3 from CV-1 cells

Transportin 3 (TNPO3 or TRN-SR2) is a key host cellular factor involved in the early steps of several lentiviral replications. In the present study, we cloned the TNPO3 gene from CV-1 cells of African green monkey (AGM) using a homologue based cloning technology, analyzed the sequence, and evaluated the cellular expression of the proteins by western blotting and immunostaining assays. DNA sequencing of TNPO3 showed homologies of 99 % with human, rhesus monkey, chimpanzee, and baboon; the predicted protein sequence differed in only one amino acid (leucine in place of methionine). The deduced sequence revealed that AGM is phylogenetically related to human, chimpanzee, rhesus monkey, orangutan and baboon rather than bovine, rate and mouse. Western blot analysis demonstrated immunoreactive proteins in both the cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions. A similar expression pattern was observed in human and baby hamster cells. The specific detection of TNPO3 was also confirmed in the cytoplasm and nucleus by immunostaining. The present findings conclusively demonstrate that AGM-TNPO3 is genetically and physiologically almost identical with that of humans and could be a good candidate for HIV and AGM research as well as an ideal system for a TNPO3 vaccine trial.     

A synthetic nonapeptide corresponding to the NH2-terminal sequence of C3d-K causes leukocytosis in rabbits

Numerous biologically active fragments have been described that are derived from the C3 molecule. Recently, a polypeptide (Mr 41,000) generated from the alpha chain of human iC3b by limited proteolysis with plasma kallikrein was shown to exhibit several biological functions. This C3-derived cleavage product, C3d-K, suppresses mitogen- and antigen-induced proliferation of human T-lymphocytes and induces leukocytosis in rabbits. We have identified and synthesized a portion of C3d-K that is associated with the leukocytosis phenomenon. A nonapeptide corresponding to the amino-terminal nine residues of C3d-K was synthesized using conventional Merrifield solid-phase peptide chemistry; the structure of this peptide is Thr-Leu-Asp-Pro-Glu-Arg-Leu-Gly-Arg (TLDPERLGR). At a final concentration of 4 X 10(-6) M, both the nonapeptide and the des-Arg octapeptide (TLDPERLG) were capable of inducing leukocytosis in rabbits. Additionally, both peptides enhance vascular permeability when injected in guinea pig skin. These activities are similar to those previously attributed to a C3 fragment identified as C3e by Ghebrehiwet and Müller-Eberhard (Ghebrehiwet, B., and Müller-Eberhard, H.J. (1979) J. Immunol. 123, 616-621). We conclude that the nonapeptide TLDPERLGR represents the active center of the C3-derived leukocytosis factors C3e and C3d-K. This active synthetic analogue of C3d-K should prove valuable in elucidating the mechanism of action for complement-dependent leukocyte mobilization in vivo.     

Synthesis of igercine--the C-terminal nonapeptide from human immunoglobulin E

Conventional methods of peptide chemistry have been used to synthesize the C-terminal nonapeptide from human immunoglobulin E, which is a potential cytophilic binding site of the IgE molecule responsible for its primary recognition and binding to specific target cell receptors.     

Nucleotide sequence analysis and enhancer function of long terminal repeats associated with an endogenous African green monkey retroviral DNA.

The nucleotide sequence and enhancer activity of the long terminal repeats (LTRs) associated with a cloned endogenous African green monkey (AGM) retroviral DNA designated as lambda-AGM-1 was studied. A unique feature of the endogenous AGM proviral LTRs was the presence of multiple copies of two types of directly repeating units in the U3 region: 16 8-base-pair (bp) repeats were present in the 5' LTR and 12 were present in the 3' LTR which were bound by a 6-bp perfect direct repeat; tandem duplication of a 32-bp sequence resulted in 3.5 copies in the 5' LTR and 2.5 copies in the 3' LTR. Nucleotide sequence homology was seen between the 8-bp direct repeats located in the AGM proviral LTRs and a 10-bp repeat unit of the deca-satellite present in AGM cellular DNA. The 32-bp repeats of the AGM proviral LTRs contained sequences which were related to the SV40 21-bp repeats and to the "core" of the SV40 72-bp enhancer element. Furthermore, the AGM provirus was distinct from known infectious retroviruses due to the presence of a primer-binding sequence complementary to the 3' terminus of mammalian tRNAGly. Functional analysis of the 3' LTR present in lambda-AGM-1 DNA by chloramphenicol acetyltransferase assay demonstrated enhancer activity associated with the 32-bp direct repeats. Sequences outside the 32-bp unit were necessary for full activator function, suggesting the presence of multiple enhancer domains in the AGM provirus.     

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.     

Nucleosome arrangement in alpha-satellite chromatin of African green monkey cells.

By analyzing the accessibility of restriction endonuclease sites in African green monkey alpha-satellite chromatin, we demonstrate the absence of a unique phase relationship between nucleosomes and alpha-satellite DNA. The data indicate a minimum of three different positions for nucleosome cores relative to the alpha-satellite sequence and suggest a random distribution in at least some regions. In addition, while we confirm published reports that staphylococcal nuclease cuts the alpha-satellite sequence in chromatin at a highly preferred site, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of nuclear digests demonstrates that this site is preferentially cut by staphylococcal nuclease even when it is within the nucleosome core. These data indicate that staphylococcal nuclease is not useful for determining nucleosome positions on alpha-satellite DNA, and perhaps on other specific DNA sequences as well.     

Biological and biochemical studies of African green monkey lymphotropic papovavirus.

The growth of African green monkey lymphotropic papovavirus (LPV) in human lymphoblastoid cell line BJA-B was found to be slow and inefficient due to the accumulation of defective particles. An analysis of molecularly cloned LPV DNAs showed that 3 of 19 clones had DNAs that were longer (5.1 kilobases) than the DNAs of the other clones. The 5.1-kilobase DNA was infectious for BJA-B cells, whereas the shorter (4.8-kilobase) molecules were defective. Unlike the wild-type virus, stocks of LPV made from cloned, infectious DNAs were homogeneous and had higher titers. Using stocks of nondefective LPV, we investigated other biological properties. LPV replication in another human B-lymphoblastoid cell line was observed. The virus did not cause tumors when it was inoculated into newborn hamsters. Serological surveys of human and nonhuman primate sera indicated that virtually all primates, including humans, show evidence of infection by viruses antigenically related to LPV.     

Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of protected N-phosphonomethylglycine dipeptides.

A series of terminally blocked dipeptides containing C-terminal N-phosphonomethylglycine (glyphosate, an extremely effective non-selective post-emergence herbicide) have been synthesized by a solution method. The presence of their two conformers, cis (syn) and trans (anti), was shown in solutions by NMR spectroscopy. Molecular structures of the peptides were also determined in the solid state by X-ray diffraction. The attempts for the selective and total removal of the groups protecting amino, carboxylic and phosphonate functions were in many cases unsuccessful due to the formation of cyclic structures and breakage of the phosphorus-to-carbon bond.     

Chromosome nucleolus organizer regions of the African green monkey

The silver staining Ag-I for detection of nucleolar organizer regions (NOR) in the African green monkey chromosomes was used. NOR were situated on the secondary constrictions of one pair of homologous marker chromosomes and consisted of two parts. A block of condensed chromatin was seen in the middle of the despiralized portion corresponding to the secondary constriction. The data suggest that the stalks of satellites of chromosomes, rather than satellites themselves, are regions of nucleolar organizer.     

Synthesis of protected peptides with the sequence 8-13-1-3 and 4-13-1-3 of mycobacillin and their analogs

We have synthesized both a protected nonapeptide of the mycobacillin 8-13-1-3 amino acid sequence and a protected tridecapeptide of the 4-13-1-3 sequence, which are a fragment and a open chain analog of this antibiotic, respectively. Some of their analogs with a reversed configuration of the amino acids at fixed positions have also been synthesized. The nonapeptides were obtained by coupling partially protected mycobacillin fragments with the sequence 8-10 and 11-13-1-3 while the tridecapeptides were synthesized by coupling partially protected fragments 4-7 and 8-13-1-3. Configuration analogs of these fragments were also used. The coupling methods applied were DCCI/HONSu or DCCI/HOBt. The purification of the synthesized peptides was achieved by means of recrystallization or column chromatography on silica gel. They were characterized mainly by m.p., degree of optical rotation, elemental and amino acid analysis.     

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.