Peptidasen

Summary Using fresh frozen (with and without semipermeable membranes), freeze-dried or sections from aldehyde fixed material and hexazotized p-rosaniline for simultaneous coupling more than 20 different unsubstituted or substituted l-amino acid naphthylamides are split especially in the microvilli and/or stereocilia of the small intestine, kidney and epididymis from rats. Further sites of positive reactions can be revealed by l-alanyl, l-leucyl, l-lysyl, ,l-glutamyl, ,l-glutamyl, l-asparaginyl, N-benzoyl-l-arginyl, N-carbobenzoxy-l-arginyl and N-benzoyl-l-phenylalanyl 2-naphthylamide. Among the substituted and unsubstituted peptide 2-naphthylamides l-prolyl-l-arginyl 2-naphthylamide is not hydrolysed in visible amounts; l-arginyl-l-arginyl, l-alanyl-l-arginyl-l-arginyl, l-alanyl-l-leucyl-l-tyrosyl, l-histidyl-l-seryl, l-seryl-l-tyrosyl and l-glycyl-l-phenylalanyl 2-naphthylamide are metabolized in the renal and intestinal brush border; the reaction pattern obtained with N-carbobenzoxy-l-glycyl-l-glycyl-l-arginyl 2-naphthylamide differs from that of N-carbobenzoxy-l-arginyl 2-naphthylamide. In addition l-glycyl-l-prolyl, l-leucyl-l-alanyl, l-lysyl-l-alanyl and l-alanyl-l-phenylalanyl-l-prolyl 2-naphthylamide are also split in the lysosomes of many organs and the secretion granules of gland cells.

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PeptidasenI. Histochemische Untersuchungen mit 2-Naphthylamiden und Hexazonium-p-rosanilin

Zusammenfassung Mit hexazotiertem p-Rosanilin als Simultankuppler werden in frischen (mit und ohne semipermeable Membranen), gefriergetrockneten und in Schnitten von aldehyd-fixiertem Material mehr als 20 unsubstituierte oder substituierte Aminosäure-2-naphthylamide nahezu ausschließlich in den Mikrovilli und/oder Stereocilien von Dünndarm, Nebenhoden und Niere von Ratten umgesetzt. Weitere positive Reaktionsorte liefern l-Alanyl-, l-Leucyl-, l-Lysyl-, ,l-Glutamyl-, ,l-Glutamyl-, l-Asparaginyl-, N-Benzoyl-l-arginyl-, N-Carbobenzoxy-l-arginyl- und N-Benzoyl-l-phenylalanyl-2-naphthylamid. Unter den Peptid-2-naphthylamiden wird l-Prolyl-l-arginyl-2-naphthylamid nicht in sichtbarer Menge hydrolysiert; l-Alanyl-l-arginyl-l-arginyl-, l-Arginyl-l-arginyl-, l-Asparaginyl-l-arginyl-, l-Alanyl-l-leucyl-l-tyrosyl-, l-Histidyl-l-seryl-, l-Seryl-l-tyrosyl- und l-Glycyl-l-phenylalanyl-2-naphthylamid setzen der renale und intestinale Bürstensaum um. N-Carbobenzoxy-l-glycyl-l-glycyl-l-arginyl-2-naphthylamid liefert verglichen mit Benzoyl- und N-Carbobenzoxy-l-arginyl-2-naphthylamid zusätzliche Resultate. Mit l-Glycyl-l-prolyl-, l-Leucyl-l-alanyl-, l-Lysyl-l-alanyl-und l-Alanyl-l-phenylalanyl-l-prolyl-2-naphthylamid reagieren die Lysosomen zahlreicher Organe und Sekretgranula positiv.

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Mit Unterstützung durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Sonderforschungsbereich 105)     

The relationship between plasma membrane lipid composition and physical-chemical properties. I. Fluorescence polarization studies of fatty acid-altered EL4 tumor cell membranes

EL4 cells were cultured with exogenous fatty acids under conditions that resulted in their incorporation into membrane phospholipids. The behavior of the fluorescent lipid probes diphenylhexatriene and perylene was monitored in intact EL4 cells and in isolated EL4 plasma membranes. In whole cells substituted with unsaturated fatty acids, there was always a marked decrease in the $\text{P}$ value of both probes compared to the $\text{P}$ value of the probes in unsubstituted cells. In whole cells substituted with saturated fatty acids, on the other hand, $\text{P}$ values for both probes were unchanged compared to unsubstituted cells. In plasma membrane isolated from EL4 cells, no difference in $\text{P}$ values for either probe was observed among membranes from unsubstituted, saturated fatty acid substituted or unsaturated fatty acid substituted cells, even when the degree of fatty acid substitution was quite substantial. Most of the fluorescent signal for both probes in whole cells appeared to come from cytoplasmic lipid droplets. The value of techniques such as fluorescent polarization for monitoring physical properties of membranes (such as ‘fluidity’) is discussed.     

Trifluoroacetylated peptides as substrates and inhibitors of elastase: a nuclear magnetic resonance study.

Trifluoroacetyl di- and tripeptides have been synthesized in order to investigate their interactions with elastase by proton and fluorine magnetic resonance. These substituted peptides behave as substrates or inhibitors of the enzyme, depending upon their length. They are hydrolyzed with production of trifluoracetic acid and unsubstituted parent peptides exclusively. The amino acid specificity observed and the absence of hydrolysis in the presence of an enzyme substituted at the serine residue of the active site indicate that the trifluoracetic hydrolysis occurs at this site. It requires the fixation of the C-terminal amino acids at the two S' subsites, as does the peptidic hydrolysis of unsubstituted or acetylated oligoalanines. Trifluoracetyl tripeptides exhibit a much higher affinity for the protein, as compared with the unsubstituted or acetylated peptides as well as compared with the trifluoroacetyl dipeptides, and they act as powerful inhibitors of the enzyme. The inhibitory binding mode has been shown to involve the fixation of the trifluoroacetyl group at subsite S4 or in its vicinity, allowing for the cooperative fixation of the C-terminal alanine at S1 and the accommodation of a transproline at S2.     

Substrate specificities of Cl- -activated arginine aminopeptidases from human and rat origin

The substrate specificities of four Cl^?-activated arginine aminopeptidases purified from the livers and inflammatory exudates of the rat, human fetal livers, and human erythrocytes were studied using peptides and N-l-aminoacyl-2-naphthylamides as substrates. With 2-naphthylamide substrates, these aminopeptidases showed similar substrate specificity; only the derivatives of Arg and Lys were measurably hydrolyzed. Di- and tripeptides with Arg or Lys as the N-terminal residue were readily split by the enzymes from the livers and inflammatory exudates of the rat and human fetal livers but oligopeptides were not hydrolyzed. Arg- and Lys-peptides were also hydrolyzed by the erythrocyte enzyme but this enzyme additionally split several other peptides, oligopeptides being hydrolyzed at internal bonds. The following properties were similar for all four arginine aminopeptidases: Dipeptides were preferred over tripeptides both in substrate binding and catalysis. The rat and human liver, rat exudate, and human erythrocyte enzymes revealed similar K_m values for the best substrates, the values increasing in the following order: ArgPhe, ArgTrp, ArgLys < ArgVal, ArgGly, Arg-2-naphthylamide < ArgGlyGly. The k_cat values were also similar for the four arginine aminopeptidases. Arg-2-naphthylamide was by far the most rapidly hydrolyzed substrate by all enzymes followed by ArgPhe and ArgTrp. With peptide substrates the highest Cl^? activation (10–20%) was found with ArgPhe and ArgTrp. With Arg-2-naphthylamide, however, the activating effect of 0.2 m Cl^? was severalfold. The hydrophobicity of the C-terminal residue of the substrate seemed to play an important role both in the Cl^? effect and substrate catalysis. Substrate binding, however, also depended on the charged groups of the substrate. Evidently Arg-2-naphthylamide and the peptides were hydrolyzed at the same active center but the mechanisms involved in the hydrolyses of chromogenic substrates and peptides may be different. It was also concluded that the less specific Cl^?-activated enzyme from human erythrocytes does not belong to the same group of Cl^?-activated arginine aminopeptidases that show a narrow substrate specificity.     

The use of hexazonium-p-rosanilin in the histochemical demonstration of peptidases.

The suitability of hexazonium-p-rosanilin (HP) in the histochemical demonstration of peptidases was investigated. The detection was carried out in cold mictrotome sections adherent to slides or semipermeable membranes. Alanyl-1-naphthylamide, alanyl-2-naphthylamide, leucyl-2-naphthylamide, leucyl-4-methoxy-2-naphthylamide (all substrates in concentration of 0.4 mg/1 ml of citrate phosphate buffer pH 6.5), gamma-L-glutamyl-1-naphthylamide, gamma-L-glutamyl-2-naphthylamide (both substances in concentration of 0.24 mg/1 ml of acetate buffer pH 6.5) were used as the substrates. Results were compared with those obtained with Fast Blue B and Fast Garnet GBC. In comparison with Fast Blue B and Fast Garnet GBC HP is a faster coupler, furnishes azodyes which are stable, amorphous (even without lipid extractions from sections), more substantive and in the case of 1-naphthylamine almost insoluble in ordinary lipid solvents used for the dehydration and clearing of sections before mounting. The molecular extinction coefficient of azodyes furnished by HP is 1.5X higher for 1-naphthylamine than for 2-naphthylamine. It is higher than that of Fast Garnet GBC, however, lower than that of Fast Blue B. The inhibitory influence of individual diazonium salts on enzyme activity (activities) splitting leucyl-2-naphthylamide amounts to 36% (Fast Garnet GBC), 37% (Fast Blue B), 52% (HP, 0.03 ml/1 ml) and 63% (HP, 0.09 ml/1 ml) at pH 6.5. For gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase the corresponding values are 50%, 59%, 62% and 67%. The higher inhibitory influence of HP is compensated by the possibility of its using in the technic of semipermeable membranes. HP improves greatly the localization of peptidases in cold microtome sections from which lipids were not extracted. The best results are furnished by 1-naphthylamine dervatives. In the case of 4-methoxy-2-naphthylamine derivatives the localization is very sharp, however, the azodye is less distinct than that of 2-naphthylamine. The localization as obtained with HP in combination with substrates derived of simple naphthylamines is similar or even better than with 4-methoxy-2-naphthylamine derivatives applied with Fast Blue B. Typical examples are shown.     

Structural characteristics of native and enzymically formed dextran of S. sanguis ATCC 10558.

The structure of the native dextran produced by Streptococcus sanguis ATCC 10558 was analyzed by g.l.c.-m.s. of the methylated alditol acetates derived from the polymer. The results indicate that the polymer contains D-glucosyl residues substituted at C-6 or C-3, or both, as well as unsubstituted D-glucosyl residues. These data aially purified dextransucrase on sucrose. The proportion of D-glucosyl residues substituted at C-3 is diminished in this case. It is concluded that several enzymes are involved in the dextran synthesis.     

Thermal denaturation of DNA from bromodeoxyuridine substituted cells.

The thermal denaturation of DNA from cell lines extensively substituted with bromodeoxyuridine has been examined spectrophotometrically over a wide range in ionic strength and by thermal elution from hydroxyapatite columns. BrdU substitution stabliizes DNA at all ionic strengths between 7.5 mM and 1350 mM potassium ion concentration, although a plot of log ionic strength vs Tm deviates from linearity above 150 mM. This nonlinearity is most pronounced with BrdU-substituted DNAs, resulting in a lowered delta Tm between unsubstituted and substituted DNA with increasing ionic strength. DMSO is shown to decrease the Tm of both unsubstituted and BrdU-substituted DNA equally, at a rate of .5 degrees C per 1% DMSO.     

Structural features of a water-soluble arabinoxylan from the endosperm of wheat.

A cold-water-soluble wheat-endosperm arabinoxylan consisting of a backbone of (1----4)-linked beta-D-xylopyranosyl residues that are variously unsubstituted, and 3- or 2,3-substituted with single alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl groups, was subjected to 1H-n.m.r. spectroscopy. The results of 2D homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn and 1D 1H-n.m.r. spectroscopy allowed the identification of 3- and 2,3-substituted xylose residues, each with adjacent unsubstituted xylose residues, and also substituted xylose residues with a substituted xylose residue as a neighbour. The 1H-n.m.r. data were correlated with 13C-n.m.r. data by means of a 13C-1H 2D proton-detected heteronuclear multiple-quantum correlation experiment, which showed that only different types of branching (i.e., 3- and 2,3-) can be identified by the 13C-n.m.r. data.     

Quantitative determination of anomeric forms of sugar produced by amylases. V. Anomeric forms of maltose produced in the hydrolytic reaction of substituted phenyl alpha-maltosides catalyzed by saccharifying alpha-amylase from B. subtilis.

1. Hydrolyses of phenyl alpha-maltoside and its derivatives with various substituents (p-NO2, p-C1, p-CH3, p-C2H5, and p-C(CH3)3) catalyzed by saccharifying alpha-amylase from B. subtilis3 [EC 3.2.1.1] were studied under conditions such that the products were only maltose and the corresponding phenols (1), in order to determine quantitatively the anomeric form of the sugar produced from each substrate. 2. At the optimum pH of this enzyme (pH-5.4), maltose released from all the substituted substrates studied was entirely in the beta-form. These results are in remarkable contrast to the previous finding that alpha-maltose is exclusively produced from unsubstituted phenyl alpha-maltoside by this enzyme (2). 3. At pH 6.18 and 6.73, maltose produced from unsubstituted phenyl alpha-maltoside (?M) or p-tert-butylphenyl alpha-maltoside (PTB?M) was a mixture of alpha- and beta-anomers, the ratio being dependent on pH as follows: For ?M, the percentage of alpha-anomer was 100% (pH 5.4), 80 (pH 6.18), and 55% (pH 6.73), whereas for PTB?M, the percentage of beta-anomer was 100% (pH 5.4), 75% (pH 6.18), and 60% (pH 6.73).     

Distribution of the core histones H2A.H2B.H3 and H4 during cell replication.

The distribution of newly synthesized core histones H2A, H2B, H3 and H4 relative to the DNA strand synthesized in the same generation has been examined in replicating Chinese Hamster ovary cells. Cells are grown for one generation in [14C]-lysine and thymidine, and then for one generation in [3H]-lysine and 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrUdRib) and a further generation in unlabeled lysine and thymidine. This protocol produces equal amounts of unifilarly substituted and unsubstituted DNA. Monomer nucleosomes isolated from chromatin containing these two types of DNA can be distinguished by crosslinking with formaldehyde and banding to equilibrium in CsCl density gradients. The results indicate that the core histones are equally distributed between the two types of DNA. These findings are discussed in terms of current models for chromatin replication; they do not support any long term association of newly replicated histones with either the leading or lagging side of the replication fork.     

Partial purification and characterization of an ovarian tripeptidyl peptidase: a lysosomal exopeptidase that sequentially releases collagen-related (Gly-Pro-X) triplets

The pregnant hog ovary is a rich source of a novel exopeptidase that catalyzes the release, at pH 5.0, of collagen-related (P3-P2-P1) "triplets" such as Gly-Pro-Met, Gly-Pro-Arg, and Gly-Pro-Ala from arylamide derivatives, provided the N termini are unsubstituted. Corresponding derivatives of related (P2-P1) dipeptides (Pro-Met, Pro-Ala) or (P1) amino acids (Met, Arg, Ala) are not attacked. The enzyme was purified 58-fold from a detergent extract of a water-extracted tissue residue. Activity was determined on Gly-Pro-Met-2-naphthylamide at pH 4.5 and 37 degrees C (Km 0.45 mM; Vmax 722 nmoles/min/mg protein). The responsible Mr 55,000 exopeptidase, termed "tripeptidyl peptidase", forms high-Mr aggregates, belongs to the serine catalytic class, and has a lysosomal localization. Gly-Pro-Ala triplets were released sequentially at pH 5.0 from a Mr 14,000 polypeptide, poly(Gly-Pro-Ala-). When this reaction was coupled to that of homologous dipeptidyl peptidase II, the liberated tripeptides were reduced to dipeptides and free amino acids: (Gly-Pro-Ala)n----nGly-Pro-Ala----nGly-Pro + nAla.     

Bis-intercalative binding to DNA of novel bis(10-methyl)acridinium chlorides and its dependence on chain length of linker.

The synthesis of a series of novel bis(10-methyl)acridinium compounds (both unsubstituted and the 6-chloro-2-methoxy substituted) linked by methylene bridges of lengths from (CH2)4 to (CH2)12 and in one case by spermine is described. Their ability to bind to duplex DNA was compared by their relative inhibition of E. coli DNA polymerase catalyzed DNA synthesis. It was determined that they function as DNA template inhibitors and do not affect the DNA polymerase directly. Their ability to function as bis-intercalators was assessed by a novel and convenient topoisomerase fluorescent assay. It was concluded that whereas the (CH2)4-linked compounds act only as monofunctional intercalators because of steric constraints the (CH2)6-, (CH2)8-, and (CH2)10-linked substituted bisacridinium compounds, as well as the (CH2)10- and (CH2)12- unsubstituted analogues, function as bis-intercalators with DNA.     

Preparation and characterisation of chitosans with oligosaccharide branches

The trimer 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-(1-->4)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-(1-->4)-2,5-anhydro-D-mannofuranose (A-A-M) was reductively N-alkylated onto a fully de-N-acetylated chitosan (F(A)<0.001, DP(n)=25) to obtain branched chitosans with degree of substitution (DS) of 0.070, 0.23 and 0.40, as determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The apparent pK(a) values of the primary and secondary amines of the chitosans substituted with the trimer A-A-M were determined by monitoring the chemical shift of the H-2 of GlcN, and were determined as 6.5-6.9 for the primary (unsubstituted) amines and as 5.0-5.2 for the secondary (substituted) amines. The intrinsic pK(a) values (pK(int)) were found to be 7.3-7.4 for the substituted and 8.7 for the unsubstituted amines. The chitosan branched with A-A-M (DS 0.40) was found to be soluble in aqueous solution over the entire pH range. SEC-MALLS (size-exclusion chromatography with a multi-angle laser light scattering detector) further showed that addition of branches did not affect the molar hydrodynamic volume of the chitosan.     

Interaction of cyanine dyes with nucleic acids. XII.beta-substituted carbocyanines as possible fluorescent probes for nucleic acids detection.

Results of investigations of fluorescent properties of a beta-substituted carbocyanine and its complexes with nucleic acids in comparison with those for the unsubstituted dye are presented. Carbocyanine substituted in polymethine chain has shown promising properties for use as a fluorescent probe in homogeneous systems of nucleic acids detection.     

The fate of human polymorphonuclear leukocyte aminopeptidases upon cell stimulation with phagocytic and chemical stimuli.

1. After being treated with nonopsonized zymosan A or phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, human polymorphonuclear leukocytes release aminopeptidases together with granules marker-enzymes and vitamin B12-binding protein. 2. Chemotactic peptide, fMet-Leu-Phe and its analogs, fMet-Phe, fMet-Ala and fMet-Leu-Phe-Lys have a similar effect. 3. By their isoelectric point determinations the released aminopeptidases correspond to the enzymes from granules. Among aminopeptidases released the highest activities were those toward methionine- and alanine-2-naphthylamide and the lowest one toward arginine-2-naphthylamide.     

Incorporation of 5-bromodeoxycytidine in the adenovirus 2 replication origin interferes with nuclear factor 1 binding.

We have studied the binding of nuclear factor 1 (NFI), a human sequence-specific DNA-binding protein, to a DNA fragment substituted in vitro with 5-bromodeoxycytidine (5-BrdC). Even at low substitution grades binding of NFI to its recognition sequence was considerably lower than with the unsubstituted control fragment. We developed a procedure to cleave substituted DNA specifically at a BrdC residue and searched for contacts between NFI and 5-BrdC residues by an interference assay. Surprisingly, no specific contacts were found in or near the recognition sequence. It appeared instead that interference was inversely related to the distance of a 5-BrdC residue from the NFI binding site. Models to explain these results, including a possible sliding mechanism, are discussed.     

Studies on the specificity of action of bacteriophage T4 lysozyme.

Lysozyme from bacteriophage T4 was found to digest a soluble, uncrosslinked peptidoglycan which is secreted by cells of Micrococcus luteus when incubated in the presence of penicillin G. Analysis of the enzymatic degradation products shows that T4 acts as an endo-acetylmuramidase capable of cleaving glycosidic bonds only at muramic acid residues that are substituted with peptide side-chains. The results indicate that the secreted peptidoglycan may consist of a mixture of chains, approximately half of which are substituted by peptide side chains on most of their muramic acid residues, while the other half is made up of chains in which the muramic acid moieties are unsubstituted.     

Mineral Supported Facile Synthesis of Novel 4-Hydroxybenzoxazin-2-Thione N-Nucleosides

One-pot montmorillonite K-10 clay-supported reactions of substituted/unsubstituted salicylaldehyde and ribosyl/deoxyribosyl thioureas expeditiously yielded novel N-nucleosides, 4-hydroxy-3,4-dihydro-3-(β-D-ribofuranosyl or β-D-2 ′-deoxyribofuranosyl)-2 ^″-benz[e]-1,3-oxazin-2-thione via cycloisomerization of aldehyde intermediate under solvent-free microwave irradiation conditions.