Proteolysis and lectin histochemistry

Summary Lectin binding to formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue can often be enhanced by pre-treatment of the sections with proteolytic enzymes. However, the pattern of staining may be profoundly influenced by the type of enzyme preparation which is used.Sites of binding of thirteen different lectins to murine ovary and thyroid gland were studied after exposure of tissue sections to crude trypsin, purified trypsin, purified -chymotrypsin, pepsin, protease VII, papain, bromelain, thermolysin or elastase. With most lectins, the results obtained were similar regardless of which enzyme was used for proteolytic digestion. However, the pattern of binding of soy bean lectin to the ovary and of concanavalin A and common pea lectin to the thyroid gland was highly dependent upon the enzyme used to pre-treat the sections. In both tissues, the staining pattern seen in untreated frozen sections was similar to that found in formalin-fixed, paraffinembedded material digested with purified trypsin, but was different from that observed after exposure of processed sections to crude trypsin. The location of binding sites after treatment of paraffin sections with chymotrypsin was the same as that after digestion with crude trypsin. Results obtained after the use of other proteolytic enzymes varied according to the tissue being studied.These findings imply that the effect of treatment with crude trypsin is due to contaminating chymotrypsin, and demonstrate that the use of purified trypsin may have advantages over other proteolytic enzymes in lectin histochemistry. The observations may also apply to other related cytochemical techniques such as immunocytochemistry.     

A convenient automated method for the determination of proteolytic enzymes

An automated method for the assay of proteolytic enzymes is described. The insoluble dye-protein complex, Remazolbrilliant Blue-hide powder, is used as the substrate and is readily digested by trypsin, elastase, subtilisin, thermolysin, chymotrypsin, and to a lesser extent pronase, pepsin, and bacterial collagenase. The proteolytic activity of crude microbial culture preparations is expressed in terms of an equivalent concentration of crystalline trypsin, which itself can be readily determined within the concentration range 0.25–5.0 μg/ml.     

The action of snake venom, phospholipase A and trypsin on purified myelin in vitro.

1. Purified myelin was incubated with snake venom or phospholipase A in the presence of or absence of trypsin at 37 degrees C, pH7.4, for different times. 2. Analysis of the myelin pellet obtained after centrifugation of the myelin sample incubated with snake venom or phospholipase A alone showed conversion of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine into their corresponding lyso compounds. No significant loss of myelin protein was observed in these samples. 3. A marked digestion of basic proteins and proteolipid protein was observed from the myelin pellet when trypsin was present in the incubation mixture. 4. The digestion of basic protein and particularly of proteolipid from myelin suggest that phospholipases may make protein more exposed to proteolytic enzyme for its digestion. 5. The relevance of the co-operative effect of phospholipases and proteinases as a model system of the mechanism of myelin breakdown in degenerative brain diseases is discussed.     

Effect of proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes on the adenylate cyclase activity from brain membranes of Ceratitis capitata

1. The effect of various proteolytic enzymes was assayed on the adenylate cyclase activity in purified brain membrane preparations from the insect Ceratitis capitata. Trypsin, chymotrypsin, papain, thermolysin, elastase, subtilisin and prot. XIV were examined. 2. Trypsin treatment, at 37 degrees C, decreased the adenylate cyclase activity even in the presence of GppNHp that protects the activity from the thermal inactivation. 3. Residual basal, GppNHp- and F(-)-stimulated activities were similar when membrane preparations were preincubated either in the presence or in the absence of GppNHp and F-. 4. All proteolytic activities assayed on the brain membrane preparations, excepting papain, exerted an inhibition of adenylate cyclase in basal conditions. 5. The inhibition was stronger in the presence of F- than in the presence of other regulators. 6. Papain showed also a notable inhibition of adenylate cyclase in the presence of F-. 7. Phospholipase A2 treatment decreased both basal and stimulated activity; however, F(-)-sensitive activity was less affected than basal and GppNHp-sensitive activity. F(-)-stimulated activity was less affected by phospholipase A2 than either basal or GppNHp-stimulated activities. 8. Phospholipids are, then, essential for the highest basal activity, although the relationship between catalytic and nucleotide-regulatory components was unaffected by this treatment.     

An immunologic probe for a defined region of the myelin proteolipid

Antiserum has been prepared against an isolated polypeptide fragment, designated BPS4, which comprises residues 181-211 of the bovine myelin proteolipid. The antiserum recognizes the intact bovine proteolipid protein but not several other polypeptide fragments within the molecule, nor the myelin basic protein, thus demonstrating specificity of the antiserum. In a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, both the major proteolipid and the DM 20 bands observed on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels reacted equally well with the antiserum, indicating that the BPS4 segment is present in both molecular species. The rat myelin proteolipid protein cross-reacted with antiserum against the intact bovine protein but showed minimal cross-reactivity with the antiserum against the bovine BPS4 fragment. This was demonstrated in parallel experiments using three types of preparations, namely, sodium dodecyl sulfate-solubilized myelin, delipidated myelin, and isolated proteolipid apoprotein. The difference between the bovine and rat proteins, which presumably reflects amino acid sequence differences, is thus detectable by the antiserum against the polypeptide fragment but not by the antiserum against the intact protein. Isolated bovine myelin membranes did not bind the antiserum in the absence of detergent or without delipidation. On the other hand, in vesicles reconstituted with the intact bovine apoprotein, the BPS4 segment was oriented on the exterior face of the liposome where it was capable of binding antibody and was susceptible to Pronase digestion.     

The membrane-bound bifunctional peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase protein. Exploration of its domain structure through limited proteolysis

The biosynthesis of alpha-amidated peptides from their glycine-extended precursors is catalyzed by the sequential action of peptidylglycine alpha-hydroxylating monooxygenase (PHM) and peptidyl-alpha-hydroxyglycine alpha-amidating lyase (PAL). The two enzymes are part of a bifunctional, integral membrane protein precursor, peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase (PAM). The major forms of PAM mRNA in the adult rat atrium differ by the presence or absence of optional exon A, a 315-nucleotide segment separating the PHM and PAL domains. Using antipeptide antibodies specific to the PHM, exon A, PAL, and cytoplasmic domains of rat PAM, carbonate-washed atrial membranes were found to contain proteins corresponding to rPAM-1 and rPAM-2. Digestion of atrial membranes with a variety of endoproteinases released PHM and PAL catalytic activities. Dose-response curves indicated that both catalytic activities were extremely resistant to inactivation by trypsin. Endoproteolytic digestion of atrial membranes with trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, thermolysin, or endoproteinase Lys-C generated a 35-kDa PHM fragment. Digestion with trypsin, elastase, thermolysin, or endoproteinase Lys-C generated a 42-kDa PAL fragment. In contrast to the stability exhibited by the PHM and PAL domains, the cytoplasmic domain of PAM was destroyed by most of the enzymes; only digestion with endoproteinase Lys-C generated a stable fragment. Digestion with endoproteinase Arg-C removed the carboxyl-terminal tail from PAM but failed to release the PHM or PAL domains from the membranes. The PHM fragments generated by some of the endoproteinases showed a tendency to adhere to the membranes. Thus the bifunctional PAM protein consists of independent catalytic domains separated from each other and from the putative transmembrane domain by flexible regions accessible to attack by a wide variety of endoproteinases.     

Northrop''s phenomenon; the digestion of proteins by enzymes in the presence of gelatin

1. Evidence has been found that Northrop's phenomenon (so called by us) is produced in the digestion of casein or hemoglobin brought about by trypsin, papain, and pepsin either crude or crystalline in the presence of gelatin. 2. Anson's and Kunitz' methods permit the measure of proteolytic activity of any protease on casein or hemoglobin substrate in the presence of gelatin, even in very small quantities and with prolonged digestion time.     

A major transcriptional regulatory protein (ICP4) of herpes simplex virus type 1 is associated with purified virions

Herpes simplex virus type 1 was purified by density gradient centrifugation, and the virion-associated proteins were resolved by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. By Western blot (immunoblot) analysis with an anti-ICP4 monospecific serum, the results indicated that ICP4, one of the five immediate-early proteins of herpes simplex virus type 1, was associated with the purified virions. To define the location of ICP4 within the virion, trypsin digestion experiments were performed. Purified virions were treated with trypsin in the presence or absence of detergent. The virus envelope appeared to protect ICP4 from the trypsin, since virus-associated ICP4 was sensitive to digestion only after detergent treatment. In addition, ICP4 remained associated with the virus particle when the virion-specific glycoproteins were removed after detergent treatment. Finally, ICP4 was not detected in purified preparations of type A and B capsids isolated from the nuclear fraction of virus-infected cells. The above-mentioned data suggest that detectable amounts of ICP4 are present within the tegument region of the virion.     

Concerted loss of cyclooxygenase and peroxidase activities from prostaglandin H synthase upon proteolytic attack

Prostaglandin H synthase has two distinct enzymatic activities: a cyclooxygenase that forms PGG2 from arachidonate and a peroxidase that can reduce hydroperoxides, such as PGG2, to the corresponding alcohols. The relative sensitivities of the two synthase activities to proteolytic attack have been examined, using trypsin, chymotrypsin, and proteinase K, all known to attack the native apoprotein in the arg 253 region. The relation between the specific activity of the synthase and the loss of the two activities and the cleavage of the synthase subunit during trypsin digestion was also examined. The cyclooxygenase and peroxidase activities declined in concert throughout room temperature digestions with each of the three proteases. There was no indication of a selective loss of either activity in any of the digestions. In separate digestions with the same preparation of synthase, 3.3% (w/w) proteinase K resulted in more extensive loss of activity (90% decrease after 90 min) than did 3% (w/w) trypsin (70% decrease after 120 min) or 5% (w/w) chymotrypsin (60% decrease after 135 min). In tryptic digestions of synthase preparations with cyclooxygenase specific activity between 16 and 125 k units/mg protein, the fractional loss of cyclooxygenase activity was, within experimental error, the same as that of peroxidase activity. The extent of cleavage of the 70 kDa synthase subunit was greater than the loss of enzymatic activity, with the discrepancy being larger for synthase preparations with lower specific activity. The presence of a variable amount of catalytically-inactive, protease-sensitive, synthase protein could account for the difference between surviving activity and intact subunit in six out of the seven synthase preparations examined. Thus, it is likely that the cyclooxygenase and peroxidase activities are destroyed together during proteolytic attack on the arg 253 region of the native synthase apoprotein.     

Enzyme inhibitors from plants. Isolation and characterization of a protease inhibitor from arrow root (Maranta arundinaceae) tuber

A protease inhibitor from arrow root (Maranta arundinaceae) tuber has been isolated in a homogeneous form. The inhibitor has a Mr of 11,000-12,000; it inhibited bovine trypsin, bovine enterokinase, bovine α-chymotrypsin and the proteolytic activity of human and bovine pancreatic preparations. The inhibitor is resistant to pepsin, and elastase. It could withstand heat treatment at 100°C for 60 min and exposure to a wide range of pH (1.0–12.5) for 72 h at 4°C without loss of activity. Arginyl groups are essential for the action of the inhibitor. Preincubation of the inhibitor at pH 3.7 with trypsin or chymotrypsin caused nearly a two-fold increase in inhibitor potency     

A Bowman-Birk inhibitor with anti-elastase activity from Lathyrus sativus L. seeds

Four Bowman-Birk inhibitors, named LSI-1/4, were isolated and purified from Lathyrus sativus L. seeds. The purification procedure consisted of two cation-exchange chromatography steps, followed by gel-filtration and RP-HPLC. Mass spectrometry analysis of LSI-1/4 inhibitors yielded relative molecular masses of 7914.41 for LSI-1, 6867.67 for LSI-2, 7341.24 for LSI-3 and 7460.01 for LSI-4. N-terminal sequences (up to 30 residues) of LSI-1/4 inhibitors were identical with the exception of sequence positions 21, 27 and 28 and highly similar to those of other Bowman-Birk inhibitors isolated from Leguminosae plants. Inhibitors LSI-1/4 were active towards trypsin and α-chymotrypsin, with IC(50) values for 12.6 nM of trypsin ranging from 4.9 to 24.3 nM. A lower activity was observed against bovine α-chymotrypsin (IC(50) values ranging from 0.5 to 3.4 μM for 15.0 nM of α-chymotrypsin). Peptide mapping of the LSI-1 sequence showed the presence of an Ala residue in the second reactive site, thus explaining the low anti-chymotrypsin activity of this inhibitor. In addition, LSI-1 was endowed with anti-elastase activity, being able to inhibit human leukocyte elastase.     

Topological location of diamine oxidase in the transverse plane of rabbit liver microsomal membranes

The transverse topology of diamine oxidase within rabbit liver microsomal membranes was studied by examining the proteolytic digestion of sealed or detergent-permeabilized microsomal vesicles. Trypsin and pronase had no effect on diamine oxidase activity in any incubation conditions tested, while nagarse treatment reduced by 60-70% the enzymic activity of intact microsomes; no further loss of activity was observed in the presence of detergent. These results demonstrate that the active site of diamine oxidase faces the cytoplasmic membrane surface, and suggest that it does not possess or expose on either membrane surfaces bonds susceptible to the proteolytic attack by trypsin or pronase. The possible significance and the biological implications of the results are discussed.     

Protease-catalysed peptide synthesis in solvent-free system

Summary A new method of enzymatic peptide synthesis without any liquid added has been proposed. The method is based on the admixing of N-acylamino acid (peptide) esters and nucleophiles (amides or tert.-butylesters of amino acids or peptides, peptides) with various proteolytic enzymes such as α-chymotrypsin, trypsin, proteinase K, subtilisin, elastase and papain in the presence of Na₂CO₃. 10H₂O. In most instances, acylating components were completely converted within a few hours giving satisfactory yields of desired peptide products.     

Pancreatic enzyme requirements for the dissociation of rat hearts for culture

Summary Nine crude commercially available samples of pancreatic enzyme preparations were examined in an effort to establish enzyme requirements for dissociation of rat heart to single cells for culture. Disc gel electrophoresis, using purified enzymes as references, indicated the presence of at least five enzymes. The levels of these enzymes, trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, lipase, and amylase were quantified in the commercial samples by established enzyme assays. The crude enzyme preparations were compared for their abilities to provide good yields of viable cells from the hearts of neonatal white rats. The abilities of the cells to thrive in culture and to beat rhythmically were also used in the comparison. Commercial purified samples of the five enzymes were used singly and in various combinations in preparing cultures to establish minimal pancreatic enzyme requirements for dissociation of rat hearts. It was concluded that at least trypsin, chymotrypsin, and elastase were required to obtain viable rat heart cells in high yield. Amylase and lipase activities were shown not to be necessary for dissociation. Most commercial samples of trypsin, commonly used to dissociate heart tissue, contain trypsin, chymotrypsin, and elastase in concentrations sufficient to release heart cells in good yield with minimal damage. The destruction of cells observed with some of the commercial samples examined was not due to improper levels of trypsin, chymotrypsin, or elastase. Work is in progress to identify the destructive agent(s). This work was supported in part by United States Public Health Service Grant HL10018 and The Pennsylvania State University Agricultural Experiment Station Grant 1858. Authorized for publication on December 28, 1973 as paper 4602 in the journal series of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station.     

Radial diffusion as a sensitive method for screening endopeptidase activity in plant extracts

The radial diffusion assay was evaluated for its usefulness as a simple, inexpensive assay for screening endopeptidase activity in vegetative plant tissues. Various substrates embedded in agar were tested with trypsin and α-chymotrypsin to select those with the greatest sensitivity for detecting proteolysis. Gelatin was the most sensitive substrate for assays and could be utilized to detect less than 1 ng of α-chymotrypsin and trypsin per 25 μl of solution. Several exopeptidases could not be detected by this method at 1000-fold higher concentrations of enzymes. Extracts of leaves of 17 genera representing 12 families were surveyed semiquantitatively for proteolytic activity. The leaves of genera of the Solanaceae, Leguminosae, Gramineae, and Compositae exhibited the highest levels of activity. Only leaves from Syringa vulgaris (Oleaceae) did not exhibit proteolytic activity with this assay. The method of radial diffusion was successfully employed for the initial concentration and purification of a proteinase from potato leaves.     

Chymotrypsin inhibitors in mosquitoes: Activity profile during development and after blood feeding

Chymotrypsin and trypsin inhibitors persist throughout all developmental instars of Aedes aegypti. After a blood meal, inhibitor activity against chymotrypsin was more than double that of sugar-fed females, but only weak activity was detected in midguts where proteinase inhibitors has been thought to regulate proteinases during blood digestion. A fourfold increase in the ratio of abdominal/thoracic inhibitor activity after the blood meal strongly suggested that fat body, or other abdominal tissues, represent the major source of inhibitor. Chymotrypsin inhibitor activity was deposited in maturing oocytes. Similar results were obtained with blood-fed Anopheles albimanus. Chymotrypsin inhibitor was active against different mosquito proteinases and against bovine α-chymotrypsin and trypsin, but not against subtilisin, pancreatic elastase, or fungal proteases; chymotrypsin inhibitors did not interfere with bacterial growth. The hypothesis on the regulation of blood digestion through the action of proteinase inhibitors during the gonotrophic cycle was abandoned and its involvement in the phenoloxidase cascade in the mosquito egg chorion is suggested instead. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 36:315–333, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Effects of protease treatment on growth,morphology, adhesion,and cell surface proteins of secondary chick embryo fibroblasts

Several proteolytic enzymes have been studied with regard to their ability to induce DNA synthesis and cell proliferation in resting chick embryo fibroblasts. Of the enzymes examined, thrombin, bromelin, and trypsin exhibit potent mitogenic activity, elastase has significant but less marked activity, whereas thermolysin, papain, and α-protease are inactive. The enzymes were also tested for their ability to induce morphological change or to remove two iodinatable proteins of 250,000 and 205,000 daltons. Although the larger protein is removed by some but not all of the proteases examined, every protease tested removed the smaller cell surface protein. The ability of proteases to stimulate cell growth could not be correlated directly with removal of either of these cell surface proteins; however, loss of the smaller protein does correlate with the reduction of both cytoplasmic spreading and cell-cell interactions observed after protease treatment. A secondary, later event of migration of cells into clumps is observed in those instances when protease treatment did not result in a loss of the 250K protein. A role for each of these proteins in the processes of cellular adhesion is discussed.     

Exogenous protease promotes specific antibody forming cell response in vitro

This report presents results from experiments which evaluated the effect of exogenous protease on the in vitro antibody-forming cell (AFC) response of hamster lymphocytes to sheep erythrocytes (SRBC). In the presence of fetal calf serum, trypsin and papain, but not thermolysin, α-chymotrypsin, thrombin, and submaxillary protease, were able to enhance the quantity of AFC which developed. Prior incubation of antigen with proteases had no effect on subsequent antigenicity. The following observations were made: (1) Addition of protease to the culture system enhanced the AFC response only if added in the first 48 hr of the assay. (2) Proteases were able to enhance the development of AFC in lymph node and spleen cell cultures lacking fetal calf serum for 24 hr. (3) When papain was added to spleen cell cultures which normally produce fewer AFC than lymph node cells (LNC) it promoted the development of a 6- to 10-fold increase in AFC causing the magnitude of the response to match the AFC response expected in LNC cultures. These data support a role for a proteolytic event in lymphocyte activation by specific antigens.     

Detection of proteases in polyacrylamide gels containing covalently bound substrates

Conjugates have been prepared from glutaraldehyde-activated linear polyacrylamide and bovine serum albumin, casein, or gelatin. Incorporation of these conjugates into sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels has provided a simple and general method for the analysis of proteases following electrophoresis. The conjugates did not migrate during electrophoresis or development, but remained susceptible to proteolytic action following regeneration of enzyme activity. The sensitivity of this procedure was such that 2 pg of trypsin or chymotrypsin, 39 ng of elastase, and 2 ng of thermolysin could be detected. Results obtained with trypsin and chymotrypsin are 5 to 10 times more sensitive than previously reported techniques for protease detection following electrophoresis.     

Chicken liver fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase:purfication and some properties.

An improved procedure is described for the purification of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase (FbPase) from chicken liver. The purified enzyme shows a single band in gel electrophoresis either in the presence or absence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. From 200 g of frozen liver, we have obtained about 29 mg of homogeneous enzyme, with the pH profile indistinguishable from that of the enzyme in crude extracts. The overall recovery of enzyme activity is about 71%. The FbPase protein was estimated to represent approximately 0.36% of the total soluble protein of crude liver extract. Treatment of purified enzyme with papain or subtilisin results in a rapid increase in activity at pH 9.2 and a gradual decrease at pH 7.5, while digestion with trypsin or chymotrypsin results in a concomitant decrease in activities at both pH 9.2 and 7.5. The rates of hydrolysis by these four proteases are all markedly decreased in the presence of AMP. Both AMP and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate increase the thermal stability of the enzyme, and their effects are additive. Attempts were made to investigate the structural requirements for histidine activation. The results suggest that activation by this amino acid involves not only the imidazole ring but also the α-amino and α-carboxyl groups.