A novel serine protease (IRCM-serine protease 1) from porcine neurointermediate and anterior pituitary lobes. Isolation, polypeptide chain structure, inhibitor sensitivity, and substrate specificity with fluorogenic peptide substrates

A novel serine protease, which we have called IRCM-serine protease 1, was purified from both porcine neurointermediate and anterior pituitary lobes. The enzyme was inhibited by soybean trypsin inhibitor, pancreatic trypsin inhibitor, benzamidine, phenylmethyl-sulfonyl fluoride, and thiol reagents including HgCl2, p-chloromercuribenzoate, and 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) and was resistant to lima bean trypsin inhibitor, alpha 2-macroglobulin, alpha 1-antitrypsin, and C1-esterase inhibitor. IRCM-serine protease 1 displayed "trypsin-like" specificity toward a number of tripeptide coumarin-containing substrates, with kcat/km values ranging from 10(4) to 10(6) M-1 S-1. The best substrate was benzyloxycarbonyl-L-Ala-L-Lys-L-Arg-4-methylcoumarin-7-amide with a kcat/Km value of 2.27 X 10(6) M-1 S-1. IRCM-serine protease 1, Mr = 169,000-190,000 determined by gradient gel electrophoresis and gel filtration, respectively, appears to be a homologous dimer. The monomeric subunits of the enzyme are composed of an Mr = 38,000 polypeptide chain which is modifiable by 125I-D-Tyr-Glu-Phe-Lys-Arg-CH2Cl, disulfide-linked to another polypeptide resulting in a subunit molecular weight of 88,000.     

Regulation of tryptase from human lung mast cells by heparin. Stabilization of the active tetramer

Tryptase was shown to be stabilized as an enzymatically active tetramer by association with heparin and dissociated to inactive monomers in the absence of heparin at 37 degrees C in physiologic buffer and in plasma. There was a 50% loss of tryptase activity at 37 degrees C by 6-8 min in both physiologic buffer and plasma. When heparin glycosaminoglycan was present, tryptase retained nearly full activity for 2 h in buffer and in plasma. Tryptase activity also decayed under standard assay conditions in the presence of synthetic ester and peptide substrates unless bound to heparin. That tryptase is bound to heparin at the pH and physiologic NaCl concentrations employed was shown by chromatography of tryptase on heparin-agarose, gel filtration, and velocity sedimentation. Elution of tryptase from heparin-agarose occurred at 0.8 M NaCl. Maximal stabilization of tryptase by heparin occurred at a weight ratio to tryptase that was equal to or greater than unity. Kcat/Km ratios for tryptase-heparin at 0.15 M NaCl and 37 degrees C were 0.9 X 10(6) s-1 M-1 for tosyl-L-Gly-Pro-Lys-p-nitroanilide and 1.7 X 10(6) s-1 M-1 for p-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester and are among the highest reported for tryptic enzymes. The mechanism of heparin-dependent stabilization of tryptase was not due to indirect ion binding properties of heparin and was analyzed by Superose 12 high performance liquid chromatography. Active enzyme eluted with an apparent Mr of 132,000 +/- 10,000 (n = 3, +/- S.D.), whereas tryptase inactivated by incubation without heparin eluted with an apparent Mr of 34,000. The tetrameric structure of diisopropyl fluorophosphate-inhibited tryptase was also preserved after incubation with heparin at 37 degrees C but was reduced to monomeric subunits after incubation without heparin. That no appreciable degradation of tryptase occurs under conditions that cause dissociation of subunits was directly shown by electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. Two different subunits of 34,000 and 33,000 Mr (after reduction) present in the intact enzyme (calculated to be 134,000 Mr) were also detected unchanged after inactivation of tryptase by dissociation of its subunits. Thus, the selective localization and association of heparin and tryptase in the human mast cell secretory granule most likely plays a major role in the regulation of tryptase after secretion.     

Nucleoside hydrolase from Crithidia fasciculata. Metabolic role, purification, specificity, and kinetic mechanism

Crithidia fasciculata cells grown on complex medium with added [8-14C, 5'-3H]inosine or [8-14C,5'-3H]adenosine metabolize greater than 50% of the salvaged nucleosides through a pathway involving N-glycoside bond cleavage. Cell extracts contain a substantial nucleoside hydrolase activity but an insignificant purine nucleoside phosphorylase. The nucleoside hydrolase has been purified 1000-fold to greater than 99% homogeneity from kilogram quantities of C. fasciculata. The enzyme is a tetramer of Mr 34,000 subunits to give an apparent holoenzyme Mr of 143,000 by gel filtration. All of the commonly occurring nucleosides are substrates. The Km values vary from 0.38 to 4.7 mM with purine nucleosides binding more tightly than the pyrimidines. Values of Vmax/Km vary from 3.4 x 10(3) M-1 s-1 to 1.7 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 with the pyrimidine nucleosides giving the larger values. The turnover rate for inosine is 32 s-1 at 30 degrees C. The kinetic mechanism with inosine as substrate is rapid equilibrium with random product release. The hydrolytic reaction can be reversed to give an experimental Keq of 106 M with H2O taken as unity. The product dissociation constants for ribose and hypoxanthine are 0.7 and 6.2 mM, respectively. Deoxynucleosides or 5'-substituted nucleosides are poor substrates or do not react, and are poor inhibitors of the enzyme. The enzyme discriminates against methanol attack from solvent during steady-state catalysis, indicating the participation of an enzyme-directed water nucleophile. The pH profile for inosine hydrolysis gives two apparent pKa values of 6.1 with decreasing Vmax/Km values below the pKa and a plateau at higher pH values. These effects are due to the pH sensitivity of the Vmax values, since Km is independent of pH. The pH profile implicates two negatively charged groups which stabilize a transition state with oxycarbonium character.     

Intrinsic fluorescence changes and rapid kinetics of the reaction of thrombin with hirudin.

Stopped-flow fluorescence spectroscopy has been used to study the reaction of human alpha-thrombin with recombinant hirudin variant 1 (rhir) at 37 degrees C and an ionic strength of 0.125 M. A 35% enhancement in intrinsic fluorescence accompanied formation of the thrombin-rhir complex. Over one third of this enhancement corresponded to a structural change that could be induced by binding of either the NH2-terminal fragment (residues 1-51) or the COOH-terminal fragment (residues 52-65) of rhir. Three kinetic steps were detected for reaction of thrombin with rhir. At high rhir concentrations (greater than or equal to 3 microM), two intramolecular steps with observed rate constants of 296 +/- 5 s-1 and 50 +/- 1 s-1 were observed. By using the COOH-terminal fragment of rhir as a competitive inhibitor, it was possible to obtain an estimate of 2.9 x 10(8) M-1 s-1 for the effective association rate constant at low rhir concentrations. At higher ionic strengths, this rate constant was lower, which is consistent with the formation of the initial complex involving an ionic interaction. The mechanism for the reaction of both the COOH- and NH2-terminal fragments of rhir appeared to involve two steps. When thrombin was reacted with the COOH-terminal fragment at high concentrations (greater than or equal to 6 microM), the bimolecular step occurred within the dead time of the spectrometer and only one intramolecular step, with a rate constant of 308 +/- 5 s-1 was observed. At concentrations of NH2-terminal fragment below 50 microM, its binding to thrombin appeared to be a bimolecular reaction with an association rate constant of 8.3 x 10(5) M-1 s-1. In the presence of saturating concentrations of the COOH-terminal fragment, a 1.7-fold increase in this rate constant was observed. At concentrations of NH2-terminal fragment greater than 50 microM, biphasic reaction traces were observed which suggests a two-step mechanism. By comparing the reaction amplitudes and dissociation constants observed with rhir and its COOH-terminal fragment, it was possible to obtain approximate estimates for the values of the rate constants of different steps in the formation of the rhir-thrombin complex.     

High pressure gel-permeation assay for the proteolysis of human aggrecan by human stromelysin-1: kinetic constants for aggrecan hydrolysis.

The adaptation of an analytical procedure for aggrecan based upon gel-permeation chromatography to an FPLC-based protocol has significantly sped up the analysis. The faster assay has permitted determination of the kinetic constants for digestion of human aggrecan by human stromelysin-1. Monomeric aggrecan appeared to be hydrolyzed by stromelysin-1 to multiple forms with lower molecular weight. The disappearance of high-molecular-weight aggrecan was first-order, showing Km much larger than 2 microM and kc/Km = 4000 M-1 s-1 at pH 7.5. The disappearance of high-molecular-weight aggrecan upon hydrolysis by stromelysin-1 at pH 5.5 was also first-order, with kc/Km = 10,700 M-1 s-1. The disappearance of high-molecular-weight aggrecan at pH 7.5 was first-order for digestion by human leukocyte elastase with kc/Km = 230,000 M-1 s-1, by human cathepsin G with kc/Km = 4200 M-1 S-1, and by human plasma plasmin with kc/Km = 2800 M-1 s-1, all with Km much larger than 2 microM.     

Purification and properties of cathepsin D from the mammary glands of lactating rabbits

Cathepsin D was purified from the lactating rabbit mammary gland by a rapid procedure, which included fractionation with (NH4)2SO4, acid precipitation, double affinity chromatography on pepstatin-Sepharose 4B and gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, resulting in approximately 360-fold purification of the enzyme over the homogenate and approximately 16% recovery. After isoelectric focusing, the enzyme dissociated into four (pI 5.8, 6.3, 6.5 and 7.2) multiple forms, but appeared homogeneous on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Cathepsin D has a Mr of 45 kDa as determined by Sephadex G-100 column chromatography. On sodium dodecylsulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis the enzyme gave a single protein band, corresponding to Mr of 45 kDa. The amino acid composition of the enzyme is similar to that of cathepsins D from other tissues. A single N-terminal amino acid was glycine. Cathepsin D contains 6.4% carbohydrates consisting of mannose, galactose, fucose and glucosamine at a ratio of 3:9:2:2. Cathepsin D is inhibited by pepstatin with Ki of 2.5 X 10(-9) M and irreversibly by N-diazoacetyl-N'-2.4-dinitrophenyl-ethylene diamine. The enzyme hydrolyzes bovine hemoglobin with the maximal activity at pH 3.0 with Km = 10(-5) M and HLeu-Ser-Phe(NO2)-Nle-Ala-Leu-OMe with Km = 4 X 10(-5) M and Rcat = 0.95 s-1. The major cleavage sites were Leu15-Tyr16, Phe24-Phe25 and Phe25-Tyr26 during hydrolysis of the oxidized insulin B-chain by cathepsin D.     

Tryptase from rat mast cells converts bovine prothrombin to thrombin

The effect of tryptase purified from rat peritoneal mast cells on bovine prothrombin was examined. Tryptase activated prothrombin, as evidenced by the increase in thrombin activity with a synthetic substrate, t-butyloxy-carbonyl-Val-Pro-Agr-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide. The apparent Km value toward bovine prothrombin and the k_cat value were 2.3 μM and 46.3 s⁻¹, respectively. Studies on the time course of prothrombin activation by tryptase and by activated factor X (Xa), and analysis of the activation products on sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis showed that the process of activation of prothrombin by tryptase was similar to that by Xa except that an intermediate of 67,000 daltons was formed.     

Interaction between bovine trypsin and a synthetic peptide containing 28 residues of the bait region of human alpha 2-macroglobulin.

The time course of the interaction between trypsin and a synthetic peptide corresponding to a segment (residues 676-703) of the bait region (residues 666-706) of human alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) was studied by measuring the generation of cleavage products as a function of time by HPLC. Three primary cleavage sites for trypsin were present in the synthetic peptide. The fastest cleavage occurred at the bond corresponding to Arg696-Leu in alpha 2M with an estimated kcat/Km = 1-2 x 10(6) M-1.s-1. This value is of the same magnitude as that characterizing the interaction of alpha 2M and trypsin when taking into account the fact that alpha 2M is a tetramer, kcat/Km = 5 x 10(6) M-1.s-1 [Christensen, U. & Sottrup-Jensen, L. (1984) Biochemistry 23, 6619-6626]. The values of kcat/Km for cleavage at bonds corresponding to Arg681-Val and Arg692-Gly in alpha 2M were 1.5 x 10(5) M-1.s-1 and 1.3 x 10(5) M-1.s-1, respectively. Cleavage of intermediate product peptides was slower, with kcat/Km in the range 13-1.3 x 10(6) M-1.s-1. The value of Km determined for fast cleavage in the synthetic peptide was 8-10 microM. 1H-NMR spectroscopy indicated no ordered structure of the peptide. Hence, the very fast cleavage of the peptide is compatible with a loose structure that readily adopts a conformation favorable for recognition and cleavage by trypsin.     

Activation of human factor V by factor Xa and thrombin

The activation of human factor V by factor Xa and thrombin was studied by functional assessment of cofactor activity and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by either autoradiography of 125I-labeled factor V activation products or Western blot analyses of unlabeled factor V activation products. Cofactor activity was measured by the ability of the factor V/Va peptides to support the activation of prothrombin. The factor Xa catalyzed cleavage of factor V was observed to be time, phospholipid, and calcium ion dependent, yielding a cofactor with activity equal to that of thrombin-activated factor V (factor Va). The cleavage pattern differed markedly from the one observed in the bovine system. The factor Xa activated factor V subunits expressing cofactor activity were isolated and found to consist of peptides of Mr 220,000 and 105,000. Although thrombin cleaved the Mr 220,000 peptide to yield peptides previously shown to be products of thrombin activation, cofactor activity did not increase. N-Terminal sequence analysis confirmed that both factor Xa and thrombin cleave factor V at the same bond to generate the Mr 220,000 peptide. The factor Xa dependent functional assessment of 125I-labeled factor V coupled with densitometric analyses of the cleavage products indicated that the cofactor activity of factor Xa activated factor V closely paralleled the appearance of the Mr 220,000 peptide. This observation facilitated the study of the kinetics of factor V activation by allowing the activation of factor V to be monitored by the appearance of the Mr 220,000 peptide (factor Xa activation) or the Mr 105,000 peptide (thrombin activation). Factor Xa catalyzed activation of factor V obeyed Michaelis-Menten kinetics and was characterized by a Km of 10.4 nM, a kcat of 2.6 min-1, and a catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of 4.14 X 10(6) M-1 s-1. The thrombin-catalyzed activation of factor V was characterized by a Km of 71.7 nM, a kcat of 14.0 min-1, and a catalytic efficiency of 3.26 X 10(6) M-1 s-1. This indicates that factor Xa is as efficient an enzyme toward factor V as thrombin.     

Enzymes of vitamin B6 degradation. Purification and properties of isopyridoxal dehydrogenase and 5-formyl-3-hydroxy-2-methylpyridine-4-carboxylic-acid dehydrogenase

Two NAD+-dependent, highly specific pyridine-5-aldehyde dehydrogenases, 5-formyl-3-hydroxy-2-methylpyridine-4-carboxylic-acid (Compound 1) dehydrogenase and isopyridoxal dehydrogenase, were purified to homogeneity from Pseudomonas MA-1 and Arthrobacter Cr-7, respectively. Both enzymes are induced in response to growth of the organisms on pyridoxine and catalyze steps in the degradation of this compound by these organisms. Compound 1 dehydrogenase (Mr = 65,000) contains two subunits of equal size with methionine as the NH2-terminal amino acid and acts optimally at pH 7.8-8.5. It catalyzes with equal facility (turnover number = 400-670 s-1 molecule-1) both the oxidation of Compound 1 (Km = 65 microM) by NAD+ (Km = 25 microM) to 3-hydroxy-2-methylpyridine-4,5-dicarboxylic acid and the reduction of Compound 1 by NADH (Km = 20 microM) to 4-pyridoxic acid and appears to act as a true dismutase. The possible advantage to the organism of its ability to act as a dismutase is discussed briefly. No oxidation of 4-pyridoxic acid by this enzyme was observed. Isopyridoxal dehydrogenase (Mr = 242,000) contains four subunits of equal size, again with methionine at the NH2 terminus. At its optimal pH of 8.0-8.6, it catalyzes the oxidation of isopyridoxal (Km = 40 microM, turnover number = 10 s-1 molecule-1) by NAD+ (Km = 40 microM) to a mixture of 5-pyridoxic acid and 5-pyridoxolactone, which are produced in constant ratio throughout the course of the reaction. Formation of the two products, although unusual, is readily understandable in terms of the structure of isopyridoxal in solution or the structure of a possible acyl-enzyme intermediate in the oxidative reaction.     

Characterization of a recombinant fusion protein of the finger domain of tissue-type plasminogen activator with a truncated single chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator

Human recombinant single chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (recombinant scu-PA) and a hybrid between human tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and scu-PA, obtained by ligation of cDNA fragments encoding the NH2-terminal region (amino acids 1-67) of t-PA and the COOH-terminal region (amino acids 136-411) of scu-PA, were expressed in a mammalian cell system. The proteins were purified from conditioned culture media containing 2% fetal calf serum by chromatography on zinc chelate-Sepharose, immunoadsorption chromatography on an insolubilized murine monoclonal antibody directed against urokinase, benzamidine-Sepharose chromatography, and Ultrogel AcA 44 gel filtration. Between 180 and 230 micrograms of the purified proteins were obtained per liter of conditioned medium, with a yield of approximately 18% and a purification factor of 720-1900. On sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions, the proteins migrated as single bands with approximate Mr 50,000 for recombinant scu-PA and Mr 43,000 for the t-PA/scu-PA hybrid. Following conversion to urokinase with plasmin, the proteins had a specific amidolytic activity comparable to that of natural scu-PA. Both proteins activated plasminogen directly with Km = 0.53 and 1.4 microM and k2 = 0.0034 and 0.0027 s-1, respectively. Both proteins did not bind specifically to fibrin and had a comparable degree of fibrin selectivity as measured in a system composed of a whole human 125I-fibrin-labeled plasma clot suspended in human plasma. It is concluded that this chimeric protein, consisting of the NH2-terminal "finger-like" domain of t-PA and the COOH-terminal region of scu-PA, has very similar enzymatic properties as compared to scu-PA, but has not acquired the fibrin affinity of t-PA.     

Purification and characterization of a novel low molecular weight form of single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator

A low Mr form (Mr 32,000) of single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) was isolated from conditioned culture medium of a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line, CALU-3 (ATCC, HTB-55). The purified material (scu-PA-32k) consists of a single polypeptide chain and is immunologically similar to Mr 33,000 urokinase. Its NH2-terminal sequence is identical to that beginning at Leu-144 of Mr 54,000 urokinase. Whereas low Mr urokinase is derived from mature Mr 54,000 scu-PA by limited hydrolysis by plasmin first of the Lys-158-Ile-159 peptide bond and then of the Lys-136-Lys-137, scu-PA-32k is generated by specific hydrolysis of the Glu-143-Leu-144 peptide bond by an unidentified protease. scu-PA-32k resembles its Mr 54,000 scu-PA counterpart by its very low activity on chromogenic substrates for urokinase, by plasminogen-dependent fibrinolytic activity on fibrin plates, and by the lack of specific binding to fibrin. It activates plasminogen directly with high affinity, Km = 0.9 microM, but low turnover number, kcat = 0.0028 s-1. It is converted to fully active two-chain urokinase by plasmin with Km = 12 microM and kcat = 0.3 s-1. Like Mr 54,000 scu-PA, it causes significant lysis of a 125I-labeled fibrin clot in human plasma with relatively less fibrinogen breakdown as compared to urokinase. scu-PA-32k, which also has conserved fibrin specificity, represents a molecular variant which may be more suitable for large scale production as a fibrin-specific thrombolytic agent by recombinant DNA technology.     

Purification and characterization of two extracellular beta-glucosidases from Trichoderma reesei.

A major beta-glucosidase I and a minor beta-glucosidase II were purified from culture filtrates of the fungus Trichoderma reesei grown on wheat straw. The enzymes were purified using CM-Sepharose CL-6B cation-exchange and DEAE Bio-Gel A anion-exchange chromatography steps, followed by Sephadex G-75 gel filtration. The isolated enzymes were homogeneous in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing. beta-Glucosidase I (71 kDa) was isoelectric at pH 8.7 and contained 0.12% carbohydrate; beta-glucosidase II (114 kDa) was isoelectric at pH 4.8 and contained 9.0% carbohydrate. Both enzymes catalyzed the hydrolysis of cellobiose and p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucoside (pNPG). The Km and kcat/Km values for cellobiose were 2.10 mM, 2.45.10(4) s-1 M-1 (beta-glucosidase I) and 11.1 mM, 1.68.10(3) s-1 M-1 (beta-glucosidase II). With pNPG as substrate the Km and kcat/Km values were 182 microM, 7.93.10(5) s-1 M-1 (beta-glucosidase I) and 135 microM, 1.02.10(6) s-1 M-1 (beta-glucosidase II). The temperature optimum was 65-70 degrees C for beta-glucosidase I and 60 degrees C for beta-glucosidase II, the pH optimum was 4.6 and 4.0, respectively. Several inhibitors were tested for their action on both enzymes. beta-Glucosidase I and II were competitively inhibited by desoxynojirimycin, gluconolactone and glucose.     

Purification and characterization of a plasminogen activator inhibitor from the histiocytic lymphoma cell line U-937

We report the production, purification, characterization, and partial amino acid sequence of a plasminogen inhibitor (PA-I). The starting material is culture fluid from phorbol myristate 13-acetate-treated U-937 cells and the isolation steps consist of preparative isoelectric focusing followed by affinity chromatography on Cibacron Blue-Sepharose. PA-I migrates as a closely spaced doublet of 47-kDa in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and forms covalent complexes with urokinase and two-chain tissue-type plasminogen activator, displaying second order rate constants of 0.9 X 10(6) M-1 s-1 and 0.2 X 10(6) M-1 s-1, respectively. Upon treatment with 1 M NH4OH, the covalent complexes were hydrolyzed, yielding a 35-kDa inhibitor fragment. A partial amino acid sequence of PA-I showed that it belongs to the antithrombin III family of inhibitors. PA-I is immunologically related to a PA-inhibitor from human placenta. mRNA from phorbol myristate 13-acetate-treated U-937 cells directed, in a rabbit reticulocyte derived cell-free system, the biosynthesis of only one 47-kDa protein that could be immunoprecipitated with anti-PA-I IgG, indicating that the two molecular forms of PA-I are the products of post-translational processing.     

Mammalian heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein complex protein A1. Large-scale overproduction in Escherichia coli and cooperative binding to single-stranded nucleic acids

Characterization of mammalian heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein complex protein A1 is reported after large-scale overproduction of the protein in Escherichia coli and purification to homogeneity. A1 is a single-stranded nucleic acid binding protein of 320 amino acids and 34,214 Da. The protein has two domains. The NH2-terminal domain is globular, whereas the COOH-terminal domain of about 120 amino acids has low probability of alpha-helix structure and is glycinerich. Nucleic acid binding properties of recombinant A1 were compared with those of recombinant and natural proteins corresponding to the NH2-terminal domain. A1 bound to single-stranded DNA-cellulose with higher affinity than the NH2-terminal domain peptides. Protein-induced fluorescence enhancement was used to measure equilibrium binding properties of the proteins. A1 binding to poly (ethenoadenylate) was cooperative with the intrinsic association constant of 1.5 X 10(5) M-1 at 0.4 M NaCl and a cooperativity parameter of 30. The NH2-terminal domain peptides bound noncooperatively and with a much lower association constant. With these peptides and with intact A1, binding was fully reversed by increasing [NaCl]; yet. A1 binding was much less salt-sensitive than binding by the NH2-terminal domain peptides. A synthetic polypeptide analog of the COOH-terminal domain was prepared and was found to bind tightly to poly-(ethenoadenylate). The results are consistent with the idea that the COOH-terminal domain contributes to A1 binding through both cooperative protein-protein interaction and direct interaction with the nucleic acid.     

Purification and partial amino acid sequence of a bovine cartilage-derived collagenase inhibitor

An inhibitor of mammalian collagenase from bovine scapular cartilage has been purified to homogeneity. The inhibitor, extracted from cartilage using 2 M NaCl, was applied to an A-1.5m gel filtration column. Inhibitor eluted at an apparent Mr of 28,000. Further purification was achieved by ion exchange chromatography, gel filtration, and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. A purification of greater than 1,000-fold was achieved. The inhibitor was judged homogeneous by the appearance of a single band on a silver-stained 15% sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel. Reduced inhibitor had an Mr of 27,400, unreduced inhibitor had an Mr of 23,900. NH2-terminal sequence data were obtained for the first 45 residues. The bovine cartilage-derived inhibitor exhibits greater than 65% homology over the first 23 residues with a collagenase inhibitor purified from human skin fibroblasts maintained in cell culture. This is the first demonstration that collagenase inhibitors extracted directly from tissue may be similar to those obtained from culture medium.     

Glucosamine synthetase from Escherichia coli: purification, properties, and glutamine-utilizing site location

L-Glutamine:D-fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase (glucosamine synthetase) has been purified to homogeneity from Escherichia coli. A subunit molecular weight of 70,800 was estimated by gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. Pure glucosamine synthetase did not exhibit detectable NH3-dependent activity and did not catalyze the reverse reaction, as reported for more impure preparations [Gosh, S., Blumenthal, H. J., Davidson, E., & Roseman, S. (1960) J. Biol. Chem. 235, 1265]. The enzyme has a Km of 2 mM for fructose 6-phosphate, a Km of 0.4 mM for glutamine, and a turnover number of 1140 min-1. The amino-terminal sequence confirmed the identification of residues 2-26 of the translated E. coli glmS sequence [Walker, J. E., Gay, J., Saraste, M., & Eberle, N. (1984) Biochem. J. 224, 799]. Methionine-1 is therefore removed by processing in vivo, leaving cysteine as the NH2-terminal residue. The enzyme was inactivated by the glutamine analogue 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON) and by iodoacetamide. Glucosamine synthetase exhibited half-of-the-sites reactivity when incubated with DON in the absence of fructose 6-phosphate. In its presence, inactivation with [6-14C]DON was accompanied by incorporation of 1 equiv of inhibitor per enzyme subunit. From this behavior, a dimeric structure was tentatively assigned to the native enzyme. The site of reaction with DON was the NH2-terminal cysteine residue as shown by Edman degradation.     

Chimeras of hepatic lipase and lipoprotein lipase. Domain localization of enzyme-specific properties.

Chimeric molecules between human lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and rat hepatic lipase (HL) were used to identify structural elements responsible for functional differences. Based on the close sequence homology with pancreatic lipase, both LPL and HL are believed to have a two-domain structure composed of an amino-terminal (NH2-terminal) domain containing the catalytic Ser-His-Asp triad and a smaller carboxyl-terminal (COOH-terminal) domain. Experiments with chimeric lipases containing the HL NH2-terminal domain and the LPL COOH-terminal domain (HL/LPL) or the reverse chimera (LPL/HL) showed that the NH2-terminal domain is responsible for the catalytic efficiency (Vmax/Km) of these enzymes. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the stimulation of LPL activity by apolipoprotein C-II and the inhibition of activity by 1 M NaCl originate in structural features within the NH2-terminal domain. HL and LPL bind to vascular endothelium, presumably by interaction with cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans. However, the two enzymes differ significantly in their heparin affinity. Experiments with the chimeric lipases indicated that heparin binding avidity was primarily associated with the COOH-terminal domain. Specifically, both HL and the LPL/HL chimera were eluted from immobilized heparin by 0.75 M NaCl, whereas 1.1 M NaCl was required to elute LPL and the HL/LPL chimera. Finally, HL is more active than LPL in the hydrolysis of phospholipid substrates. However, the ratio of phospholipase to neutral lipase activity in both chimeric lipases was enhanced by the presence of the heterologous COOH-terminal domain, demonstrating that this domain strongly influences substrate specificity. The NH2-terminal domain thus controls the kinetic parameters of these lipases, whereas the COOH-terminal domain modulates substrate specificity and heparin binding.     

Tryptase from rat skin: purification and properties

Tryptase was purified 13,000-fold to apparent homogeneity from rat skin. The two-step procedure involved ammonium sulfate fractionation of the initial extract followed by combined sequential affinity chromatography on agarose-glycyl-glycyl-p-aminobenzamidine and concanavalin A-agarose. The purified enzyme had a specific activity toward N-benzoylarginine ethyl ester (BzArgOEt) of 170 mumol/min mg-1 and was obtained in a yield of 28% as determined by the specific substrate, H-D-Ile-Pro-Arg-p-nitroanilide. Rat skin tryptase was thermal labile, losing 50% of its activity when preincubated for 30 min at 30 degrees C. The presence of NaCl (1 M) improved thermal stability and was necessary for long-term storage. Heparin did not stabilize the enzyme against thermal denaturation, and heparin-agarose failed to bind the enzyme. Rat skin tryptase was inhibited by diisopropylphosphofluoridate, antipain, leupeptin, and aprotinin but not by alpha 1-antitrypsin, ovomucoid, or soybean or lima bean trypsin inhibitors. Substrate specificity studies using a series of tri- and tetrapeptidyl-p-nitroanilide and peptidyl-7-amino-4-methylcoumarin substrates demonstrated the existence of an extended substrate binding site. Rat skin tryptase hydrolyzed [Arg8]vasopressin, neurotensin, and the oxidized B-chain of insulin at the -Arg8-Gly9-NH2, -Arg8-Arg9-, and -Arg22-Gly23-bonds, respectively. No general proteinase activity was observed toward casein, hemoglobin, or azocoll. Rat skin tryptase had a Mr of 145,000 by gel filtration. The subunit Mr was either 34,000 or 30,000 depending on the electrophoretic technique used. Treatment of the enzyme with peptide N-glycosidase F (N-glycanase) decreased the subunit Mr by 4000. The enzyme exhibited multiple isoelectric forms (pI's of 4.5-4.9). Rat skin tryptase was found to be related statistically to other tryptases on the basis of amino acid composition. The N-terminal amino acid sequence was Ile1-Val2-Gly3-Gly4-Gln5-Glu6-Ala7-+ ++Ser8-Gly9-Asn10-Lys11-Trp12-Pro13- Trp14- Gln15-Val16-Ser17-Leu18-Arg19-Val20- --21-Asp-22Thr23-Tyr24-Typ25-, with a putative glycosylation site at residue 21. This sequence was 72-80% homologous with the N-terminus of other tryptases but only 40% homologous with that of bovine trypsin.     

Molecular and catalytic properties of a butyrylesterase from human red cells and brain

A butyrylesterase from human red cells was prepared to homogeneity using DEAE-cellulose, Ultrogel ACA-34, DEAE-Sephacel, and precipitation with 1.5 M (NH4)2SO4. The yield was 25-35% relative to the enzyme activity of the hemolysate. Because of its preference for butyric acid esters the enzyme was designated a butyrylesterase. With alpha-naphthyl butyrate the Km was 7.6 microM and the kcat, 48 s-1. The molecular weight was 340,000 and the subunit weight 85,000, indicating a tetrameric structure. The isoelectric pH was 4.0. The enzyme preparation did not contain cystine. Sialic acid or other carbohydrate components could not be detected. The enzyme was irreversibly inhibited by organophosphate esters and the second-order rate constant was 192 M-1 s-1 for diethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate. For the brain enzyme the constant was 206 M-1 s-1. The enzyme was irreversibly inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents, indicating that the enzyme is a sulfhydryl-dependent serine esterase. The enzyme was identical to the butyrylesterase from human brain, and the two enzymes were immunochemically identical. An amino acid ester has been shown to be split at a higher rate than butyric acid esters; however, the specificity constant (kcat/Km) was lower for the amino acid ester than for the butyric acid ester. The enzyme did not exhibit amidase activity.