Inhibition of the proteolytic activity of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A by targeting substrate exosite binding

The metalloproteinase pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) cleaves both insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein 4 (IGFBP-4) and -5 at a single site in their central domain causing the release of bioactive IGF. Inhibition of IGF signaling is relevant in human disease, and several drugs in development target the IGF receptor. However, inhibition of PAPP-A activity may be a valuable alternative. We have generated monoclonal phage-derived single chain fragment variable (scFv) antibodies which selectively inhibit the cleavage of IGFBP-4 by PAPP-A, relevant under conditions where cleavage of IGFBP-4 represents the final step in the delivery of IGF to the IGF receptor. None of the antibodies inhibited the homologous proteinase PAPP-A2, which allowed mapping of antibody binding by means of chimeras between PAPP-A and PAPP-A2 to the C-terminal Lin12-Notch repeat module, separated from the proteolytic domain by almost 1000 amino acids. Hence, the antibodies define a substrate binding exosite that can be targeted for the selective inhibition of PAPP-A proteolytic activity against IGFBP-4. In addition, we show that the Lin12-Notch repeat module reversibly binds a calcium ion and that bound calcium is required for antibody binding, providing a strategy for the further development of selective inhibitory compounds. To our knowledge these data represent the first example of differential inhibition of cleavage of natural proteinase substrates by exosite targeting. Generally, exosite inhibitors are less likely to affect the activity of related proteolytic enzymes with similar active site environments. In the case of PAPP-A, selective inhibition of IGFBP-4 cleavage by interference with exosite binding is a further advantage, as the activity against other known or unknown PAPP-A substrates, whose cleavage may not depend on binding to the same exosite, is not targeted.     

Cell surface adhesion of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A is mediated by four clusters of basic residues located in its third and fourth CCP module.

The metalloproteinase pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) cleaves a subset of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBP), which inhibit the activities of insulin-like growth factor (IGF). Through this proteolytic activity, PAPP-A is believed to regulate IGF bioavailability in several biological systems, including the human reproductive system and the cardiovascular system. PAPP-A adheres to mammalian cells by interactions with glycosaminoglycan (GAG), thus targeting the proteolytic activity of PAPP-A to the cell surface. Based on site-directed mutagenesis, we here delineate the PAPP-A GAG-binding site in the C-terminal modules CCP3 and CCP4. Using heparin affinity chromatography, commonly employed in such studies, we define three clusters of arginines and lysines of CCP3, which are important for the interaction of PAPP-A with heparin. In a model of PAPP-A CCP3-CCP4, basic residues of these sequence clusters form a contiguous patch located on one side of the structure. Binding to the unknown, natural cell surface receptor of PAPP-A, assessed by flow cytometry, also depends on residues of these three basic clusters. However, single or double residue substitutions generally have a modest effect on PAPP-A heparin binding assessed by chromatography, but cell surface adhesion was critically reduced by several of these substitutions, emphasizing the relevance of analysis by flow cytometry. The contributions of positively charged residues located in CCP4 were all minor when analyzed by heparin affinity chromatography. However, the mutation of CCP4 residues Arg1459 and Lys1460 to Ala almost abrogated cell surface adhesion. Furthermore, when acidic residues of the homologous proteinase PAPP-A2 (Asp1547, Glu1555 and Glu1567) were introduced into the corresponding positions in the sequence of PAPP-A, located in each of the three basic clusters of CCP3, binding to heparin was strongly impaired and cell surface binding was abrogated. This explains, at least in part, why PAPP-A2 lacks the ability of cell surface adhesion, and further emphasizes the role of the basic clusters defined in PAPP-A.     

Proaleurain vacuolar targeting is mediated by short contiguous peptide interactions.

Targeting of soluble proteins to the plant vacuole is mediated by determinants that reside in the polypeptide. We identified the vacuolar targeting determinant of aleurain, a plant vacuolar thiol protease, by incorporating different sequences from proaleurain into the secreted thiol protease, proendoproteinase B (proEP-B), and vice versa. The targeting fates of the chimeric proteins were analyzed by transient expression in electroporated tobacco protoplasts. The targeting determinant SSSSFADSNPIR is positioned at the N terminus of the aleurain propeptide, and its substitution into the propeptide of EP-B caused vacuolar targeting of the resulting chimeric protein. This determinant can be divided into two smaller determinants, SSSSFADS and SNPIR, each of which is sufficient to target proEP-B chimeras to the vacuole, but with lower efficiency. These smaller determinants interact in a positive manner because the combined determinant SSSSFADSNPIR targeted proEP-B with an efficiency greater than each of the smaller determinants alone. Accordingly, the efficiency of aleurain targeting was decreased when either of the smaller determinants was disrupted by replacement with similarly positioned proEP-B sequences. Further experiments on proaleurain identified an additional determinant, VTDRAAST, adjacent to the SSSSFADSNPIR determinant that is also necessary for efficient vacuolar targeting. Our results provide evidence that efficient vacuolar targeting of this thiol protease in plant cells is mediated by the combined action of smaller contiguous determinants; two of these alone are sufficient for vacuolar targeting.     

The metalloprotease disintegrin ADAM8. Processing by autocatalysis is required for proteolytic activity and cell adhesion

ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloprotease domains) are metalloprotease and disintegrin domain-containing transmembrane glycoproteins with proteolytic, cell adhesion, cell fusion, and cell signaling properties. ADAM8 was originally cloned from monocytic cells, and its distinct expression pattern indicates possible roles in both immunology and neuropathology. Here we describe our analysis of its biochemical properties. In transfected COS-7 cells, ADAM8 is localized to the plasma membrane and processed into two forms derived either by prodomain removal or as remnant protein comprising the extracellular region with the disintegrin domain at the N terminus. Proteolytic removal of the ADAM8 propeptide was completely blocked in mutant ADAM8 with a Glu(330) to Gln exchange (EQ-A8) in the Zn(2+) binding motif (HE(330)LGHNLGMSHD), arguing for autocatalytic prodomain removal. In co-transfection experiments, the ectodomain but not the entire MP domain of ADAM8 was able to remove the prodomain from EQ-ADAM8. With cells expressing ADAM8, cell adhesion to a substrate-bound recombinant ADAM8 disintegrin/Cys-rich domain was observed in the absence of serum, blocked by an antibody directed against the ADAM8 disintegrin domain. Soluble ADAM8 protease, consisting of either the metalloprotease domain or the complete ectodomain, cleaved myelin basic protein and a fluorogenic peptide substrate, and was inhibited by batimastat (BB-94, IC(50) approximately 50 nm) but not by recombinant tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases 1, 2, 3, and 4. Our findings demonstrate that ADAM8 processing by autocatalysis leads to a potential sheddase and to a form of ADAM8 with a function in cell adhesion.     

Intestinal barrier dysfunction by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli is mediated by two effector molecules and a bacterial surface protein

The human intestinal pathogen, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), causes diarrhoeal disease by a mechanism that is dependent on the injection of effector proteins into the host cell. One effector, EspF, is reported to be required for EPEC to disrupt tight junction integrity of intestinal cells and increase the paracellular movement of molecules, which is likely to contribute to diarrhoea. Here, we show that not one but three EPEC-encoded factors play important roles in this process. Thus, the Map (Mitochondria-associated protein) effector is shown to: (i) be as essential as EspF for disrupting intestinal barrier function, (ii) be able to function independently of EspF, (iii) alter tight junction structure and (iv) mediate these effects in the absence of mitochondrial targeting. Additionally, the outer membrane protein Intimin is shown to be crucial for EspF and Map to disrupt the intestinal barrier function. This function of Intimin is completely independent of its interaction with its known receptor Tir, revealing a physiologically relevant requirement for Intimin interaction with alternative receptor(s). This work demonstrates that EPEC uses multiple multifunctional proteins to elicit specific responses in intestinal cells and that EPEC can control the activity of its injected effector molecules from its extracellular location.     

Mechanisms of deletion formation in Escherichia coli plasmids. II. Deletions mediated by short direct repeats.

Summary A set of plasmids containing 42, 21 and 13 bp direct repeats was used to analyze the effect of repeat length on the frequencies of deletion formation and the structure of the deleted derivatives of different recombination-deficient Escherichia coli strains. Agarose gel electrophoresis of plasmid DNA demonstrated that the formation of deletions in these plasmids was associated with dimerization of plasmid DNA. Restriction analysis of the dimers showed that deletions at short direct repeats arose non-conservatively, that is, the formation of a deletion in one monomeric plasmid unit was not associated with a duplication in the other. Mutations in the recA, recF, recJ and recO genes had no marked effect on either the frequencies of deletion formation or the structure of dimers. In contrast, recB recC mutations greatly increased the frequencies of deletion formation, 6-fold for 42 bp, and 115-fold for 21 by direct repeats. Conversion of DNA replication to the rolling circle mode in a recB recC strain, resulting in the formation of double-stranded ends, is suggested as the stimulatory effector.     

Evidence that v-Src-induced phospholipase D activity is mediated by a G protein.

v-Src-induced increases in diglyceride are derived from phosphatidylcholine via a type D phospholipase (PLD) and a phosphatidic acid phosphatase. v-Src-induced PLD activity, as measured by PLD-catalyzed transphosphatidylation of phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylethanol, is inhibited by GDP beta S, which inhibits G-protein-mediated intracellular signals. Similarly, v-Src-induced increases in diglyceride are also blocked by GDP beta S. In contrast to the PLD activity induced by v-Src, PLD activity induced by the protein kinase C agonist, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), was insensitive to GDP beta S. Consistent with the involvement of a G protein in the activation of PLD activity by v-Src, GTP gamma S, a nonhydrolyzable analog of GTP that potentiates G-protein-mediated signals, strongly enhanced PLD activity in v-Src-transformed cells relative to that in parental BALB/c 3T3 cells. The effect of GTP gamma S on PLD activity in v-Src-transformed cells was observed only when cells were prelabeled with [3H]myristate, which is incorporated exclusively into phosphatidylcholine, the substrate for the v-Src-induced PLD. There was no difference in the effect of GTP gamma S-induced PLD activity on v-Src-transformed and BALB/c 3T3 cells when the cells were prelabeled with [3H]arachidonate, which is not incorporated into phospholipids that are substrates for the v-Src-induced PLD. Similarly, GDP beta S inhibited PLD activity in v-Src-transformed cells much more strongly than in BALB/c 3T3 cells when [3H]myristate was used to prelabel the cells. The GTP-dependent activation of PLD by v-Src was dependent upon the presence of ATP but was unaffected by either cholera or pertussis toxin. These data suggest that v-Src induces PLD activity through a phosphorylation event and is mediated by a cholera and pertussis toxin-insensitive G protein.     

Protease trafficking in two primitive eukaryotes is mediated by a prodomain protein motif.

Trypanosome protozoa, an early lineage of eukaryotic cells, have proteases homologous to mammalian lysosomal cathepsins, but the precursor proteins lack mannose 6-phosphate. Utilizing green fluorescent protein as a reporter, we demonstrate that the carbohydrate-free prodomain of a trypanosome cathepsin L is necessary and sufficient for directing green fluorescent protein to the lysosome/endosome compartment. A proper prodomain/catalytic domain processing site sequence is also required to free the mature protease for delivery to the lysosome/endosome compartment. A nine-amino acid prodomain loop motif, implicated in prodomain-receptor interactions in mammalian cells, is conserved in the protozoa. Site-directed mutagenesis now confirms the importance of this loop to protease trafficking and suggests that a protein motif targeting signal for lysosomal proteases arose early in eukaryotic cell evolution.     

Inhibition of Epstein-Barr virus infection in vitro and in vivo by soluble CR2 (CD21) containing two short consensus repeats.

The extracellular domain of CR2, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)/C3d receptor of B lymphocytes, contains 15 or 16 tandemly arranged short consensus repeat elements (SCR). Recombinant CR2 proteins containing SCR 1 and 2 fused to Staphylococcus aureus protein A (PA-CR2) and to murine complement factor H SCR 20 (CR2FH) were expressed in Escherichia coli and in insect cells, respectively. These recombinant CR2 molecules retained functional activity as indicated by their ability to bind to C3dg in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and to inhibit EBV gp350/220 binding to B cells. PA-CR2 and CR2FH were as efficient in blocking EBV gp350/220 binding as the full-length CR2 extracellular domain, indicating that the first two SCR of CR2 contain the majority of the ligand binding activity of the receptor. PA-CR2 and CR2FH inhibited EBV-induced B-cell proliferation in vitro and blocked the development of EBV-induced lymphoproliferative disease in severe combined immunodeficient mice reconstituted with human lymphocytes. These studies indicate that soluble forms of truncated CR2 proteins may have potential therapeutic value in the treatment of EBV-induced lymphoproliferative disorders in humans that involve viral replication.     

Expression of recombinant murine pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and a novel variant (PAPP-Ai) with differential proteolytic activity.

Murine pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) cDNA encoding a 1545 amino-acid protein has been cloned. We have also identified and cloned cDNA that encodes a novel variant of PAPP-A, PAPP-Ai, carrying a 29-residue highly basic insert. The point of insertion corresponds to a junction between two exons in the human PAPP-A gene. The human intron flanked by these exons does not encode a homologous corresponding insert, which is unique to the mouse. The overall sequence identity between murine and human PAPP-A is 91%, and murine PAPP-A contains sequence motifs previously described in the sequence of human PAPP-A. Through expression in mammalian cells, we show that murine PAPP-A and PAPP-Ai are active metalloproteinases, both capable of cleaving insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-4 and -5. Cleavage of IGFBP-4 is dramatically enhanced by the addition of IGF, whereas cleavage of IGFBP-5 is slightly inhibited by IGF, as previously established with human PAPP-A. Surprisingly, however, quantitative analyses demonstrate that the murine PAPP-Ai cleaves IGFBP-4 very slowly compared to PAPP-A, even though its ability to cleave IGFBP-5 is unaffected by the presence of the insert. By RT-PCR analysis, we find that both variants are expressed in several tissues. The level of mRNA in the murine placenta does not exceed the levels of other tissues analyzed. Furthermore, the IGFBP-4-proteolytic activity of murine pregnancy serum is not elevated. This is in striking contrast to the increase seen in human pregnancy serum, and the expression of PAPP-A in the human placenta, which exceeds other tissues at least 250-fold. Interestingly, the position of the insert of PAPP-Ai, within the proteolytic domain, lies in close proximity to the cysteine residue, which in human PAPP-A forms a disulfide bond with the proform of eosinophil major basic protein (proMBP). ProMBP functions as a proteinase inhibitor in the PAPP-A-proMBP complex, but whether any mechanistic parallel on regulation of proteolytic activity can be drawn between the insert of PAPP-Ai and the linkage to proMBP is not known. Importantly, these data support the development of the mouse as a model organism for the study of PAPP-A, which must take into account the differences between the mouse and the human.     

Regulation of complement activation by C-reactive protein: targeting the complement inhibitory activity of factor H by an interaction with short consensus repeat domains 7 and 8-11.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a major acute phase protein whose functions are not totally clear. In this study, we examined the interaction of CRP with factor H (FH), a key regulator of the alternative pathway (AP) of complement. Using the surface plasmon resonance technique and a panel of recombinantly expressed FH constructs, we observed that CRP binds to two closely located regions on short consensus repeat (SCR) domains 7 and 8-11 of FH. Also FH-like protein 1 (FHL-1), an alternatively spliced product of the FH gene, bound to CRP with its most C-terminal domain (SCR 7). The binding reactions were calcium-dependent and partially inhibited by heparin. In accordance with the finding that CRP binding sites on FH were distinct from the C3b binding sites, CRP preserved the ability of FH to promote factor I-mediated cleavage of C3b. We propose that the function of CRP is to target functionally active FH and FHL-1 to injured self tissues. Thereby, CRP could restrict excessive complement attack in tissues while allowing a temporarily enhanced AP activity against invading microbes in blood.     

Studies on human pregnancy-associated plasma protein A. Purification by affinity chromatography and structural comparisons with alpha 2-macroglobulin.

Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) has been purified by a combination of methods including antibody-affinity chromatography. The resultant protein, obtained in 16% yield from maternal serum, appeared as a single major component on non-denaturing polyacrylamide and SDS/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The protein showed a single component when analysed by isoelectric focusing under denaturing conditions in the presence and absence of reduction and had a pI of 4.34 and 4.42 respectively. These pI values were indistinguishable from those of alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M). The molecular weight of the PAPP-A polypeptide as shown by SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis was 187000, with a minor component of mol.wt. 82500 that was attributed to proteolysis. Since native PAPP-A had a molecular weight on gel chromatography very similar to that of alpha 2M (620000--820000), it was concluded that PAPP-A was a homotetramer. In the absence of reduction, a high-molecular-weight (420000) protomer of PAPP-A was found. It was deduced that PAPP-A, like alpha 2M, is a dinner, whose protomers are composed of disulphide-linked polypeptide chains. It was found that the molecular weight of the PAPP-A polypeptide exceeded that of alpha 2M by 3.3%, but that the total carbohydrate content of PAPP-A exceeded that of alpha 2M by 10% and that its neutral carbohydrate content exceeded that of alpha 2M by between 7.4 and 9.0%. The significance of the estimated molecular weights of alpha 2M (181000) and its major tryptic fragments is discussed in the light of published values. A tryptic fragment alpha 2M (82500 mol.wt.) was apparently the same size as the major tryptic fragment of PAPP-A.     

Cell surface expression of the vaccinia virus complement control protein is mediated by interaction with the viral A56 protein and protects infected cells from complement attack

The vaccinia virus (VACV) complement control protein (VCP) is the major protein secreted from VACV-infected cells. It has been reported that VCP binds to the surfaces of uninfected cells by interacting with heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). In this study, we show that VCP is also expressed on the surfaces of infected cells and demonstrate that surface localization occurs independently of HSPGs. Since VCP does not contain a transmembrane domain, we hypothesized that VCP interacts with a membrane protein that localizes to the infected-cell surface. We show that the VACV A56 membrane protein is necessary for the cell surface expression of VCP and demonstrate that VCP and A56 interact in VACV-infected cells. Since the surface expression of VCP was abrogated by reducing agents, we examined the contribution of an unpaired cysteine residue on VCP to VCP surface expression and VCP's interaction with A56. To do this, we mutated the unpaired cysteine in VCP and generated a recombinant virus expressing the altered form of VCP. Following the infection of cells with the mutant virus, VCP was neither expressed on the cell surface nor able to interact with A56. Importantly, the cell surface expression of VCP was found to protect infected cells from complement-mediated lysis. Our findings suggest a new function for VCP that may be important for poxvirus pathogenesis and impact immune responses to VACV-based vaccines.     

Specific binding of the replication protein of plasmid pPS10 to direct and inverted repeats is mediated by an HTH motif.

The initiator protein of the plasmid pPS10, RepA, has a putative helix-turn-helix (HTH) motif at its C-terminal end. RepA dimers bind to an inverted repeat at the repA promoter (repAP) to autoregulate RepA synthesis. [D. García de Viedma, et al. (1996) EMBO J. in press]. RepA monomers bind to four direct repeats at the origin of replication (oriV) to initiate pPS10 replication This report shows that randomly generated mutations in RepA, associated with defficiencies in autoregulation, map either at the putative HTH motif or in its vicinity. These mutant proteins do not promote pPS10 replication and are severely affected in binding to both the repAP and oriV regions in vitro. Revertants of a mutant that map in the vicinity of the HTH motif have been obtained and correspond to a second amino acid substitution far upstream of the motif. However, reversion of mutants that map in the helices of the motif occurs less frequently, at least by an order of magnitude. All these data indicate that the helices of the HTH motif play an essential role in specific RepA-DNA interactions, although additional regions also seem to be involved in DNA binding activity. Some mutations have slightly different effects in replication and autoregulation, suggesting that the role of the HTH motif in the interaction of RepA dimers or monomers with their respective DNA targets (IR or DR) is not the same.     

Organelle targeting of myosin XI is mediated by two globular tail subdomains with separate cargo binding sites

Myosin XI are actin-based molecular motors that are thought to drive organelle movements in plants, analogous to myosin V in animals and fungi. Similar domain structure of these myosins suggests that binding to organelles may occur via the globular tail domain in both types of motors, even though sequence similarity is low. To address this hypothesis, we developed a structure homology model for the globular tail of MYA1, a myosin XI from Arabidopsis, based on the known structure of yeast myosin V (Myo2p) globular tail. This model suggested an interaction between two subdomains of the globular tail which was verified by yeast two-hybrid assay and by in vivo bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC). Interface mapping demonstrated that this subdomain interaction depends critically on the C terminus of helix H6 as well as three specific residues in helices H3 and H15, consistent with the structural prediction. The reconstituted globular tails of several Arabidopsis myosin XIs in BiFC assays targeted to peroxisomes in plant cells, identifying this domain as sufficient for cargo binding. Unlike myosin V, either subdomain of myosin XI alone was targeting-competent and responsible for association with different organelles. In addition, our data suggest that organelle binding is regulated by an allosteric interaction between two tail subdomains. We conclude that the globular tail of myosin XI shares a similar structure with that of myosin V, but has evolved plant-specific cargo binding mechanisms.     

Cell surface lipids and adhesion. I. The effects of lysophosphatidyl compounds, phospholipase A2 and aggregation-inhibiting protein.

Aggregation-inhibiting protein (AIP: Curtis & Greaves, 1965), which diminishes the adhesiveness of cells, particularly at low temperatures, is identified in the present paper as phospholipase A2 (EC. 3.1.1.4). Our reasons for this identification are because phospholipase activity parallels AIP activity on cell adhesion, and because various inhibitors and sera act in a parallel manner on adhesion in the presence of AIP or phospholipase. We suggest that the enzyme acts on adhesion by producing lysolecithin and other lysolipids in the plasmalemma. Addition of lysolipids diminishes cell adhesion in a manner similar to phospholipase A. Incubation of cells in Hanks' medium at 37 degrees C has a parallel effect. Conditions which would be expected to stimulate reacylation of lysolipids in the plasmalemma, i.e. incubation of cells in the external presence of CoA, ATP and a fatty acid, lead to a recovery or maintenance of adhesion after or during Hanks' incubation at 37 degrees C. All these results suggest that lipid components of the cell, probably in the plasmalemma, are of importance in adhesion. The results are discussed in relation to the long-standing controversy about the effects of low temperatures and trypsinization on cell adhesion, for phospholipase treatment of cells affects adhesion in a manner similar to trypsinization.     

Differential targeting of two glucose transporters from Leishmania enriettii is mediated by an NH2-terminal domain

Leishmania are parasitic protozoa with two major stages in their life cycle: flagellated promastigotes that live in the gut of the insect vector and nonflagellated amastigotes that live inside the lysosomes of the vertebrate host macrophages. The Pro-1 glucose transporter of L. enriettii exists as two isoforms, iso-1 and iso-2, which are both expressed primarily in the promastigote stage of the life cycle. These two isoforms constitute modular structures: they differ exclusively and extensively in their NH2-terminal hydrophilic domains, but the remainder of each isoform sequence is identical to that of the other. We have localized these glucose transporters within promastigotes by two approaches. In the first method, we have raised a polyclonal antibody against the COOH-terminal hydrophilic domain shared by both iso-1 and iso-2, and we have used this antibody to detect the transporters by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy. The staining observed with this antibody occurs primarily on the plasma membrane and the membrane of the flagellar pocket, but there is also light staining on the flagellum. We have also localized each isoform separately by introducing an epitope tag into each protein sequence. These experiments demonstrate that iso- 1, the minor isoform, resides primarily on the flagellar membrane, while iso-2, the major isoform, is located on the plasma membrane and the flagellar pocket. Hence, each isoform is differentially sorted, and the structural information for targeting each transporter isoform to its correct membrane address resides within the NH2-terminal hydrophilic domain.     

The chemorepulsive activity of secreted semaphorins is regulated by furin-dependent proteolytic processing.

The semaphorins are a large group of cell surface and secreted proteins implicated in axonal pathfinding. Here we show that the secreted mouse semaphorin D (SemD) is synthesized as an inactive precursor (proSemD) and becomes repulsive for sensory and sympathetic neurites upon proteolytic cleavage. ProSemD processing can be blocked completely by an inhibitor selective for furin-like endoproteases or mutagenesis of three conserved dibasic cleavage sites. Its C-terminal pro-peptide contains a processing signal that is essential for SemD to acquire its full repulsive activity. SemD processing is regulated during the embryonic development of the mouse and determines the magnitude of its repulsive activity. Similarly to SemD, the secreted semaphorins SemA and SemE display repulsive properties that are regulated by processing. Our data suggest that differential proteolytic processing determines the repulsive potency of secreted semaphorins and implicate proteolysis as an important regulatory mechanism in axonal pathfinding.     

Increased proteolytic resistance of ribonuclease A by protein engineering.

Although highly stable toward unfolding, native ribonuclease A is known to be cleaved by unspecific proteases in the flexible loop region near Ala20. With the aim to create a protease-resistant ribonuclease A, Ala20 was substituted for Pro by site-directed mutagenesis. The resulting mutant enzyme was nearly identical to the wild-type enzyme in the near-UV and far-UV circular dichroism spectra, in its activity to 2',3'-cCMP and in its thermodynamic stability. However, the proteolytic resistance to proteinase K and subtilisin Carlsberg was extremely increased. Pseudo-first-order rate constants of proteolysis, determined by densitometric analysis of the bands of intact protein in SDS-PAGE, decreased by two orders of magnitude. In contrast, the rate constant of proteolysis with elastase was similar to that of the wild-type enzyme. These differences can be explained by the analysis of the fragments occurring in proteolysis with elastase. Ser21-Ser22 was identified as the main primary cleavage site in the degradation of the mutant enzyme by elastase. Obviously, this bond is not cleavable by proteinase K or subtilisin Carlsberg. The results demonstrate the high potential of a single mutation in protein stabilization to proteolytic degradation.