Primary structure of ascidian trypsin inhibitors in the hemolymph of a solitary ascidian, Halocynthia roretzi

The amino acid sequences of trypsin inhibitors I and II from the hemolymph of a solitary ascidian, Halocynthia roretzi, were determined after reduction and S-pyridylethylation. The results indicated that inhibitor I consists of a single polypeptide chain with 55 amino acid residues and four intramolecular disulfide bridges, whereas inhibitor II is composed of two polypeptide chains corresponding to a form derived from inhibitor I by cleavage at the Lys16-Met17 bond. Lys16 may be the reactive-site residue of these inhibitors, because carboxypeptidase B treatment destroys most of the inhibitory activity of inhibitor II but not that of inhibitor I.     

The role of inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor and other proteinase inhibitors in the plasma clearance of neutrophil elastase and plasmin

The plasma clearance of neutrophil elastase, plasmin, and their complexes with human inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (I alpha I) was examined in mice, and the distribution of the proteinases among the plasma proteinase inhibitors was quantified in mixtures of purified inhibitors, in human or murine plasma, and in murine plasma following injection of purified proteins. The results demonstrate that I alpha I acts as a shuttle by transferring proteinases to other plasma proteinase inhibitors for clearance, and that I alpha I modulates the distribution of proteinase among inhibitors. The clearance of I alpha I-elastase involved transfer of proteinase to alpha 2-macroglobulin and alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor. The partition of elastase between these inhibitors was altered by I alpha I to favor formation of alpha 2-macroglobulin-elastase complexes. The clearance of I alpha I-plasmin involved transfer of plasmin to alpha 2-macroglobulin and alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor. Results of distribution studies suggest that plasmin binds to endothelium in vivo and reacts with I alpha I before transfer to alpha 2-macroglobulin and alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor. Evidence for this sequence of events includes observations that plasmin in complex with I alpha I cleared faster than free plasmin, that plasma obtained after injection of plasmin contained a complex identified as I alpha I-plasmin, and that a murine I alpha I-plasmin complex remained intact following injection into mice. Plasmin initially in complex with I alpha I more readily associated with alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor than did free plasmin.     

Isolation and identification of fetuin-B-like protein from rainbow trout seminal plasma and its localization in the reproductive system

Seminal plasma of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Salmonidae) contains an inhibitory system consisting of three fractions (I-III) characterized by different electrophoretic migration rates. Using a two-step isolation procedure we purified (20- and 43-fold to homogeneity) and characterized the two subforms of inhibitor I (Ia and Ib). On the basis of the homology alignment of the amino acid sequences, inhibitor I was classified to the family of cysteine proteinase inhibitors - fetuins. The molecular masses were determined to be 61,146.5Da and 63,096.0Da, and the isoelectric points were estimated to be 6.04 and 6.22 for inhibitor Ia and Ib. Both inhibitors were glycoproteins with a carbohydrate content about 13% for inhibitor Ia and 19% for inhibitor Ib. The equilibrium association constant of inhibitor Ib with cod trypsin was determined to be 7.1×10(8)M(-1). Except for the cod trypsin inhibition, the inhibitor Ib effectively inhibited papain belonging to the cysteine proteainases. Comparative studies of the distribution of inhibitor I and the previously described inhibitor II were performed. The presence of inhibitor I in the seminal plasma was a common feature of several Salmoniformes, which was contrary to inhibitor II detected in seminal plasma of other fish families. Inhibitors I and II showed different expression patterns in the testes and spermatic duct of the rainbow trout.     

Author index for volume 219

Proteinase inhibitors I and II were purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from leaves of tomato plants induced by either wounding intact plants or by supplying excised plants with the proteinase inhibitor inducing factor. Affinity chromatography with chymotrypsin-Sepharose was employed as a final purification step for each inhibitor. The tomato leaf inhibitors are very similar to potato tuber inhibitors I and II in subunit molecular weight, composition, and inhibitory activities against chymotrypsin, trypsin, and subtilisin. However, unlike the potato tuber which contains multiple isoinhibitors by isoelectric focusing, the tomato leaf exhibits only two isoinhibitor forms of inhibitor I and a single form of inhibitor II. The molecular weight of native potato inhibitor I was reevaluated by rigorous ultracentrifugal analysis and compared with data from previous analyses. The data confirm that native inhibitor I has a native M_r of about 41,000 and is a pentamer. Inhibitor II has a molecular weight of near 23,000 and is a dimer.     

Tissue and Cellular Localization of Proteinase Inhibitors I and II in the Fruit of the Wild Tomato, Lycopersicon peruvianum (L.) Mill

The cellular and subcellular localization of proteinase inhibitor I and inhibitor II proteins in the fruit of the wild tomato species Lycopersicon peruvianum (L.) Mill., LA 107 was determined by immunoanalysis of tissue blots and protein-A gold immunocytochemistry. Tissue blot analysis showed that the proteinase inhibitor I proteins were located throughout the fruit tissue, with the exception of the seeds. Light microscopy, using immunocytochemical labeling, indicated that all the parenchyma cells of the pericarp contained inhibitor I and II proteins in dense vacuolar protein aggregates that were not membrane bound. The size, number, and morphology of the aggregates within individual cells varied greatly. The funiculus, ovule, and early embryonic tissues were devoid of inhibitor I and II. Immunocytochemical analysis using transmission electron microscopy confirmed that the proteinase inhibitor I proteins were principally located and stored in protein aggregates within the vacuole of the fruit parenchyma cells. Some cytoplasmic protein-A gold immunolabeling of inhibitor I proteins was evident, which may be related to the synthesis and intermediate transport steps preceding storage of the inhibitor I proteins in the vacuoles.     

Synthesis of Chymotrypsin Inhibitor I Protein in Potato Leaflets Induced by Detachment

Chymotrypsin inhibitor I is a protein that can be induced to accumulate in potato leaflets within hr in the light when leaflets are detached from intact plants and supplied with water. This increase in inhibitor I is not accompanied by an increase in all proteins in the detached leaflets. The accumulation is polar, proceeding from the base of the leaflets toward the tip. Low inhibitor I levels can be effectively maintained in detached leaflets by supplying them either water in the dark or solutions of indole acetic acid or 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid in the light. Inhibitor I from leaflets is not identical to inhibitor I isolated from potato tubers as determined by immunochemical analyses.     

A protein inhibitor of calmodulin-regulated cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase in amphibian ovaries

The cytosol fraction of an extract of Xenopus laevis ovaries contains a protein inhibitor that can specifically block the activation of calmodulin-sensitive cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE I) found in that tissue. This inhibitor was purified by DEAE-cellulose chromatography, gel filtration on Sephacryl S-200, and affinity chromatography on calmodulin-Sepharose. It has a molecular weight of approximately 90,000, and is heat-labile and susceptible to inactivation by chymotrypsin. The inhibitor blocks calmodulin activation of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases from amphibian ovary and bovine brain and of the myosin light chain kinase from rabbit smooth muscle, but does not affect the activity of a calmodulin-insensitive cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase. The inhibitor not only affects the activation of Xenopus PDE I and of the bovine brain phosphodiesterase by calmodulin, but also inhibits the stimulation of these enzymes by lysophosphatidylcholine. The inhibitor also acts on PDE I activated by partial tryptic proteolysis, but the enzyme fully activated by trypsin is only slightly susceptible to inhibition by this protein. The inhibition of PDE I activation caused by this ovarian factor can be reversed by adding excess amounts of calmodulin or lysophosphatidylcholine. The presence of this inhibitor provides a possible explanation for the previously observed inactivity of PDE I in vivo.     

Mechanism of action of inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor

Inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (I alpha I) is a unique proteinase inhibitor that can be proteolyzed by the same enzymes that are inhibited, to generate smaller inhibitors. This study examines the reactions of I alpha I with trypsin, chymotrypsin, plasmin, and leukocyte elastase. Complexes of I alpha I and proteinase were demonstrated by gel filtration chromatography. Complete digestion of I alpha I by each proteinase was not accompanied by a comparable loss of inhibition of that enzyme or a different enzyme. Following proteolysis, inhibitory activity was identified in I alpha I fragments of molecular weight 50,000-100,000 and less than 40,000. Addition of a second proteinase inhibitor prevented proteolysis. Both I alpha I and its complex with proteinase were susceptible to degradation. Kinetic parameters for both the inhibition and proteolysis reactions of I alpha I with four proteinases were measured under physiological conditions. On the basis of these results, a model for the mechanism of action of I alpha I is proposed: Proteinase can react with either of two independent sites on I alpha I to form an inhibitory complex or a complex that leads to proteolysis. Both reactions occur simultaneously, but the inhibitory capacity of I alpha I is not significantly affected by proteolysis since the product of proteolysis is also an inhibitor. For a given proteinase, the inhibition equilibrium constant and the Michaelis constant for proteolysis describe the relative stability of the inhibition and proteolysis complexes; the second-order rate constants for inhibition and proteolysis indicate the likelihood of either reaction. The incidence of inhibition or proteolysis reactions involving I alpha I in vivo cannot be assessed without knowledge of the exact concentrations of inhibitor and proteinases; however, analysis of inhibition rate constants suggests that I alpha I might be involved in plasmin inhibition.     

Functional and structural similarities between protease nexin I and C1 inhibitor

Protease nexin I is a proteinase inhibitor that is secreted by human fibroblasts and forms stable complexes with certain serine proteinases; the complexes then bind to the fibroblasts and are rapidly internalized and degraded. In this report, we show that this inhibitor, which is present in very low concentrations in plasma, has functional and structural similarities to C1 inhibitor, an abundant proteinase inhibitor in plasma. Both inhibitors complex and inactivate certain proteinases that previously were known to rapidly react only with C1 inhibitor. Kinetic inhibition studies show that protease nexin I inhibits Factor XIIa and plasma kallikrein with second-order rate constants of 2.3 x 10(3) and 2.5 x 10(5) M-1 s-1, respectively, which are similar to the rate constants for inhibition of these proteinases by C1 inhibitor. Protease nexin I inhibits C1s about one-tenth as rapidly as does C1 inhibitor. Alignment of the amino acid sequences of protease nexin I and C1 inhibitor shows that these proteins have similarity at their reactive centers (from sites P7 to P1). The remaining regions of the two proteins share much less similarity. In contrast to protease nexin I, C1 inhibitor is not secreted by human fibroblasts. Although 125I-C1s-protease nexin I complexes readily bind to human fibroblasts, binding of 125I-C1s-C1 inhibitor complexes or other 125I-proteinase-C1-inhibitor complexes to these cells is not detectable. Thus, protease nexin I and C1 inhibitor may control some common regulatory proteinases in the extravascular and vascular compartments, respectively.     

Strategy to design peptide inhibitors: structure of a complex of proteinase K with a designed octapeptide inhibitor N-Ac-Pro-Ala-Pro-Phe-DAla-Ala-Ala-Ala-NH2 at 2.5 A resolution.

The crystal structure of a complex formed by the interaction between proteinase K and a designed octapeptide amide, N-Ac-Pro-Ala-Pro-Phe-DAla-Ala-Ala-Ala-NH2, has been determined at 2.5 A resolution and refined to an R-factor of 16.7% for 7,430 reflections in the resolution range of 8.0-2.50 A. The inhibitor forms a stable complex through a series of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions with the protein atoms and water molecules. The inhibitor is hydrolyzed between Phe4I and DAla5I (I indicates the inhibitor). The two fragments are separated by a distance of 3.2 A between the carbonyl carbon of Phe4I and the main-chain nitrogen of DAla5I. The N-terminal tetrapeptide occupies subsites S1-S5 (S5 for acetyl group), whereas the C-terminal part fits into S1'-S5' region (S5' for amide group). It is the first time that such an extended electron density for a designed synthetic peptide inhibitor has been observed in the prime region of an enzyme of the subtilisin family. In fact, the inhibitor fills the recognition site completely. There is only a slight rearrangement of the protein residues to accommodate the inhibitor. Superposition of the present octapeptide inhibitor on the hexapeptide inhibitor studied previously shows an overall homology of the two inhibitors, although the individual atoms are displaced significantly. It suggests the existence of a recognition site with flexible dimensions. Kinetic studies indicate an inhibition rate of 100% by this specifically designed peptide inhibitor.     

Biological activity of calf spleen extracts containing a DNAase I inhibitor during irradiation

The purified calf spleen extract (I fraction CM-cellulose), possessing a highly active natural inhibitor of DNAase I, increases the survival rate of gamma-irradiated animals as opposed to irradiated controls. A possible role of DNAase I inhibitor in the radioprotective effect is discussed.     

Heavy chains of inter alpha inhibitor (IαI) inhibit the human complement system at early stages of the cascade

Inter alpha inhibitor (IαI) is an abundant serum protein consisting of three polypeptides: two heavy chains (HC1 and HC2) and bikunin, a broad-specificity Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitor. The complex is covalently held together by chondroitin sulfate but during inflammation IαI may interact with TNF-stimulated gene 6 protein (TSG-6), which supports transesterification of heavy chains to hyaluronan. Recently, IαI was shown to inhibit mouse complement in vivo and to protect from complement-mediated lung injury but the mechanism of such activity was not elucidated. Using human serum depleted from IαI, we found that IαI is not an essential human complement inhibitor as was reported for mice and that such serum has unaltered hemolytic activity. However, purified human IαI inhibited classical, lectin and alternative complement pathways in vitro when added in excess to human serum. The inhibitory activity was dependent on heavy chains but not bikunin and detected at the level of initiating molecules (MBL, properdin) in the lectin/alternative pathways or C4b in the classical pathway. Furthermore, IαI affected formation and assembly of the C1 complex and prevented assembly of the classical pathway C3-convertase. Presence and putative interactions with TSG-6 did not affect the ability of IαI to inhibit complement thus implicating IαI as a potentially important complement inhibitor once enriched onto hyaluronan moieties in the course of local inflammatory processes. In support of this, we found a correlation between IαI/HC-containing proteins and hemolytic activity of synovial fluid from patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.     

Design and characterization of a hybrid miniprotein that specifically inhibits porcine pancreatic elastase

Studying protease/peptide inhibitor interactions is a useful tool for understanding molecular recognition in general and is particularly relevant for the rational design of inhibitors with therapeutic potential. An inhibitory peptide (PMTLEYR) derived from the third domain of turkey ovomucoid inhibitor and optimized for specific porcine pancreatic elastase inhibition was introduced into an inhibitor scaffold to increase the proteolytic stability of the peptide. The trypsin-specific squash inhibitor EETI II from Ecballium elaterium was chosen as the scaffold. The resulting hybrid inhibitor HEI-TOE I (hybrid inhibitor from E. elaterium and the optimized binding loop of the third domain of turkey ovomucoid inhibitor) shows a specificity and affinity to porcine pancreatic elastase similar to the free inhibitory peptide but with significantly higher proteolytic stability. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that elastase binding of HEI-TOE I occurs with a small unfavorable positive enthalpy contribution, a large favorable positive entropy change, and a large negative heat capacity change. In addition, the inhibitory peptide and the hybrid inhibitor HEI-TOE I protected endothelial cells against degradation following treatment with porcine pancreatic elastase.     

A novel strong competitive inhibitor of complex I

Alkaline incubation of NADH results in the formation of a very potent inhibitor of complex I (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase). Mass spectroscopy (molecular mass equal to 696) and absorption spectroscopy suggest that the inhibitor is derived from attachment of two oxygen atoms to the nicotinamide moiety of NADH. The inhibitor is competitive with respect to NADH with a K(i) of about 10(-8)M. The inhibitor efficiently suppresses NADH-oxidase, NADH-artificial acceptor reductase, and NADH-quinone reductase reactions catalyzed by submitochondrial particles, as well as the reactions catalyzed by either isolated complex I or the three subunit flavoprotein fragment of complex I.     

Ionization states of the complex formed between 2-benzyl-3-phosphonopropionic acid and carboxypeptidase A.

The binding to carboxypeptidase A of two phosphonic acid analogues of 2-benzylsuccinate, 2-DL-2-benzyl-3-phosphonopropionic acid (inhibitor I) and 2-DL-2-benzyl-3-(-O-ethylphosphono)propionic acid (inhibitor II) was studied by observing their 31P resonances when free and bound to the enzyme in the range of pH from 5 to 10. The binding of I by co-ordination to the active-site Zn(II) lowered the highest pKa of I from a value of 7.66(+/- 0.10) to a value of 6.71(+/- 0.17). No titration of any protons on II occurred over the pH range studied. The enzyme-bound inhibitor II also did not titrate over the pH range 6.17-7.60. The pH-dependencies of the apparent inhibition constants for I and II were also investigated by using N-(-2-(furanacryloyl)-L-phenylalanyl-L-phenylalanine as substrate. Two enzymic functional groups with pKa values of 5.90(+/- 0.06) and 9.79(+/- 0.14) must be protonated for binding of inhibitor I, and two groups with pKa values of 6.29(+/- 0.10) and 9.19(+/- 0.15) for binding of inhibitor II. Over the pH range from 6.71 to 7.66, inhibitor I binds to the enzyme in a complex of the enzyme in a more protonated form, and the inhibitor in a less protonated form than the predominant unligated forms at this pH. Mock & Tsay [(1986) Biochemistry 25, 2920-2927] made a similar finding for the binding of L-2-(1-carboxy-2-phenylethyl)-4-phenylazophenol over a pH range of nearly 4 units. The true inhibition constant for the dianionic form of inhibitor I (racemic) was calculated to be 54.0(+/- 5.9) nM and that of the trianionic form to be 5.92(+/- 0.65) nM. The true inhibition constant of the fully ionized II (racemic) was calculated to be 79.8(+/- 6.4) nM.     

Crystal and molecular structure of the serine proteinase inhibitor CI-2 from barley seeds

Chymotrypsin inhibitor 2 (CI-2), a serine proteinase inhibitor from barley seeds, has been crystallized and its three-dimensional structure determined at 2.0-A resolution by the molecular replacement method. The structure has been refined by restrained-parameter least-squares methods to a crystallographic R factor (= sigma parallel Fo magnitude of-Fo parallel/sigma magnitude of Fo) o of 0.198. CI-2 is a member of the potato inhibitor 1 family. It lacks the characteristic stabilizing disulfide bonds of most other members of serine proteinase inhibitor families. The body of CI-2 shows few conformational changes between the free inhibitor and the previously reported structure of CI-2 in complex with subtilisin Novo [McPhalen, C.A., Svendsen, I., Jonassen, I., & James, M.N.G. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 82, 7242-7246]. However, the reactive site loop has some significant conformational differences between the free inhibitor and its complexed form. The residues in this segment of polypeptide exhibit relatively large thermal motion parameters and some disorder in the uncomplexed form of the inhibitor. The reactive site bond is between Met-59I and Glu-60I in the consecutive sequential numbering of CI-2 (Met-60-Glu-61 according to the alignment of Svendsen et al. [Svendsen, I., Hejgaard, J., & Chavan, J.K. (1984) Carlsberg Res. Commun. 49, 493-502]). The network of hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions stabilizing the conformation of the reactive site loop is much less extensive in the free than in the complexed inhibitor.     

Immunological Comparisons of Chymotrypsin Inhibitor I among Several Genera of the Solanaceae

Microcomplement fixation was employed to compare the immunological differences that occur between purified inhibitor I from potato tubers, the four purified protomers that comprise it, and inhibitor I from tuber and leaf extracts. Total inhibitors of chymotrypsin and trypsin in leaves of seven genera of the Solanaceae were identified by enzymatic assay. In leaves of three genera, Solanum, Lycopersicum, and Datura, chymotrypsin inhibitor I was identified immunologically. In petals of all seven genera inhibitor I was also identified immunologically. With the microcomplement fixation technique inhibitor I from leaf or petal extracts of eight Solanaceae genera were compared. An immunological relationship of inhibitor I among seven of these genera was established.     

X-ray Structure Analysis and Characterization of AFUEI,an Elastase Inhibitor from Aspergillus fumigatus

Elastase from Aspergillus sp. is an important factor for aspergillosis. AFUEI is an inhibitor of the elastase derived from Aspergillus fumigatus. AFUEI is a member of the I78 inhibitor family and has a high inhibitory activity against elastases of Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus, human neutrophil elastase and bovine chymotrypsin, but does not inhibit bovine trypsin. Here we report the crystal structure of AFUEI in two crystal forms. AFUEI is a wedge-shaped protein composed of an extended loop and a scaffold protein core. The structure of AFUEI shows remarkable similarity to serine protease inhibitors of the potato inhibitor I family, although they are classified into different inhibitor families. A structural comparison with the potato I family inhibitors suggests that the extended loop of AFUEI corresponds to the binding loop of the potato inhibitor I family, and AFUEI inhibits its cognate proteases through the same mechanism as the potato I family inhibitors.     

Purification and partial characterization of a plasma inhibitor of tonin

A plasma inhibitor of tonin activity in the rat, was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion-exchange of chromatography, and gel filtration. Its purity was investigated by analytical electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel and by ultracentrifugation sedimentation velocity. The molecular weight (360 000) of the purified inhibitor was determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis and its isoelectric point (4.5) by gel isoelectrofocusing. The Stokes radius (640 nm) was evaluated by gel filtration studies and a frictional ratio (f/fo) of 1.95 was calculated from the molecular weight and Stokes radius. Kinetic studies using angiotensin I as substrate showed that the inhibition of tonin by the purified inhibitor was noncompetitive and does not exceed 70%. Electrophoresis showed the same mobility for [125I]tonin bound to plasma proteins and for [125I]tonin bound to the purified inhibitor. The inhibitor may be a protein resembling half of the dimeric protease inhibitor rat alpha 1-macroglobulin or human alpha 2-macroglobulin.     

Purification and characterization of proteinase inhibitors from adzuki beans (Phaseolus angularis).

Two proteinase inhibitors, designated as inhibitors I and II, were purified from adzuki beans (Phaseolus angularis) by chromatographies on DEAE- and CM-cellulose, and gel filtration on a Sephadex G-100 column. Each inhibitor shows unique inhibitory activities. Inhibitor I was a powerful inhibitor of trypsin [EC 3.4.21.4], but essentially not of chymotrypsin ]EC 3.4.21.1]. On the other hand, inhibitor II inhibited chymotrypsin more strongly than trypsin. The molecular weights estimated from the enzyme inhibition were 3,750 and 9,700 for inhibitors I and II, respectively, assuming that the inhibitions were stoichiometric and in 1 : 1 molar ratio. The amino acid compositions of both inhibitors closely resemble those of low molecular weight inhibitors of other leguminous seeds: they contain large amounts of half-cystine, aspartic acid and serine, and little or no hydrophobic and aromatic amino acids. Inhibitor I lacks both tyrosine and tryptophan residues. The molecular weights were calculated to be 7,894 and 8,620 for inhibitors I and II, respectively. The reliability of these molecular weights was confirmed by the sedimentation equilibrium and 6 M guanidine gel filtration methods. On comparison with the values obtained from enzyme inhibition, it was concluded that inhibitor I and two trypsin inhibitory sites on the molecule, whereas inhibitor II had one chymotrypsin and one trypsin inhibitory sites on the molecule.