Lipovitellin 2β is the 31 kD Ni2+-binding protein (pNiXb) in Xenopus oocytes and embryos

An Ni²⁺-binding protein (pNiXb, 31 kD) present in mature Xenopus laevis oocytes and in embryos from fertilization in N/F stage 42, was isolated and characterized. After oocytes or embryos were fractionated by PAGE, electroblotted onto nitrocellulose, and probed with ⁶³Ni²⁺, pNiXb was detected by autoradiography. pNiXb, a yolk protein located in the embryonic gut, was purified from yolk platelets by ammonium sulfate precipitation, delipidation, gel filtration chromatography, and HPLC analysis. During these steps, pNiXb copurified with lipovitellin 2. The N-terminal sequence of purified pNiXb exactly matched that of Xenopus lipovitellin 2β, deduced from the DNA sequence of the Xenopus vitellogenin A2 precursor gene. Since pNiXb and lipovitellin 2β agree in N-terminal sequence, amino acid composition, and apparent molecular weight, they appear to be identical. Based on a metalblot competition assay, the abilities of metal ions to compete with ⁶³Ni²⁺ for binding to pNiXb were ranked: Zn²⁺ ≈ Cu²⁺ ≈ Co²⁺ > Cd²⁺ ≈ Mn²⁺ > Sn²⁺. This study shows that Xenopus lipovitellin 2β is a metal-binding protein in vitro, and raises the possibility that it may function similarly in vivo. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Identification of the NH2-terminal blocking group of NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase as myristic acid and the complete amino acid sequence of the membrane-binding domain

The NH2-terminal blocking group of the membrane-binding domain of NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase has been deduced as myristic (n-tetradecanoyl) acid. This fatty acid was identified by gas chromatography of the digest of the NH2-terminal tetrapeptide of cytochrome b5 reductase. Fast atom bombardment and direct chemical ionization mass spectroscopy of the underivatized NH2-terminal tetrapeptide confirmed the presence of myristic acid, identified its linkage to the NH2 terminus and established CH3(CH2)12-CO-Gly-Ala-Gln-Leu as the NH2-terminal sequence. In addition, the complete amino acid sequence of the membrane-binding domain of cytochrome b5 reductase is also reported. The finding of a myristic acyl chain on the NH2-terminal segment, comprised of hydrophobic amino acid residues, implies that the function of the myristate group may be other than simply to anchor the reductase to the microsomal membrane. This post-translational modification, presumably in the endoplasmic reticulum, may selectively stabilize a particular membrane structure and orientation that optimally facilitates electron transport on the cytosolic surface of this membrane organelle.     

Preparation of β-trypsin by affinity chromatography of enterokinase-activated bovine trypsinogen

The preparation of β-trypsin can be simply accomplished from the activation of bovine trypsinogen with partially purified enterokinase in the presence of STI-Sepharose. Enterokinase catalyzes the specific cleavage of lysine 6-isoleucine 7 and the presence of STI prevents autolysis of β-trypsin by forming a stable inactive complex. The STI immobilized to Sepharose is suitable for the subsequent purification of the activation mixture by affinity chromatography. Inert protein and contaminants are removed with a buffer at pH 4.5. A change to a buffer at pH 2.6 or the introduction of a pH gradient leads to the recovery of highly purified β-trypsin. The procedure produces β-trypsin in a 70–75% yield, which is essentially a theoretical recovery, and all operations can be completed within 6 hr.     

Localization of cytochrome b5 in rat organs and tissues by immunohistochemistry

We employed an immunohistochemical technique for a study of the localization of cytochrome b₅ in paraffin-embedded tissues of the rat. The presence of cytochrome b₅ was limited to the centrilobular areas of the liver, the distal tubules and the collecting ducts of the kidney and the absorptive cells of the villi in the small intestine.     

Complete covalent structure of 60-kDa esterase isolated from 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-induced rabbit liver microsomes

The 60-kDa esterase was isolated from liver microsomes of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-induced rabbits and its complete amino acid sequence determined. Automated sequence analysis of intact protein, as well as characterization of the peptides obtained from enzymatic and chemical cleavages, led to the elucidation of the primary structure. The protein is a single polypeptide consisting of 539 residues and molecular weight 59,478. The active site serine is 195, and another diisopropylphospho binding site is at histidyl 441. Carbohydrate chains are attached at aspariginyl residues 61 and 363. Although 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin treatment induces this esterase severalfold, the amino acid sequence of the induced enzyme is identical to that of the enzyme isolated from liver microsomes of untreated rabbits. The sequence of the microsomal esterase is 30% identical with the sequences of human serum cholinesterase and the acetylcholinesterase from Torpedo californica. There is also a close homology between the 60-kDa esterase and the COOH-terminal domain of bovine thyroglobulin.     

Effect of specific trinitrophenylation of the lysine epsilon amino group of glucagon on receptor binding and adenylate cyclase activation

The trinitrophenyl group was specifically introduced into the ?-amino group of glucagon by reaction of N^α-citraconyl glucagon with trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid. The N^α-citraconyl blocking group was subsequently removed by acid treatment yielding N^?-trinitrophenyl glucagon which was purified by anion-exchange chromatography. The derivative showed less secondary structure as measured by circular dichroism than the native hormone at pH 8.0 and at pH 2.0 in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The analog possessed 4–5% the potency of glucagon in stimulating adenylate cyclase with 90% maximal stimulation and possessed 30% the potency of glucagon in competing for glucagon-specific receptor sites in hepatic plasma membranes. Although the structure of N^?-trinitrophenyl glucagon is very similar to N^?-4-azido-2-nitrophenyl glucagon, the photoaffinity antagonist synthesized by M. D. Bregman and D. Levy [(1977) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 78, 584–590.], the biological activities of the two are different. Possible explanations for these differences are discussed.     

A genome-wide metabolic QTL analysis in Europeans implicates two loci shaped by recent positive selection

We have performed a metabolite quantitative trait locus (mQTL) study of the (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H NMR) metabolome in humans, building on recent targeted knowledge of genetic drivers of metabolic regulation. Urine and plasma samples were collected from two cohorts of individuals of European descent, with one cohort comprised of female twins donating samples longitudinally. Sample metabolite concentrations were quantified by (1)H NMR and tested for association with genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Four metabolites' concentrations exhibited significant, replicable association with SNP variation (8.6×10(-11)相似文献