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Biomedical subjects

A Veis

Publications and source records attributed to A Veis.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Relation of mineralization defects in collagen matrices to noncollagenous protein components. Identification of a molecular defect in dentinogenesis imperfecta.

Hydroxyapatite crystal deposition and stabilization within the collagen matrix of bone and dentin have been linked to the presence of noncollagenous proteins (NCP). Dentinogenesis imperfecta (DI), a genetic disorder of dentin mineralization, is being studied as a model for the analysis of mineralization mechanisms. A comparative study of the NCP in normal human dentin and dentinogenesis imperfecta Type II (hereditary opalescent dentin) dentin has been performed. The proteins of each tissue were extracted and separated using a variety of techniques. The calcium-binding, highly phosphorylated protein phosphophoryn was one of the principal NCP in normal human teeth dentin, whereas there was no evidence for the presence of such a component in the DI teeth. These data imply that dentin phosphophoryn may be related in function to the mineralization process. A similar calcium-binding protein defect should be sought in the various types of osteogenesis imperfecta.

Adult↗

Ca2+-dependent cross-linking processes in human platelets.

When platelet cytoplasmic Ca2+ is increased by the ionophore A23187 in the presence of the protease inhibitor leupeptin, there is the coincident appearance of a cross-linked polymer and the partial disappearance of monomeric protein and glycoprotein units. In the absence of leupeptin only 30% of the polymer was formed. The disappearance of monomeric protein bands, as detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, is prevented by histamine, which as a pseudodonor amine is a known inhibitor of transglutaminase-catalyzed cross-linking [14C]Histamine, at a tracer concentration, is incorporated into the polymer as well as into myosin, glycoproteins IIb and III, actin and tropomyosin. The loss of monomeric protein bands is mostly due to their conversion into polymers. Control measurements show that leupeptin effectively inhibited platelet Ca2+-dependent proteases. The cross-linking processes bringing about the observed increase in polymer formation are thus the result of a Ca2+-dependent platelet transglutaminase activity. The latter is located in the platelet cytosol and has been identified as platelet factor XIII on the basis of its specific cross-linking of fibrin. Platelet factor XIII, upon activation, may function physiologically to couple membrane proteins to cytoplasmic structural proteins. Thus, a new concept is proposed for the stabilization of platelet membranes and platelets as they form the hemostatic plug.

Blood Platelets↗

Collagen self-assembly in vitro. Differentiating specific telopeptide-dependent interactions using selective enzyme modification and the addition of free amino telopeptide.

The thermally induced in vitro self-assembly of collagen molecules to form active fibrils illustrates that collagen molecules themselves contain all of the structural information necessary for assembly. The molecule contains three structural domains, the NH2 and carboxyl-terminal extra helical regions (the telopeptides) and the major triple helical rod-like domain. Proteolytic removal of the short telopeptide domains drastically alters the in vitro self-assembly process. We have examined the specific contributions of each telopeptide to the initiation ("nucleation") and growth stages of self-assembly in collagens modified by selective proteinase treatment and by isolating a peptide containing the amino telopeptide and adding this to both normal and proteinase-modified collagen self-assembly systems. Pronase-modified collagen, devoid of both telopeptides, initiated self-assembly very poorly. Addition of small amounts of intact collagen accelerated the rate of nucleation of pronase-modified collagen. Addition of carboxypeptidase-modified collagen also accelerated the nucleation of pronase-modified collagen, suggesting that the remaining amino telopeptide was involved in nucleation. This was confirmed by isolating the cyanogen bromide fragment of the alpha 1(I) subunit containing the amino telopeptide and finding that it specifically accelerated the nucleation of intact pepsin- and pronase-modified to collagens. The amino telopeptide appears to bind to a specific region within the collagen triple helical domain. The isolated peptide requires thermal pretreatment to be active; hence, this interaction must involve a unique telopeptide conformation. This behavior is compatible with the recent model (Helseth, D. L., Jr., Lechner, J. H., and Veis, A. (1979) Biopolymers 18, 3005-3014) proposed for the conformation of the amino telopeptide and its interaction with a helical receptor site as a step in nucleation. Comparison of the behavior of leucine aminopeptidase- and carboxypeptidase-modified collagens suggests that the carboxyl telopeptide has its major role in the growth stages of self-assembly.

Animals↗

The structure of acid-soluble basement membrane collagen from bovine anterior lens capsule: molecular parameters and thermal gelation properties.

Basement membrane collagen was extracted from bovine anterior lens capsules with acetic acid in the presence of protease and proteinase inhibitors. This undegraded soluble basement membrane has a sedimentation coefficient S0 20,w=7.8 X 10-13 sec-1, a diffusion coefficient D020,w=5.82 X 10-8/ cm2/sec and a zero-shear intrinsic viscosity [eta] = 2200 cm3/g. These data lead to a molecular weight, Mr of 1.1 X 10(6). Electron microscopic observation indicates that the molecules are rod-like in character with a length of 300 nm. Theoretical models describing the intrinsic viscosity in terms of the distribution of mass in such an elongated molecule show that a dumbbell-like structure is the only tenable model. In this model a single 300 nm rod-like region joins two more densely packed globular regions. The globular domains contain hydroxyproline and may has collagenase sensitive regions since digestion with purified bacterial collagenase at 37 degree C for 18 h degrades these domains as well as the central triple-helical domain. The intact acid-soluble basement membrane collagen precipitates from neutral pH solutions upon warming 4 degree C stable solutions. The pH, ionic strength and concentration dependence parameters of this thermal precipitation have been examined. The basement membrane collagen precipitation appears to be dominated by end-region domain hydrophobic interactions. The end-regions are required for precipitation in contrast to the Type I procollagen situation wherein the intact end-regions inhibit thermal gelation. Electron microscopic examination of the basement membrane thermal gels shows networks of very thin filaments which may be related directly to the structure within intact basement membrane.

Amino Acids↗

Factor XIIIa-catalyzed cross-linking of platelet and muscle actin. Regulation by nucleotides.

Actin from human blood platelets or rabbit skeletal muscle can serve as substrate for factor XIIIa. The latter catalyzes the incorporation of 1.5-2 mol monodansylcadaverine/mol rabbit actin and 0.5 mol/mol platelet actin. Highly cross-linked platelet and muscle actin polymers form in the absence of added amines, indicating the presence of both acceptor and donor sites. As expected, the cross-link was found to be a gamma-glutamyl-epsilon-lysine bone, with an average of 0.3-0.4 mol dipeptide/mol platelet actin. Both cross-linking and amine incorporation are prevented by ATP, ADP, GTP, CTP, but not by AMP and cyclic AMP. These nucleotides may have important regulatory role in muscle and non-muscle systems.

Actins↗

Cooperativity in calcium ion binding to repetitive, carboxylate-serylphosphate polypeptides and the relationship of this property to dentin mineralization.

Analogs of phosphophoryn, a calcium-binding phosphorylated protein found in mineralized dentin, were synthesized by solid phase peptide synthesis. The dentin phosphophoryn appears to contain some sequence blocks of (Asp-PhosphoSer)n. As this sequence is difficult to synthesize, polymers of (alpha-L-Glu-L-Ser) were prepared. The 30-peptide, (alpha-L-Glu-L-Ser)15, was phosphorylated by reaction with orthophosphoric acid in the presence of trichloroacetonitrile in anhydrous dimethylsulfoxide. Calcium ion binding studies were carried out with both the 30-peptide and phosphorylated 30-peptide. The conformation of the original 30-peptide, (Glu-Ser)15, was examined, in the presence and absence of calcium ion, by circular dichroism measurements. Purified bovine phosphophoryn, previously studied by the same techniques, was partially dephosphorylated by alkaline phosphatase, and its calcium ion binding properties were determined. Dephosphorylation to 31% of the initial phosphorus content reduced the number of high affinity sites to approximately 30% of the initial value. However, the stoichiometry of binding indicated that both phosphate and carboxylate groups participate in the high affinity binding and that the binding constant was decreased only slightly. Partial phosphorylation of the 30-mer raised the calcium binding constant, Ka, from 2.1 x 10(2) to 3.3 x 10(3) M-1 and increased the amount of binding from an electrostatic equivalent number of sites to a stoichiometric equivalent number. Concomitant with binding, there was a transition from random coil to beta-like structure. These data suggest that the repetitive (Asp-PhosphoSer)n regions in phosphophoryn and the (Glu-PhosphoSer)n sequence of the synthetic polymer have special conformations which favor the unidentate binding of calcium to the carboxyl groups and phosphate groups. and which enhance the binding affinities of the carboxyl groups in such sequences in a cooperative fashion.

Animals↗

Characterization of bovine anterior-lens-capsule basement-membrane collagen. 2. Segment-long-spacing precipitates: further evidence for large N-terminal and C-terminal extensions.

Collagen extracted from bovine anterior lens capsule basement membrane under minimally degradative conditions can be precipitated in the form of segment-long-spacing crystallites. Positive and negative stain preparations of these precipitates, using uranyl acetate, show the crystallites to have an asymmetric band pattern, indicating unidirectional orientation of all molecules in each crystallite. Non-banded globular masses appear at both ends of most of the crystallites, giving the segment-long-spacing aggregates the form of dumbells, with a total length of 300 nm. Repeated pepsin digestion removes first one then both globular regions leaving the helical region intact but with a length still equal to 300 nm. It thus appears that the pepsin-susceptibile protein is folded back over and covers the ends of the helical regions. Preparations with the most intact end regions tend to aggregate in fibrous segment-long-spacing form, that is, in end-interacted strings or nets. The very prominent molecular end-region interaction suggests a similar filamentous but non-periodic organization within native basement membrane.

Animals↗

Degradation of basement-membrane collagen by neutral proteases from human leukocytes.

A neutral extract from human leukocytes was shown to have proteolytic activity which could degrade triple-helical basement membrane collagen from bovine lens capsules into specific triple-helical sub-fragments. The enzymes responsible is not identical to the leukocyte collagenase active against interstitial collagen types I, II and III. After denaturation, the neutral protease reaction products showed three major peptides with molecular weights of 70,000, 50,000 and 30,000, by dodecylsulphate gel electrophoresis analysis. Electron microscopic observation and viscosity measurements showed the initial twice-pepsinized collagen to be comprised of intact rod-like molecules about 300 nm long. The fragments produced by the protease were also triple-helical and were resistant to the action of trypsin at 20 degrees C. The fragments were completely degraded by purified bacterial collagenase or by raising the reaction temperature above the melting temperature of the basement membrane collagen during incubation with leukocyte extract. Enzyme activity has its pH optimum between 7 and 9, EDTA, EGTA and 1,10-phenanthroline (metal-chelating agents) completely inhibited enzyme activity, as did serum. Partial inhibition of the activity was obtained with phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and soybean trypsin inhibitor.

Animals↗

The limiting collagen microfibril. The minimum structure demonstrating native axial periodicity.

Collagen fibers were grown from solutions of acid-soluble or neutral salt-soluble collagen in 0.5 M acetic acid by rapid dialysis. The collagen was obtained under conditions where protease inhibitors were present at every stage of extraction and purification. Under the conditions used, length-wise but not lateral filament growth proceeded rapidly and gel-like networks were formed, Water readily exuded from the networks. The networks were stretched to fibrous form during drying. Small-angle X-ray diffraction showed the stretched fibrils to be highly ordered, showing up to 20 orders of the 670 A meridional periodicity. Intermediate- and wide-angle photographs show equatorial reflections at a spacing corresponding to approximately 12.5 A which is related to the intermolecular distance but none related to a microfibrillar packing at the 35-40 A level. Electron microscopy of the gel networks before stretching shows the presence of thin filaments with diameters predominantly in the 35-40 A range. No cross-striated fibrils are seen in electron micrographs of either stretched fibers or unstretched fibers. Thus, intermolecular packing in accord with the 670 A axial periodicity can take place within approximately 40 A diameter thin filaments. These correspond to the structures previously postulated to be collagen 'microfibrils'.

Animals↗

The nature of covalent complexes of phosphoproteins with collagen in the bovine dentin matrix.

The bovine dentin matrix still contains some noncollagenous proteins after thorough extraction and decalcification. These have been obtained following digestion of the matrix by cyanogen bromide. Peptides containing non-collagenous portions were isolated by chromatography on diethylaminoethyl cellulose columns and fractionated on hydroxyapatite columns. Several fractions were obtained. The principal component was a complex between a highly-phosphorylated serine-aspartic acid-rich protein and a collagen peptide. These collagenous and non-collagenous moieties could not be separated from each other even under highly dissociative solvent conditions. After digestion with collagenase, the resulting phosphoprotein fraction still contained a few residues of hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine, and an enhanced content of proline, compared to the equivalent directly extractable phosphophoryn of the matrix. These data were interpreted as indicating that the phosphophoryn which is not extractable in 0.5M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid is in fact covalently bound to some specific section of the matrix collagen. The covalent modification of the collagen matrix with highly acidic phosphoproteins may have an important role in the mineralization process.

Amino Acids↗

Phosphophoryns-major noncollagenous proteins of rat incisor dentin.

Freshly excised rat incisors were immediately cleaned and demineralized in 0.5 M ethylene diaminetetracetic acid at pH 7.5. The extracts were freed of calcium, diffusible phosphate and low molecular weight polypeptide components by dialysis in membranes with cut-off of 3500 molecular weight. The extract was resolved into at least 7 protein components by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose at pH 8.2. The composition of each protein component was determined. Two proteins, rich in serine, phosphorous and aspartic acid were unlike any proteins attributed to enamel, and hence were considered to be components of incisor dentin. These were the principal non-collagenous components of the teeth. Further purification was carried out under dissociative conditions on Sepharose CL-6B gel filtration columns in 3.0 M guanidine hydrochloride. The two phosphoproteins have mol wts, by this method, of 71,000 and 65,000, respectively, and differ in content of apolar amino acids, although both contain greater than 70 residue % of seryl (or phosphoseryl) and aspartyl residues. The name "phosphophoryns" is proposed to describe these dentinal proteins. The insoluble collagenous matrix remaining after the original demineralizing extraction was degraded with cyanogen bromide. Several non-collagenous protein components were released as well as the typical collagen derived peptides. Two collagen phosphoprotein complex peptides were also isolated, demonstrating as in bovine dentin, the probable direct covalent interaction of a dentin phosphoprotein with hte collagen of the mineralized matrix.

Amino Acids↗