Reaction of tetranitromethane with lutropin, oxytocin, and vasopressin.
Tetranitromethane reaction with intact ovine lutropin and its isolated subunits was studied using spectrophotometric measurements, amino acid analysis, and isolation of tyrosyl peptides. Tyrosyl residues in the beta subunit (beta37, beta59) did not react with tetranitromethane in the intact hormone, but were nitrated in the isolated subunit. The sequence and extent of reaction of tetranitromethane with the tyrosyl residues in the alpha subunit was alpha21 = alpha92 = alpha93 (in intact hormone or isolated subunit) greater than alpha 41 (reacted in isolated subunit only) greater than alpha 30 (reacted in isolated subunit in 8 M urea only). Polymerization was observed as a side reaction in agreement with previous studies. The degree of polymerization appeared to be related to both primary sequence and tertiary structure, and for lutropin had the relation: alpha subunit (93% polymerized) greater than intact hormone greater than beta subunit (less than 40%). Polymerization observed with vasopressin was significantly greater than with oxytocin; for these peptides the tyrosine residues in the monomeric product were converted to 3-nitrotyrosine. Neither 3-nitrotyrosine nor tyrosine was detected in the polymerized by-products. In the tetranitromethane reaction with intact ovine lutropin, other reaction products charcterized by absorption spectra were found. Peptides isolated from these products lacked the characteristic 428 nm abosrption maxima of 3-nitrotyrosyl peptides and showed instead absorption in the 310 to 350 nm region. Similar products from tetranitromethane reactions with di- and tripeptides containing tyrosine have been observed previously (Boyd, N.D., and Smith, D.B. (1971) Can. J. Biochem, 49, 154-161), but they have not been studied in proteins. A possible relationship to the polymerization side reaction is suggested.