Biomedical subjects

H E Meyer

Publications and source records attributed to H E Meyer.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Identification of xenin, a xenopsin-related peptide, in the human gastric mucosa and its effect on exocrine pancreatic secretion.

One of the peptides previously discovered in amphibians is the octapeptide xenopsin. As immunohistochemistry has also indicated the presence of xenopsin immunoreactivity in man, we extracted in the present investigation xenopsin-immunoreactive material from human gastric mucosa and purified it to homogeneity with several high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) reverse phase and ion exchange chromatographic steps. The eluates were monitored with a radioimmunoassay for amphibian xenopsin. Determination of the amino acid sequence revealed a 25-amino acid peptide having 6 C-terminal amino acids in common with amphibian xenopsin. The sequence of this peptide, termed xenin 25, is M-L-T-K-F-E-T-K-S-A-R-V-K-G-L-S-F-H-P-K-R-P-W-I-L. The peptide was custom-synthesized. Mass spectrometry of the synthetic and the extracted peptide revealed identical molecular mass. Purification of 250 ml of human postprandial plasma with Sep-Pak C18 cartridges, reverse phase HPLC, and ion exchange chromatography demonstrated circulating xenin immunoreactivity at a retention time identical to xenin 25. The amount of xenin immunoreactivity at the position of xenin 25 on C18-HPLC increased significantly after a meal. A radioimmunoassay utilizing antibodies to xenin 25 and a 125I-labeled analogue of xenin 25 was used to measure immunoreactive xenin in the plasma of 10 volunteers. There was a significant rise of xenin immunoreactivity in the plasma after a meal. Intravenous infusion of the synthetic peptide in dogs stimulated exocrine pancreatic secretion beginning at a dose of 4 pmol/kg/min. The maximal effect was seen with 64 pmol/kg/min. We have detected, therefore, a new peptide, xenin 25, in human gastric mucosa; we have provided evidence for the presence of this peptide in the human circulation, and have shown a rise of plasma xenin concentrations after a meal. This peptide stimulates exocrine pancreatic secretion. Its physiologic role deserves further investigation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

cDNA encoding the chicken ortholog of the mouse dilute gene product. Sequence comparison reveals a myosin I subfamily with conserved C-terminal domains.

We report the cDNA-deduced primary structure of the chicken counterpart of the murine dilute gene product, a member of the myosin I family. Comparison of the chicken and mouse sequences reveals a distinct pattern of domains of high and low sequence conservation. An internal deletion of 25 amino acids probably reflects differential mRNA processing. Compared with other myosin heavy chain molecules, sequence similarity is highest with the MYO2 gene product of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The MYO2 protein, implicated in vectorial vesicle transport, is homologous to the dilute protein over practically its entire length. In addition, the C-terminal domain of the dilute protein is highly similar to a putative glutamic acid decarboxylase sequence cloned from mouse brain. Alternatively, this closely related clone might represent an isoform of the dilute protein derived from a second gene, potentially involved in genetic conditions related to dilute.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Farnesylcysteine, a constituent of the alpha and beta subunits of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase: localization by conversion to S-ethylcysteine and by tandem mass spectrometry.

The primary structure of the alpha and beta subunits of phosphorylase kinase reveals that both proteins contain a carboxyl-terminal CA1A2X motif (where C is cysteine, A1 and A2 are aliphatic amino acids, and X is an uncharged amino acid), the recognition signal for a protein polyisoprenyltransferase. The product, a polyisoprenylated cysteine, can be detected by phenylthiocarbamoylamino acid analysis and by microsequencing following conversion to S-ethylcysteine. Mass spectrometry confirms a covalently linked farnesyl residue in both subunits. Tandem mass spectrometry localizes these modifications at the cysteine residues present in the carboxyl-terminal CAMQ and CLVS sequences of the alpha and beta subunits, respectively. Membrane association of phosphorylase kinase, probably mediated by these farnesyl residues, is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Occurrence of an actin-inserting domain in tensin.

We have previously described a protein called "insertin" that binds strongly to barbed ends of actin filaments and permits polymerization of actin filaments by insertion of actin monomers between the barbed ends and barbed end-bound insertin. We determined the amino acid sequence of insertin and found that the primary structure of insertin is almost identical to amino acid residues 862 to 1212 of the actin-binding protein tensin.

Actins↗

PubMed1992

The Alzheimer-like phosphorylation of tau protein reduces microtubule binding and involves Ser-Pro and Thr-Pro motifs.

Tau protein can be transformed into an Alzheimer-like state by phosphorylation with a kinase activity from brain [Biernat et al. (1992) EMBO J. 11, 1593-1597]. Here we show that the phosphorylation at Ser-Pro motifs strongly decreases tau's affinity for microtubules. The major reduction occurs during the first of the three main stages of phosphorylation. The data explain the lower stability of microtubules resulting from the pathological tau phosphorylation.

Alzheimer Disease↗

PubMed1992

Phosphorylation-dependent epitopes of neurofilament antibodies on tau protein and relationship with Alzheimer tau.

We have studied the phosphorylation of tau protein from Alzheimer paired helical filaments, of tau from normal human brain, and of recombinant tau isoforms. As a tool we used monoclonal antibodies against neurofilament protein [Sternberger, N., Sternberger, L. & Ulrich, J. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82, 4274-4276] that crossreact with tau in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. This allowed us to deduce the state of phosphorylation in normal and pathological tau, as well as antibody epitopes. The epitope of antibody SMI33 is at the first Lys-Ser-Pro sequence motif (residues 234-236) and requires an unphosphorylated Ser-235. Antibody SMI31 binds between Ser-396 (in the second Lys-Ser-Pro motif) and Ser-404, both of which must be phosphorylated. SMI34 has a conformational epitope that depends on the interaction between regions on either side of the microtubule-binding region; it also requires phosphorylation. The phosphorylatable serines detected by the SMI antibodies are part of Ser-Pro motifs and can be phosphorylated by a protein kinase activity that can be used to induce a paired helical filament-like state in human brain tau in vitro. The phosphates are incorporated in several stages that can be identified by antibody reactivity and gel shift. This suggests a role for the phosphorylation sites in Alzheimer disease, as well as the involvement of a Ser-Pro-directed protein kinase.

Alzheimer Disease↗

PubMed1992

Extracellular lipase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an amphiphilic protein.

Lipase (triacylglycerol acylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.3) secreted by Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAC1R was purified from cell-free growth medium by preparative isoelectric focusing. After blotting the N-terminal amino acid sequence and the amino acid composition were determined and compared to P. fragi and P. cepacia lipases yielding significant homology between all three species. Additionally, a consensus sequence K-Y-P-i-v-l-V-H-G was identified residing at the N-terminus of Pseudomonas lipases and in the central part of Staphylococcus lipases. Treatment of lipase with the serine-specific inhibitor diethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate caused a rapid and complete inhibition of enzyme activity indicating the presence of a serine at the catalytic site as expected from lipase consensus sequences. Upon charge-shift electrophoresis the electrophoretic mobility of purified lipase was shifted either anodally or cathodally in the presence of sodium deoxycholate and cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide, respectively. This result demonstrates that extracellular lipase of P. aeruginosa exhibits an amphiphilic character like intrinsic membrane proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Amphiphysin, a novel protein associated with synaptic vesicles.

To obtain access to novel proteins of the neuronal synapse, we have raised antisera against proteins of synaptic plasma membranes and used them for immunoscreening brain cDNA expression libraries. One of the newly isolated cDNAs encodes an acidic protein of 75 kDa with a distinct architecture of structural domains and multiple potential phosphorylation sites. Light and electron microscopy employing monospecific antisera raised against the expression product indicate a synapse-specific, presynaptic localization of this protein in many synapses of the chicken and rat nervous system. Its overall distribution in brain is very similar to that of synaptophysin, a ubiquitous protein of synaptic vesicles. In addition to brain, the protein or its mRNA is expressed in adrenal gland and anterior and posterior pituitary, but was not detected in a variety of other tissues. In controlled pore glass chromatography the native protein copurifies with synaptic vesicles and largely remains associated with them under various washing conditions. However, its amino acid sequence is very hydrophilic and it segregates into the aqueous phase in detergent phase partition. An earlier step of synaptic vesicle purification, sucrose cushion centrifugation, separates a vesicle-bound fraction of this protein from an unbound fraction. This seems to be a new, perhaps peripheral, protein of synaptic vesicles for which we propose the name, amphiphysin.

Adrenal Glands↗

PubMed1992

Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of cDNAs encoding a 31-kilodalton surface antigen of Sarcocystis muris.

Using polyadenylated RNA isolated from Sarcocystis muris cyst merozoites, we have constructed a cDNA library in the expression vector lambda ZAP. Immunoscreening with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies directed against a 31-kDa surface antigen of S. muris [1] yielded a number of clones with insert sizes ranging between 1.1 kb and 1.3 kb. An additional clone with an insert length of 1.55 kb was isolated by screening with a labeled DNA probe derived from one of the cDNA clones. The cDNA sequence was found to contain an open reading frame specifying a polypeptide of 280 amino acids with a predicted size of 29.7 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence is rich in serine and threonine (22%) and harbors a hypothetical N-terminal signal peptide sequence as well as a C-terminal glycosyl phosphatidylinositol anchor attachment site. The predicted amino acid sequence has been confirmed by peptide sequencing and an analysis of the overall amino acid composition of the 31-kDa protein. A recombinant protein was obtained which was recognized by the polyclonal antibodies directed against the 31-kDa antigen. Antiserum raised against the purified fusion protein specifically reacted with a 31-kDa protein from S. muris cystozoites. Southern blot analysis indicated that the corresponding gene exists as a single copy within the S. muris genome.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

Oxidation of cysteines activates cGMP-dependent protein kinase.

The functional significance of the oxidation/reduction state of sulfhydryl groups of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (cGMP kinase) was studied at 30 degrees C using different metal ions as oxidizing agents. Mn2+, Zn2+, Fe2+, Ni2+, and Co2+ failed to activate cGMP kinase, whereas Cu2+, Cu+, Fe3+, Hg2+, and Ag+ activated cGMP kinase by oxidation with an activity ratio (-cGMP/+cGMP) of about 0.7. The activation was not caused by degradation of the enzyme to a cGMP-independent constitutively active form. Reduction of the Cu(2+)-activated and gel-filtered enzyme with dithiothreitol lowered the activity ratio in the absence of cGMP to 0.17. Oxidation did not change the kinetic and binding parameters of cGMP kinase significantly but reduced the number of titratable sulfhydryl groups from 9.5 +/- 0.7 to 6.0 +/- 0.4 cysteines/75-kDa subunit. The free cysteinyl residues of the native and Cu(2+)-oxidized cGMP kinase were labeled with 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene-4'-iodoacetamide or N-(7-dimethylamino-4-methyl-3-coumarinyl)maleimide. Tryptic peptides of the labeled proteins were isolated and sequenced. The cysteinyl residues oxidized by Cu2+ were identified as disulfide bonds between Cys-117 and Cys-195 and Cys-312 and Cys-518, respectively. Cu2+ activation of cGMP kinase was prevented by mild carboxymethylation of the reduced enzyme with iodoacetamide, which apparently modified these four cysteinyl groups. The results show that cGMP kinase is activated by the formation of at least one intrachain disulfide bridge.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

Inactivation of chloroplast H(+)-ATPase by modification of Lys beta 359, Lys alpha 176 and Lys alpha 266.

Treatment of isolated, latent chloroplast ATPase with pyridoxal-5-phosphate (pyridoxal-P) in presence of Mg2+ causes inhibition of dithiothreitol-activated plus heat-activated ATP hydrolysis. The amount of [3H]pyridoxal-P bound to chloroplast coupling factor 1 (CF1) was estimated to run up to 6 +/- 1 pyridoxal-P/enzyme, almost equally distributed between the alpha- and beta-subunits. Inactivation, however, is complete after binding of 1.5-2 pyridoxal-P/CF1, suggesting that two covalently modified lysines prevent the activation of the enzyme. ADP as well as ATP in presence of Mg2+ protects the enzyme against inactivation and concomittantly prevents incorporation of a part of the 3H-labeled pyridoxal-P into beta- and alpha-subunits. Phosphate prevents labeling of the alpha-subunit, but has only a minor effect on protection against inactivation. The data indicate a binding site at the interface between the alpha- and beta-subunits. Cleavage of the pyridoxal-P-labeled subunits with cyanogen bromide followed by sequence analysis of the labeled peptides led to the detection of Lys beta 359, Lys alpha 176 and Lys alpha 266, which are closely related to proposed nucleotide-binding regions of the alpha- and beta-subunits.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1991

The use of phosphopeptides to distinguish between protein phosphatase and acid/alkaline phosphatase activities: opposite specificity toward phosphoseryl/phosphothreonyl substrates.

The four main classes of protein phosphatases (PP-1, 2A, 2B and 2C), although differing in their ability to dephosphorylate phosphopeptide substrates, invariably display a marked preference toward phosphothreonyl peptides over their phosphoseryl counterparts. Conversely, all the acidic and alkaline phosphatases tested so far dephosphorylate phosphoseryl derivatives far more readily than phosphothreonyl ones. This opposite behaviour provides a criterion for discriminating between protein dephosphorylating activity due to authentic protein phosphatases as compared to nonspecific acid and/or alkaline phosphatases. In particular the phosphothreonyl peptides RRATPVA and RRREEETPEEEAA appear to be especially suited for detecting the activity of PP-2C and PP-2A, since they are hardly dephosphorylated by acid and alkaline phosphatases. Conversely, the phosphoseryl peptides SPEEEEE and RRASPVA can provide a sensitive evaluation of the majority of acid and alkaline phosphatases, while being refractory to protein phosphatases.

Acid Phosphatase↗

PubMed1991

Three regions of erythrocyte band 3 protein are phosphorylated on tyrosines: characterization of the phosphorylation sites by solid phase sequencing combined with capillary electrophoresis.

The major part of band 3 phosphorylation was recently shown to concern the first tryptic peptide of the protein (Yannoukakos et al. (1991) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1061, 253-266). Tyrosine 8 is the prevalent site of phosphorylation, but other phosphorylated regions were found which could not be analyzed with certainty. Direct characterization of the phosphorylated residues in all these phosphorylated fragments was made possible due to recent advances in protein chemistry techniques, such as solid phase sequence analysis and capillary electrophoresis. The present report establishes that band 3 phosphorylation occurs predominantly on tyrosines: besides tyrosine 8 already known in the N-terminal region, two other tyrosines are demonstrated to be targets for the tyrosine kinase, tyrosine 359 and tyrosine 904. These residues lie in regions of band 3 exposed to the cytoplasm, the junction of the cytoplasmic and the membrane-spanning domains, and the C-terminal end of the protein which is also cytosolic, respectively.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

UGA is translated as cysteine in pheromone 3 of Euplotes octocarinatus.

Pheromone 3 mRNA of the ciliate Euplotes octocarinatus contains three in-frame UGA codons that are translated as cysteines. This was revealed from cDNA sequencing and from plasma desorption mass spectrometry of cleaved pheromone 3 in connection with pyridylethylation of the fragments. N-terminal sequence analysis of carboxymethylated protein confirmed this conclusion for the first of the three UGA codons. Besides UGA the common cysteine codons UGU and UGC are also used to encode cysteine. UAA functions as a termination codon. No UAG codon was found. In connection with results reported for other ciliates, this suggests that the role of the classic termination codons had not yet been established when the ciliates started to diverge from other eukaryotes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

Limited proteolysis of the beta 2-dimer of tryptophan synthase yields an enzymatically active derivative that binds alpha-subunits.

Proteolytic modification of tryptophan synthase holo-beta 2-subunit from Escherichia coli at the C-terminal side of E-296 leads to an active species (E-296-nicked holo-beta 2) capable of interacting with alpha-subunits. Although this heterologous subunit interaction is rather weak, it induces an increase in catalytic efficiency in E-296-nicked holo-beta 2 by a factor of about 150. Correspondingly, enzymatic activity of alpha-subunits is enhanced 180-fold. This is in striking contrast to the findings from earlier reports which demonstrated that proteolytic derivatives modified at other positions in the "hinge region" embedded in the C-domain of the beta 2-subunit (K-272, R-275, and K-283) are enzymatically inactive and cannot associate with alpha-subunits. The equilibrium binding curve for the cofactor pyridoxal 5'-phosphate to E-296-nicked apo-beta 2 is hyperbolic (i.e., noncooperative), yielding an apparent microscopic dissociation constant, Kd, of 5 x 10(-6) M. This value closely resembles the low-affinity dissociation constant of cooperative cofactor binding to the native beta 2-subunit, indicating that the conformational interactions between structural domains in the modified beta-protein seem to be disturbed considerably.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

Phosphorylation sites of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. A novel site detected in position delta S362.

The delta-subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo californica electric tissue isolated form receptor purified in the absence of protein phosphatase inhibitors contains a total of four phosphate groups. Three of these are shown to represent phosphoserine groups. The fourth possible represents phosphotyrosine. The phosphate groups are localized within the primary structure: We found phosphoserine in positions delta S361 and delta S377, the predicted sites phosphorylated by PKA and PKC, respectively. In addition, we found that position delta S362 is also phosphorylated. Phosphorylation experiments with the synthetic peptide delta L357-delta K368 show that phosphorylation of this novel site can be catalyzed by PKA and by PKC. It is concluded that the delat-subunit of the acetylcholine receptor is stably and not transiently phosphorylated. Implications for the physiological functions of receptor phosphorylation are discussed.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Purification and N-terminal amino acid sequence of a chondroitin sulphate/dermatan sulphate proteoglycan isolated from intima/media preparations of human aorta.

A proteoglycan (PG) was purified to homogeneity from intima/media preparations of human aorta specimens by the following chromatographic steps: Sepharose Q anion exchange, Sepharose CL-4B size exclusion, hydroxyapatite, MonoQ anion exchange and TSK G 4000 SW size exclusion. The purity of the preparation was established by SDS/PAGE using direct staining by silver or Dimethylmethylene Blue, as well as by Western blots of biotin-labelled samples. The electrophoretic mobility of the native PG was less than that of a 200,000-Mr standard protein. After treatment with chondroitin sulphate lyase ABC, a core protein of Mr 15,000 was revealed. The Mr of the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) peptides was less than 24,000, by comparison with a keratan sulphate peptide. The composition of the GAG chains was determined by differential digestion of the PG by chondroitin sulphate lyases AC/ABC or chondroitin sulphate lyase AC alone followed by anion-exchange chromatography of the resulting disaccharides. The GAG chains are composed of approximately one-third of dermatan sulphate and two-thirds chondroitin sulphate disaccharide units. The sequence of the 20 N-terminal amino acids is identical with the sequence previously reported for PG I isolated from human developing bone [Fisher, Termine & Young (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 4571-4576]. The assignment of glycosylation sites to the serine residues in positions 5 and 10 was confirmed. The findings indicate that the chondroitin sulphate/dermatan sulphate PG is a major PG in intima/media preparations of human aorta and represents a biglycan-type PG.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

Plasma desorption mass spectrometry of phosphopeptides: an investigation to determine the feasibility of quantifying the degree of phosphorylation.

The intact ion yields of phosphotyrosine, phosphothreonine and mono- and diphosphoserine residue-containing peptides have been compared with the non-phosphorylated sequences using plasma desorption mass spectrometry. Equimolar mixtures of the phosphorylated (Mp) and non-phosphorylated peptides (M) were also analysed. The positive mass spectra of these mixtures show a higher intensity of the [M + H]+ compared with the [Mp + H]+. In the negative mass spectrum, the bias towards the [M - H]- compared with the [Mp - H]- was reduced, but the spectra generally did not accurately reflect the stoichiometry.

Amino Acid Sequence↗