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Biomedical subjects

J W Hamilton

Publications and source records attributed to J W Hamilton.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

The effect of calcium on the tryptic digestion of bovine intestinal calcium-binding protein.

The tryptic hydrolysis of bivine intestinal calcium-binding protein in the presence and absence of excess calcium has been investigated. Calcium-binding activity and immunological reactivity of the protein were not significantly affected in the presence of 1.0 mM CaCl2 following 24 h incubation at 38 degrees C with trypsin at ratios of 1:9 of enzyme to calcium-binding protein. Some modification of the protein did occur under these conditions, however, since analysis by analytical acrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated the formation of a more rapidly-migrating species from the slower-moving original protein band. Omission of added calcium from the incubation medium resulted in rapid and essentially complete destruction of calcium-binding activity and immunological reactivity, and the formation of peptides of low molecular weight. This provides evidence that the conformation of the calcium-binding protein in the presence of calcium differs from that in its absence.

Animals↗

Calcium-binding protein of bovine intestine. The complete amino acid sequence.

The amino acid sequence for vitamin D-dependent bovine intestinal calcium binding protein has been established. It contains 85 amino acids in a single chain and lacks cysteine, tryptophan, methionine, histidine, and arginine. The NH2-terminal lysine is blocked by an N-acetyl group. Enzymatic digestion with trypsin, chymotrypsin, and pepsin yielded a number of peptides which were purified by two-dimensional high voltage paper electrophoresis. These peptides were examined by end group analysis and sequenced by the dansyl procedure. The absence of tryptophan permitted by a single cleavage of the molecule by N-bromosuccinimide at the tyrosine residue at position 8 and the larger fragment was subjected to automated Edman degradation. By these means, the following sequence was established: N-Ac-Lys-Gln-Ser-Pro-Leu-Glu-Tyr-Ala-Ala-Glu-Lys-Ser-Ile-Gln-Lys-Glu-Ile-Glu-Lys-Gly-Phe-Phe-Lys-Gln-Leu-Leu-Val-Ser-Val-Gln-Lys-Ala-Gly-Asp-Lys-Glu-Ser-Leu-Gln-Pro-Leu-Phe-Thr-Leu-Leu-Lys-Ser-Gly-Pro-Glu-Glu-Asn-Leu-Lys-Glu-Ser-Gln-Asn-Gly-Pro-Asp-Leu-Ls7-Ser-Gly-Pro-Gly-Asn-Asp-Leu-Glu-Glu-Lys-Gly-Thr-Asp-Val-Phe-Ser-Leu-Lys-Gln. Microheterogeneity may exist in the molecule at residue 76 in which position threonine may be replaced by serine. Comparison of the sequence of calcium-binding protein to the "test" sequence of Tufty and Kretsinger ((1975) Science 187, 167-169) proposed to identify E-F hands in muscle proteins suggests that intestinal calcium-binding protein may likewise contain one or possibly two E-F hands which could account for calcium-binding property. Dayhoff alignment scores, however, calculated for calcium-binding protein against nine E-F hands in muscle proteins parvalbumin, troponin and alkali light chains do not indicate that intestinal calcium-binding protein is homologous to these muscle protein chains.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Porcine proparathyroid hormone. Identification, biosynthesis, and partial amino acid sequence.

Porcine parathyroid gland slices were incubated with 3H-labeled amino acids in order to label tissue proteins. After incubation a crude hormonal extract was prepared and analyzed by chromatography on carboxymethylcellulose. Among the three radioactive peaks which were detected in the eluate, two were identified as parathyroid hormone and proparathyroid hormone. Based on thin layer gel filtration in the presence of 6 M guanidine-HCl, the proparathyroid hormone had a molecular weight of 11,500 compared to about 9600 for parathyroid hormone. Radioisotope sequence analysis of the proparathyroid hormone revealed a partial sequence of: Lys1-Pro2-Ile3-Lys4-Lys5-Arg6-Ser7-Val8-Ser9--Ile11--Met14--Gly18--Ser22--Ser23---. Thus, from position 7 onward the relative position of each amino acid tested in this molecule corresponded exactly to that in the porcine parathyroid hormone sequence. The conservation of a similar, though not identical, basic hexapeptide grouping Lys-X-Y-Lys-Lys-Arg- at the amino terminal region of the prohormone in all species examined thus far (porcine, human, and bovine) suggests that this segment of the molecule may play an important role in the conversion of the prohormone to the hormone.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The location of calcium during its transport by the small intestine of the chick.

During the in vivo absorption of Ca by chicks, cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) increased the translocation of Ca by the mucosal cells of the small intestine and this was accompanied by a greater "turnover" of Ca within these cells. The location of Ca within mucosal cells was studied by differential centrifugation after conventional homogenation of the cells in isotonic sucrose medium at 0 degrees. Most of the Ca was in mitochondria with less than 2% of Ca being in the soluble phase. However, this finding may be misleading since there may be a redistribution of Ca at 0 degrees, with the mitochondria taking up Ca which in vivo would be located in other parts of the cell. When cells were homogenized in the presence of inhibitors of Ca uptake by mitochondria or were homogenized at 22 degrees-28 degrees, 15-30% of the Ca was found in the soluble cytosol fraction. The uptake of Ca by mitochondria was compared in sucrose media and in this media containing dialysed cell cytosol. The non-dialysable substances in the cytosol influenced uptake and release of Ca by mitochondria so that more Ca would be in the soluble phase in the presence of cell cytosol. Dialysed cell cytosol from cholecalciferol-pretreated chicks had greater effect than cytosol from rachitic chicks and this may partially account for the increased translocation brought about by cholecalciferol.

Animals↗

The role of calcium binding protein in the mechanism of action of cholecalciferol (vitamin D3).

A role has been sought for the calcium binding protein (CaBP) which is synthesised de novo after giving cholecalciferol (CC, vitamin D3) to rachitic chicks. After homogenation of mucosal cells in sucrose media, the CaBP was found in the 78,000 X g supernatant. Therefore, the CaBP is either present in the cytoplasm or in some labile membrane structure, e.g. the microvilli, that is disrupted by homogenation. This intracellular CaBP may facilitate diffusion of Ca into intestinal cells. No secretion of CaBP into the lumen could be detected nor did excess CaBP placed in the lumen increase Ca absorption of rachitic chicks. The mitochondria of duodenal mucosal cells contained most of the Ca being translocated by the small intestine. CaBP caused release of Ca already present in mitochondria and diminished Ca uptake by mitochondria and it appreared to do this by increasing the rate of Ca flux across the mitochondrial membrane. This would explain the greater "turnover" of Ca in mucosal cells of cholecalciferol-treated chicks. These and previous findings have been used to propose a scheme for the effect of cholecalciferol on Ca transport from the small intestine.

Animals↗

The by-pass of tissue hormone stores during the secretion of newly synthesized parathyroid hormone.

Bovine parathyroid gland slices were incubated in Krebs' buffer with [3-H] leucine in order to assess the biosynthesis and secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH). After incubation the particulate structures of the tissue were extracted with sodium deoxycholate to yield primarily newly synthesized (radioactive) PTH in the extract and preexisting granule PTH in the residue. In pulse-chase experiments radioactive PTH entered the granule fraction at a time when total tissue radioactive hormone was declining, which indicates that some newly-synthesized PTH was packaged into these granules. The specific radioactivity of the PTH in the incubation medium was from 20-fold to more than 80-fold greater than that of the granule PTH of the tissue, but was similar in magnitude to that of the tissue's newly synthesized hormone. Secretion of newly synthesized PTH was greater during incubation in buffer with 1.25 mM Ca than it was at 2.5 mM Ca which indicated that the hormone release was subject to physiological control. The PTH content of the tissue granule fraction was lower following incubation at 1.25 mM Ca than at 2.5 mM Ca. The possibility was excluded that the higher specific radioactivity of PT1 of incubation medium compared to that of the secretory granule fraction resulted from a diffusion gradient of [3-H] leucine into the tissue slices. These data indicate that a major portion of the newly synthesized PTH was secreted without prior equilibration with the hormone in the pool of secretory granules.

Amino Acids↗

The significance of depersonalization in the life and writings of Joseph Conrad.

Through reference to his letters and fiction, this paper attempts to demonstrate how Conrad made use of depersonalization in order to cope with the childhood loss of his parents and to avoid, whenever possible, psychotic regression. Genetic and dynamic aspects of depersonalization are noted along with the relationship between dream and depersonalization.

Depersonalization↗

The N-terminal amino-acid sequence of bovine proparathyroid hormone.

Proparathyroid hormone (calcemic fraction-A) is a biosynthetic precursor of parathyroid hormone in bovine glands. Limited amounts of the isolated prohormone have been obtained for the purpose of initial structural studies. The results of automated sequence analysis on two separate preparations indicate that the N-terminal region of the prohormone consists of the sequence Lys-Ser-Val-Lys-Lys-Arg followed by a sequence exactly corresponding to residues 1 to 34 of bovine parathyroid hormone. Also observed was a minor sequence (about 12% of the total) in which the N-terminal lysine was absent. These data suggest that more than one species of prohormone may exist. Due to the small quantities of sample available, the analyses were restricted to the N-terminal portion of the prohormone only. However, because the amino-acid composition of the prohormone indicates it to be a molecule containing more than 100 amino acids, the possibility remains that additional residues occur at the C-terminus. Thus, the prohormone structure based on these data is believed to consist of the hexapeptide sequence above, followed by the known sequence of the 84 residues in parathyroid hormone, possibly followed by an additional sequence of 10-15 residues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Biosynthesis of proparathyroid hormone and parathyroid hormone by human parathyroid glands.

Human parathyroid glands obtained at autopsy were incubated with [(3)H]leucine and [(3)H]lysine. After incubation, nonradioactive parathyroid tissue of either human or bovine origin was added. Radioactive parathyroid hormone and proparathyroid hormone were isolated from the gland and medium by organic solvent and salt fractionation, trichloroacetic acid precipitation, Sephadex G-100 gel filtration, and carboxymethyl cellulose column chromatography. The human hormonal peptides were identified in the ion-exchange column eluates by their relatively high levels of radioactivity, their elution positions, and their immunoreactivity to anti-PTH antiserum. The time-course of radioactive amino acid incorporation into these peptides and a brief incubation of the gland with radioactive amino acids, followed by various lengths of incubation with nonradioactive amino acids, indicated that a precursor-product relationship exists for the two peptides. An alternate method for isolation of the hormone and prohormone, which involves separation of peptides by urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, confirmed the identities of the human parathyroid hormone and proparathyroid hormone.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Calcemic fraction-A: biosynthetic peptide precursor of parathyroid hormone.

Calcemic fraction-A (CF-A) is a biologically active, hypercalcemic and bone resorptive peptide, which was detected in, and isolated from, bovine parathyroid glands [Hamilton et al. (1971) Endocrinology 89, 1440-1447]. It has been further purified, and its relationship to parathyroid hormone clarified. The peptide is present in fresh glands at a concentration of about 3 mug/g (parathyroid hormone, 100 mug/g). It contains 109 amino acids (hormone, 84), each of which is present in equal or greater molar ratio than in the hormone. Its molecular weight, calculated from amino-acid composition, is 12,144; determined by dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, it is 12,500 (hormone, 9563). Per mole, it reacts with antiserum to parathyroid hormone to an extent of 7-10% that of the hormone, and is about 50% as active in its hypercalcemic and bone resorptive properties in the appropriate assays. Time course and pulse-chase experiments with parathyroid gland slices, in which the incorporation of amino acid into isolated peptide and hormone were measured, indicate that the hormone is made from a protein precursor; the patterns of incorporation of radioactivity are those that would be predicted from a precursor-product relationship. When the large peptide was incubated with parathyroid gland extracts it was partially converted to a molecule that appeared to be the hormone, as based upon its coelution with marker hormone from ion-exchange columns. Finally, tryptic digestion of the peptide increased the immunoreactivity of the sample in accord with the known greater immunoreactivity of the hormone than the peptide. On the basis of these results, it is proposed that the peptide is a biosynthetic precursor of the hormone in bovine parathyroid gland.

Acrylamides↗