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Biomedical subjects

M Dautrevaux

Publications and source records attributed to M Dautrevaux.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Amino acid sequence of a cyanogen bromide fragment containing the two tryptophanyl residues of lobster arginine kinase (Homarus vulgaris).

Lobster arginine kinase [EC 2.7.3.3] contains 2 tryptophanyl residues and 9 methionyl residues. The whole carboxymethylated protein was first subjected to CNBr cleavage and the resulting fragments were isolated by gel filtration and other experimental approaches. One fragment, CB5, which contains 60 residues including the two tryptophanyl residues and two of the five cysteinyl residues of the protein, was characterized and the results are reported inthis paper. The overall strategy for the establishment of the complete sequence of this fragment was based on the use of three types of peptides: (a) whole cyanogen bromide peptide CB5 which was partially characterized by automatic Edman degradation using a sequencer: 42 steps were performed out of 60 residues, (b) tryptic peptides of CB5, (c) peptides formed by cleavage of S-carboxymethylated arginine kinase (whole protein) at the two tryptophanyl residues with BNPS-skatole. The complete amino acid sequence of the CNBr polypeptide (CB5) which contains the two tryptophanyl residues of the whole protein was established.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Isolation and characterization of highly purified alpha-1-antitrypsin.

Highly purified human alpha-1-antitrypsin (phenotype MM) was obtained by an original method of preparative electrophoresis. The criteria of homogeneity were assured by one arc in crossed immunoelectrophoresis and one band on polyacrylamide gel. A unique N-terminal amino acid (pyroglutamic acid) and a unique C-terminal residue (lysine) were identified. Determined by gel electrophoresis, its molecular weight was 47,000 daltons.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Bisalbuminaemia in pancreatitis: structural modifications of human serum albumin by proteolytic enzymes of the pancreas (author's transl)].

Bisalbuminaemia in pancreatitis is a transient abnormality related to the presence, on electrophoresis of the serum, of a fast-moving albumin; this abnormal form is also found, in large amounts, in the ascitic or pleural effusions of the patients. Experiments reported here indicate clearly that the fast albumin can be produced by a degradation of normal serum albumin by the proteolytic enzymes of the pancreas (chymotrypsin or elastase in association with carboxypeptidases A and B). Stuctural analysis of the isolated fast albumin of the patients shows that the C-terminal end of the molecule is different from normal serum albumin, which can be understood by a limited enzymatic degradation by chymotrypsin or elastase followed by the action of carboxypeptidases. The discovery of bisalbuminaemia in a patient affected by pancreatitis is suspicious of the presence of an ascitic or pleural effusion and of a pancreatic pseudo-cyst with a fistula emerging in the effusion.

Carboxypeptidases↗

Localization of J-chain and interchain disulfide bonds in a human F(c)5mu-like fragment.

The inter H-H cysteinyl peptides and the localization of the J-chain were studied in a human F(c)5mu-like fragment. The latter was found to be built up by non-covalent association of molecular forms of 140 000, 95 000 and 70 000 dalton subunits. The trimeric, dimeric and monomeric forms were obtained from gradual reduction by dithiothreitol of the major component of 140 000 daltons, thus confirming the tetrameric nature of this subunit. The latter was found to result from the association of both components of the 70 000 dalton subunit, with the participation of the inter H-H subunit bridge. Structural analysis of the labelled peptides obtained by partial reduction and alkylation showed the presence of the intersubunit disulfide bridge and of the inter heavy-heavy chain bridge of the C-terminal region, and the absence of the heavy-heavy chain bridge of the hinge region. The sequence of these peptides is identical to the sequences of the corresponding peptides of normal mmu-chains. The J-chain, which was covalently linked to this F(c)5mu-like fragment, was found to be predominantly associated within the 95 000 dalton subunit. The results showed that the J-chain was linked in the protein as a "clasp" within a single subunit and not between two subunits.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Comparison of the amino acid sequence of pig heart myoglobin with other ungulate myoglobins.

The primary structure of pig heart myoglobin has been established by study of the tryptic peptides of whole globin and by analysis of the fragments obtained by CNBr cleavage. Thermolysin and chymotrypsin digestion were used to determine the sequence of the M fragment (56-131). Automatic Edman degradation of whole globin and of the M fragment completed the sequence of pig myoglobin. Comparison with other ungulates shows that pig myoglobin is far from other artiodactyls previously studied (ox and sheep) and close to the eutherian ancestral chain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Studies of human transcortin at different pHs: circular dichroism, polymerisation and binding affinity.

The transcortin we have used in this work is extremely pure. This was shown by the polymerisation observed at pH 4. This polymerisation is never observed with an impure form of transcortin [4]. Moreover, since it is known that the presence of cortisol in the binding site is an essential condition to the activity of purified transcortin [5], it appears that a correlation between the secondary structure and the biological activity of the transcortin exists. The results we have obtained are summarized below: (1) The inhibition of the transcortin binding capacity essentially takes place between pH 5 and 4. (2) A reorganisation of the structure of the protein moiety is observed between pH 6.5 and 5.9. (3) A decrease of the helicity ratio is observed between pH 5 and 4. It appears therefore that, in the limits of experimental accuracy of CD measurements to determine the amount of beta-structure, no appreciable change of binding activity is taking place after the appearance of a large percentage of beta-structure between pH 6.5 and 6. On the other hand, the sudden decrease of protein activity at low pH is likely to be correlated with the disappearance of a well-defined helical region. Other biochemical and physical experiments would be of course necessary, in order to precise this first observation of a structure-function relationship in transcortin.

Binding Sites↗

The covalent structure of dog myoglobin.

The primary structure of the myoglobin of the domestic dog (German shepherd) was studied. Tryptic and thermolytic peptides were compared with the sequence of other known myoglobins; the stepwise automatic Edman's degradation of the whole globin and also the chymotryptic digestion of the median fragment obtained by CNBr cleavage completed this sequence. Comparison of the established dog myoglobin structure with those from other carnivora shows 16 differences versus badger, 20 versus harbour seal and 15 versus California sea lion.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Determination of serum transcortin levels by electroimmunodiffusion (author's transl)].

The isolation of transcortin in a pure form made possible the preparation of a monospecific anti-human transcortin rabbit serum. Serum transcortin levels were measured by electroimmunodiffusion. Experimental results expressed as errors by the calculating of interserial reproducibility were 4.74 per 100. The mean value was significantly different for men (36 subjects: 39.7 +/- 3.6 mg/l) from women (36 subjects: 42.1 +/- 3.9 mg/l). The transcortin determination was performed in pregnancy serum and in serum of women during oestroprogestative treatment. Some studies were performed in pathological cases (hyper- and hyperthyroidism, hyper- and hypocorticism, Kahler disease, ascitic cirrhosis).

Adrenal Insufficiency↗

[Specificity of thermolysin action on dog myoglobin].

The proteolytic specificity of thermolysin has been studied by quantitative analysis of an enzymic digest of dog myoglobin. Results confirm main specificities of thermolysin towards Phenylalanine, Isoleucine, Leucine or Tyrosine bonds; the influence of neighbourhood was also determined and the conclusions are in a good agreement with the known structure of the active site of thermolysin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Characterization and physico-chemical properties of human transcortin].

The molecular weight of human transcortin, calculated from the sedimentation coefficient, was found to be 49,500, thus slightly lower than previously reported values. After purification, human transcortin trended to polymerize rapidly, with participation of both non covalent bonds and one disulfide bridge per dimer. The physicochemical parameters, the amino-acid and carbohydrate composition were determined; its stability was studied under different conditions. Preliminary structural studies showed that the N-terminal sequence of the polypeptide chain was: Met-Asp-Pro-Asn-Ala-Ala-Tyr-Val and that the C-terminal amino acid was leucine.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Isolation and characterization of the cyanogen bromide fragments of lobster arginine kinase (homarus vulgaris).

Arginine kinase was aminoethylated in order to block the five free thiol groups on the native enzyme, and then submitted to BrCN cleavage. The BrCN resulting peptides were soluble in propionic acid (10 percent) and subsequently submitted to gel-filtration. The large polypeptide subfractions were citraconylated and resubmitted to differnt gelchromatographies, whereas the short peptide subfractions were submitted to preparative paper electrochromatographies. Eight peptides of 2, 11, 17, 25, 61, 82, 86 and 132 amino acid residues were isolated, one of which is the overlapping of two peptides. The amino acid composition and the end group of all the isolated peptides were established. The short peptides (2, 11 and 17 residues) were sequenced. All peptides possess homoserine at C-terminal position because one methionyl residue is situated at the C-terminal position in the native protein. The polypeptide with 132 residues possessed N-acetylated residue at N-terminal position: therefore this polypeptide is located at the N-terminal position in the protein. The sum and account of each amino acid of the seven isolated peptides were compared to those of the intact protein: the sum of the seven peptides is 331 amino acid residues, whereas the whole protein contains 342 residues. The molecular weight of arginine kinase is revised and calculated on the basis of the present results (37, 687).

Amino Acid Sequence↗