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T Takao

Publications and source records attributed to T Takao.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Assembly regulatory domain of glial fibrillary acidic protein. A single phosphorylation diminishes its assembly-accelerating property.

Phosphorylation of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) induces disassembly of the filaments. An amino-terminal fragment of bovine GFAP (G-Hf) was produced by lysylendopeptidase digestion. G-Hf formed ribbon-like filaments in the presence of GFAP even in low ionic strength, whereas the fragment itself did not form any structures. Only one (PK3) of the five V8 protease fragments of G-Hf accelerated GFAP assembly to the same degree as G-Hf did, whereas the other fragments did not. When PK3 was cleaved into two fragments, it lost the assembly-accelerating property. The sequence of PK3 was determined as RRRVTSATRRSYVSSSE, which corresponded to residues 3-19 of porcine GFAP. It was concluded that PK3 contains a sequence indispensable for GFAP assembly and that neither PK1 (RRRVTS) nor PK2 (ATRRSYVSSSE) included all of the sequence. A single phosphorylation of PK3 by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase diminished its assembly-accelerating property. The phosphorylation site was determined as Ser-12 of porcine GFAP. It was shown that single phosphorylation of the amino-terminal head domain, which contains an indispensable sequence for GFAP assembly, might be sufficient for GFAP disassembly.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Lipid modification at the N terminus of photoreceptor G-protein alpha-subunit.

Myristate is a fatty acid (fourteen-carbon chain with no double bonds, C14:0) linked to the amino-terminal glycine of several proteins, including alpha-subunits of heterotrimeric (alpha/beta gamma) G proteins. We report here a novel modification at the N terminus of the alpha-subunit of the photoreceptor G protein transducin, T alpha, with heterogeneous fatty acids composed of laurate (C12:0), unsaturated C14:2 and C14:1 fatty acids, and a small amount (approximately 5%) of myristate. Both the GTPase activity of T alpha/T beta gamma and the T beta gamma-dependent ADP-ribosylation of T alpha catalysed by pertussis toxin were inhibited by the lauroylated and myristoylated N-terminal peptide of T alpha. The myristoylated peptide gave 50% inhibition at a 3.5 to approximately 4.5-fold lower concentration than the lauroylated peptide in each assay, indicating that the strength of the interaction between T alpha and T beta gamma is altered by heterogeneous fatty acids linked to T alpha. This suggests that a looser subunit interaction in transducin which is due to an abundance of N-linked fatty acids other than myristate would favour the rapid turnover and catalysis essential for the visual excitation in photoreceptor cells.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗
PubMed1992

Human factor IX has a tetrasaccharide O-glycosidically linked to serine 61 through the fucose residue.

We have recently discovered unusual sugar chains (xylose (Xyl)-glucose (Glc) and (Xyl)2-Glc) linked to a serine residue in the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domains of human and bovine clotting factors VII (Ser-52), IX (Ser-53), and protein Z (Ser-53), in addition to bovine platelet glycoprotein thrombospondin. We now have evidence of another modification in the first EGF-like domain of human factor IX, which proved to be a tetrasaccharide O-fucosidically linked to Ser-61. Two large peptides containing Ser-61 (positions 44-63), named hIX-GP1 and hIX-GP2, were first isolated from the lysyl endopeptidase-digest of human factor IX, by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Data on the component sugar analysis after pyridylamination (PA) and sialic acid analysis of the isolated peptides indicated that they contained 1 mol each of galactose (Gal), fucose (Fuc), N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), and N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc), in addition to Glc and Xyl. hIX-GP1 was further digested with asparaginyl endopeptidase, and two glycopeptides containing Ser-61, named N-3 (positions 59-63) and N-9 (positions 55-63), were isolated, respectively. These glycopeptides were both composed of 1 mol each of Gal, Fuc, GlcNAc, and NeuAc but did not contain Xyl and Glc. Moreover, the data on beta-elimination for N-9 and of the fast atom bombardment mass spectrometric analysis on peptide N-3 suggested the presence of a tetrasaccharide linked to Ser-61. An analysis of the PA-oligosaccharide released from hIX-GP1 by hydrazinolysis followed by pyridylamination revealed that the reducing end was PA-Fuc. All the results support the proposal that human factor IX has a novel tetrasaccharide consisting of 1 mol each of Gal, Fuc, GlcNAc, and NeuAc, which is O-glycosidically linked to Ser-61 through the Fuc residue.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

A method for determination of N-glycosylation sites in glycoproteins by collision-induced dissociation analysis in fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry: identification of the positions of carbohydrate-linked asparagine in recombinant alpha-amylase by treatment with peptide-N-glycosidase F in 18O-labeled water.

Previously, a combined use of fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry and peptide N-glycosidase F, an enzyme that cleaves the beta-aspartylglycosylamine linkage of Asn-linked carbohydrates, was successfully applied to identification of N-glycosylation sites in a glycoprotein with the known or DNA-derived sequence (S. A. Carr and G. D. Roberts, 1986, Anal. Biochem. 157, 396-406). Here, we extended the method for easier identification of N-glycosylation sites in a glycoprotein even with unknown sequence. The glycoprotein is digested with peptide-N-glycosidase F in buffer containing 40 at% H2 18O, to yield a deglycosylated protein whose carbohydrate-linked Asn residues are converted to Asp partly labeled with 18O at their beta-carboxyl group during this digestion. The deglycosylated protein is further digested with proteolytic enzymes in an appropriate buffer prepared with normal water, and then peptides are separated on a reversed-phase column by HPLC. Peptides in which carbohydrate-linked Asn has been converted to Asp show a pair of signals ([M + 1]+ and [M + 3]+) in FAB mass spectra due to the partial incorporation of 18O into the beta-carboxyl groups of Asp residues, while the other peptides show normal isotopic ion distributions. Thus, both formally N-glycosylated peptides and, using collision-induced dissociation analysis, N-glycosylation sites can be identified. The application of the present method to the determination of N-glycosylation sites in a recombinant glycoprotein, Bacillus licheniformis alpha-amylase, is described.

Amidohydrolases↗
PubMed1992

A new type of mitogenic factor produced by Streptococcus pyogenes.

A new type of mitogenic factor (protein) was purified from the culture supernatant of a strain of Streptococcus pyogenes by SP-Sephadex C-25 column chromatography, preparative isoelectric focusing and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The purified factor, showing marked mitogenic activity in rabbit peripheral blood lymphocytes, gave a single-band staining for protein on SDS-PAGE. The molecular weight of the purified mitogenic factor was determined to be 25,370, which was different from those calculated from reported amino acid sequences deduced from 4 different nucleotide sequences of 3 kinds of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins (two SPEAs, SPEB and SPEC). The amino acid sequence of the N-terminal region of the purified mitogenic factor was determined to be Gln-Thr-Gln-Val-Ser-Asn-Asp-Val-Val-Leu-Asn-Asp-Gly-Ala-Ser-Lys-Tyr-Leu- Asn-Glu - Ala-, which was also different from the reported N-terminal sequences deduced from the 4 different nucleotide sequences. These data indicate that this mitogenic factor is distinct from the already described streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Type I interleukin-1 receptors in the mouse brain-endocrine-immune axis labelled with [125I]recombinant human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist.

Iodine-125-labelled recombinant human interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor antagonist ([125I]IL-1ra) was utilized to further determine the characteristics of IL-1 receptors in the brain-endocrine-immune axis. The binding of [125I]IL-1ra in homogenates of mouse hippocampus, spleen and testis was linear over a broad range of membrane protein concentrations, saturable, reversible, and of high affinity (KD, 20-30 pM). In competition studies, IL-1ra, recombinant human IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta and a weak IL-1 beta analog inhibited [125I]IL-1ra binding to mouse tissues in parallel with their biological activities. In autoradiographic studies, [125I]IL-1ra and [125I]IL-1 alpha binding showed comparable distribution patterns with highest densities of binding sites present in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, choroid plexus, anterior pituitary, marginal zones and red pulp regions of the spleen, epididymis and interstitial area of the testis. The binding characteristics and distribution of [125I]IL-1ra are comparable to those of previously characterized Type I IL-1 receptors. These data provide further support for a role for IL-1 in coordinating brain-endocrine-immune responses to physiological and pharmacological stimuli.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Sperm-activating peptide type-V (SAP-V), a fifth member of the sperm-activating peptide family, purified from the egg-conditioned media of the heart urchin Brissus agassizii.

1. A novel type of sperm-activating peptide named sperm-activating peptide type-V (SAP-V) was isolated from the egg-conditioned media (egg jelly) of the heart urchin Brissus agassizii and the primary structure of the peptide was determined by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry as follows: Gly-Cys-Glu-Gly-Leu-Phe-His-Gly-Met-Gly-Asn-Cys. 2. SAP-V and [Met(O)9]SAP-V stimulated the respiration of B. agassizii spermatozoa with half-maximal concentrations of 0.5 and 0.3 nM, respectively. However, half-maximal stimulation of the sperm respiration required 40 nM of S-carboxymethylated SAP-V. 3. SAP-V induced significant increases in the cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP levels in B. agassizii spermatozoa in a concentration-dependent manner. 4. The addition of SAP-V to B. agassizii spermatozoa resulted in a mobility shift of a major sperm protein (mol. wt from 133,000 to 129,000) on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Resistance to ketosis in moderately obese patients: influence of fatty liver.

To elucidate whether the presence of fatty liver influences ketogenesis in obesity, the metabolic and hormonal changes in basal and low-dose epinephrine (EPI)-stimulated states were studied in 12 obese patients (OB) with normal glucose tolerance, consisting of 6 without fatty liver (OBN) and 6 with fatty liver (OBF). In the basal state, the total ketone body (TKB) concentration and the TKB to free fatty acid (FFA) ratio were significantly (p < 0.01) lower in the OBF than in the OBN group, despite elevated, but comparable, FFA levels in both groups. The basal FFA level and the TKB/FFA ratio correlated with the degree of fatty liver (p < 0.05-0.01). EPI infusion resulted in accelerated lipolysis and diminished FFA-induced ketogenesis, similar to the findings of the basal data. These results suggest that fatty liver per se is related to diminished FFA-induced ketogenesis, leading to resistance to ketosis in obesity.

3-Hydroxybutyric Acid↗
PubMed1992

[Amino acid metabolism in liver cirrhosis].

In patients with liver cirrhosis the fasting plasma alpha-amino nitrogen concentration is high as the rule, due to reduced clearance of total alpha-amino nitrogen. The urea cycle is diminished of its capacity in cirrhotic patients than in the control subject, and to compensate for this, the extrahepatic glutamine cycle capacity is enlarged in the patients. The following important topics were taken up in this mini review: some problems concerning Fischer ratio, amino acids metabolism and pH regulation in the liver, and the supplementation therapy with branched chain amino acids under the condition of organ relationship.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1992

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in inflammatory exudate cells of rabbits. Production, purification and determination of primary structure.

A rabbit interleukin-1 (IL-1) inhibitor in inflammatory peritoneal exudate cells was purified to apparent homogeneity. This inhibitor was extracted from exudate cells of the 24-hr stage of casein-induced peritoneal inflammation and purified using isoelectrofocusing (IEF), gel filtration, followed in this order by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) steps with hydroxylapatite and anionic ion exchanger. The purified factor showed a single band on silver-stained SDS-PAGE. This molecule of MW 19,000 and pI 5.5 inhibited the binding of both IL-1 alpha and beta to receptors on a thymoma cell line, EL-4 and a B-cell line, 70Z/3. We determined its primary structure by a combination of peptide chemistry and molecular cloning. The inhibitor was synthesized as a precursor composed of 177 amino acids and was processed to a mature molecule of 143 amino acids. The N-terminal amino acid of the mature inhibitor was N-acetyl-methionine residue. The deduced amino acid sequence of the inhibitor showed a 77% homology to the human IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and essentially the same mode of action as seen with human IL-1Ra. We consider that this inhibitor is a rabbit counterpart of human IL-1Ra, although there are differences with respect to the molecular structure; the N-terminus of the mature rabbit IL-1Ra at a position of nine amino acids downstream from that of human IL-1Ra.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

[Aortic valve replacement with Medtronic Hall valve (#21) using technique of enlargement of aortic annulus].

Aortic valve replacement was performed in 2 patients with severe aortic stenosis. They showed severe calcified valve and narrow aortic annulus. The aortic annulus was enlarged to 22 mm and 23 mm in diameter in each patient by the technique of Nicks. Then aortic valve replacement was performed with Medtronic-Hall valve (#21) which is supposed to get larger valve area than Björk-Shiley valve. They had good operative course except a complication of complete AV block in the first patient. In this patient a DDD pacemaker was implanted 19 days after operation. Cardiac catheterization was performed 11 or 12 months after operation and good hemodynamics was obtained in both patients. The aortic mean pressure gradient was 6 and 5 mmHg at rest, and 9 and 13 mmHg during exercise on bicycle ergometer in each patient. The aortic valve area was 1.7 and 1.9 cm2, respectively. Body surface area in these patients was 1.29 and 1.36 m2. We concluded that in the small patients we could get a good result with Medtronic Hall valve (#21).

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Significance of lymph nodal metastases in treatment of esophagogastric adenocarcinoma.

Between 1973 and 1990, 104 patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (EGJ) (i.e., primary tumor within 2-3cm of and including the EGJ) were operated upon. Preoperatively, all were deemed potentially resectable. In 70, the esophagogastrectomy was combined with en-bloc resection, that is, wide excision of the primary mass in conjunction with radical lymph node dissection of the posterior mediastinum and upper abdomen. Postoperative staging was done using the WNM system [i.e., wall penetration (W), lymph node involvement (N), and systemic metastases (M)]. Sixty-four patients or 62% had lymph nodes positive for metastases and these neoplastic nodes were most common in the areas between the lower mediastinum and the celiac axis. Of the 70 patients undergoing radical en-bloc resection, paracardiac lymph nodes had the highest rate of metastatic involvement (40%) while gastric lesser curvature lymph nodes had 29%, and distal splenic/pancreatic lymph nodes 11%. Overall, the frequency of intrathoracic lymph nodal metastases was 7%. Those patients who had intrathoracic lymph nodal metastasis also had intraabdominal lymph nodal secondary tumor involvement. Among postoperative survivors, the percent of 5 year survival with N0 (no positive node) and N1 (1 to 3 positive nodes) stage of disease was 38.6% and 28.9%, respectively, compared to only 11.5% in those with N2 (4 or more positive nodes) staging. Because long-term survival is dismal in patients with multiple lymph nodal metastasis, preoperative and intraoperative staging is desirable to avoid morbidity of radical resection for EGJ adenocarcinomas. With less than 3 positive nodes, en bloc resection is worthwhile.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1991

Determination of the amino acid sequence of an intramolecular disulfide linkage-containing sperm-activating peptide by tandem mass spectrometry.

A sperm-activating peptide (SAP) was isolated from the egg jelly of the sea urchin Stomopneustes variolaris. The presence of an intramolecular disulfide linkage in the peptide was demonstrated by fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry with the intact and reduced peptides. The amino acid sequence of the reduced peptide was determined to be Lys-Phe-Cys-Pro-Glu-Gly-Lys-Cys-Val by tandem mass spectrometry from the spectrum produced by a collision-induced decomposition method. Furthermore, it was also demonstrated that SAPs obtained from sea urchins Arbacia punctulata and Glyptocidaris crenularis are cyclic peptides containing one cystine residue by FAB mass spectrometry.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Fulicin, a novel neuropeptide containing a D-amino acid residue isolated from the ganglia of Achatina fulica.

A novel pentapeptide containing a D-amino acid residue was purified from the central ganglia of the African giant snail Achatina fulica Ferussac, and it was named fulicin. The primary structure of the peptide was determined to be Phe-D-Asn-Glu-Phe-Val-NH2. Fulicin potentiated tetanic contraction of the penis retractor muscle of this snail at very low concentrations, and also showed modulatory actions on the activity of the buccal and ventricular muscles and the central ganglionic neurons.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Identification of a novel amino acid, o-bromo-L-phenylalanine, in egg-associated peptides that activate spermatozoa.

Eight sperm-activating peptides containing a novel amino acid were isolated from the egg jelly of the sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla. Accurate mass measurement of the peptide in FAB mass spectrometry showed that the mass of the novel amino acid residue was 224.978. On the basis of the isotopic ion distribution and the degree of unsaturation, the mass value indicated that the elemental composition of the amino acid residue was C9H8O1N1Br1, suggesting that the novel amino acid was bromophenylalanine. Proton NMR spectroscopy, amino acid analysis, and RP-HPLC with three synthetic isomers of bromophenylalanine demonstrated that o-bromophenylalanine was the novel amino acid. Derivatization of the amino acid with Marfey's reagent, (1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrophen-5-yl)-L-alanine amide (FDAA), further indicated that the amino acid was the L-isomer. In other sperm-activating peptides isolated from the egg jelly of the sea urchin, both m- and p-bromophenylalanines were discovered. The presence of m-bromophenylalanine has not been previously reported in natural products, while p-bromophenylalanine is found in theonellamide F, an antifungal bicyclic peptide from a marine sponge.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Purification and characterization of a heat-stable enterotoxin of Vibrio mimicus.

A heat-stable enterotoxin produced by Vibrio mimicus (VM-ST) was studied. VM-ST was purified from a culture supernatant of V. mimicus strain AQ-0915 by ammonium sulfate fractionation, hydroxyapatite treatment, ethanol extraction, column chromatography on both SP-Sephadex C-50 and DEAE-Sephadex A-25, and HPLC, and the recovery rate was about 15%. Purified VM-ST was heat-stable. VM-ST activity was cross-neutralized by anti-STh antiserum. The amino acid composition of the purified VM-ST was determined 17 amino acid residues in the following sequence: Ile-Asp-Cys-Cys-Glu-Ile-Cys-Cys-Asn-Pro-Ala-Cys-Phe-Gly-Cys-Leu-Asn. This composition and sequence were identical to those of V. cholerae non-O1-ST. These results clearly demonstrate the production of a characteristic VM-ST by V. mimicus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗